Launched in 1978, the Quantième Perpétuel was the world’s thinnest automatic perpetual calendar. Created during a time when the watchmaking industry was battling to stay afloat amidst the Quartz Crisis, the Quantième Perpétuel fought against the tides of change to uphold traditional watchmaking techniques.

Only 29 of these found in rose gold for this reference, and we can reasonably assume that only select handful within that number bear a mother of pearl dial. On top of this, the earlier pieces of the Quantième Perpétuel are rarely seen with a stone dial, making this piece an intriguing find for collectors searching for an unusual example of the model. This example was first sold in 1993.

This reference retains the typical layout that was originally penned by Jacqueline Dimier. The perpetual calendar indications are laid out in an intuitive manner: the date and day are shown at 3 and 9 o’clock respectively, with the months displayed at 12 o’clock. A moonphase indication is placed at 6 o’clock, with graduations for the moon position just above. The dial also features "sunken" sub-dials, which have an inner black stroke and are slightly recessed. The outer black line found on some models is noticeably absent. The moonphase complication also peeks through from below the mother of pearl dial, giving the watch an unusual sense of depth.

The watch is powered by the automatic calibre 2120/2, an ultra-thin movement which was derived from Jaeger-LeCoultre’s legendary ultra-thin JLC 920 movement. The Caliber 2120 was an initial project of Jaeger LeCoultre in 1967, funded and contributed by Audemars Piguet, and famous for its adoption by Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. The movement can be viewed through the sapphire caseback, featuring a skeletonised rotor and hand-engraved patterns, in addition to beautiful finishing. The caseback is also engraved with the piece number, brand name, watch series, and 'Swiss-Made'.

If sold within the United Kingdom, this Audemars Piguet Quantième Perpétuel will be subject to 20% VAT

Closer look

Condition

This Audemars Piguet Quantième Perpétuel is in very good condition throughout. The case and lugs show virtually no signs of wear and likely used on only a handful of occasions. The vibrant mother of pearl dial reflects blue, green, and pink hues. The dial itself has minor hairline cracking in the 12 o'clock sub-dial. The rest of the dial and sub-dials are free from any cracks or imperfections. The hallmarks on the side of the case and the engravings on the caseback are very crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch was recently serviced by accredited restorers SHWR in June 2023. The watch also comes with a lifetime guarantee of authenticity from  A Collected Man.