The Senator Perpetual Calendar from Glashütte Original has been a part of the brand's collection for 22 years. It signifies a triumph of mechanics and design with one of the world's best perpetual calendars. Over the years, the watch has evolved both in appearance and mechanics, updating aesthetic features and modernizing mechanisms. The latest update was in 2017 with the Senator Excellence model featuring caliber 36 with a 100-hour power reserve and a silicon balance spring. Although bold colors are associated with GO's collections from the sixties and seventies, today the Saxon brand presents a special limited series of 100 pieces: the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar with a stunning salmon dial and blue accents. The impeccable readability of the calendar functions, a constant feature of this QP model throughout its existence, is highlighted by the dramatic contrast created by the attractive rose opaline dial and sharp blue details.
EVOLUTION SINCE 1999
The Senator collection from GO features classic watches exuding a certain spirit of noble conservatism. Since its inception in 1999, the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar model has undergone several evolutions. The latest modification occurred in 2017 with the installation of caliber 36 and a redesign of the case. If you are interested in tracing the evolution of the QP, don't miss Bryce's article where he discusses all the changes to the case and mechanism over the past 22 years.
Besides the more classic silver dials associated with the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar, in recent years we have seen QPs with modern semi-open dials and even a blue Bucherer dial. However, today's model might be the most attractive and impressive version to date. This is far from the first salmon dial in the brand's repertoire - last year GO released the PanoMaticLunar model with a beautiful pink opal dial - but it is undoubtedly the boldest color combination to appear in the more subdued and conservative Senator Excellence family.
GALVANIC ROSE OPALINE DIAL
Although the display, case, and movement are identical to the 2017 model, the new dial color gives the watch a completely different individuality. As our readers know, Glashütte Original is one of the few watch companies with its own dial production located in Pforzheim. Unlike more standard methods of obtaining a salmon-colored dial, using a rose gold base or salmon-colored lacquer, here the method of galvanization is applied. Galvanization is the electrolytic application of thin metal layers for surface corrosion protection, which can be used for coloring dials. The color obtained by Pforzheim's masters is close to salmon but more metallic and changes significantly depending on the ambient lighting. Its chameleon-like character can vary from silky pale pink to a richer shade of rose gold (salmon).
On the thin matte-grained surface of the dial, there is a peripheral blue railway track for minutes/seconds without Arabic numerals and thicker tracks in 5-minute intervals. Another novelty concerns the Roman numerals on the dial. In previous editions, printed Roman numerals XII and VI were often found, but in this novelty, applied blue numerals from I to XII are used. Again, in the press release images, the blue accents appear much more “electric” than in reality. Our photos show that the manually applied blue numerals are darker and much more subtle. The hour and minute hands are in poire style and blued, as is the central seconds hand with a double counterweight G.
One of the easiest-to-read perpetual calendars, thanks to the windows on the dial for calendar functions, the latest color combination makes the dial even more legible. The five apertures on the dial for calendar functions have retained their original positions: symmetrically placed day of the week and month windows aligned horizontally at the “10” and “2 o'clock” positions. The elegant two-step frames of these windows resonate with the large Panorama Date (double date disc) window at the “4 o'clock” position.
Another common feature: the day, month, and date are applied on a blue background with white inscriptions for enhanced readability. The leap year indicator at noon is also recessed and snail-shaped on a blued hand. Between 7 and 8 o'clock is the moon phase indicator, also with a blue background, stars, and a golden moon.
STAINLESS STEEL CASE
The case is made of stainless steel with a diameter of 42 mm and a height of 12.8 mm, it is polished. Short lugs, to which the blue Louisiana alligator leather strap is attached, ensure a snug fit. Another convenient aspect of this perpetual calendar is the pusher on the strap for simultaneous adjustment of the day of the week, date, and month. Technically speaking, if the watch were constantly wound, it would provide accurate calendar indication until the year 2100.
CALIBER 36-12
First used in the 2017 Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar model, the GO 36 base caliber provides a powerful power reserve of at least 100 hours. And there are good reasons for this. Window apertures with jumping disc displays consume much more energy than traditional hand displays. To maintain operation, they need to accumulate a month's supply of energy, which can be released at the right moment. The increased power reserve, stored in a single spring barrel, ensures the operation of all functions, and the anti-magnetic silicon balance spring increases the accuracy of operation. The innovative bayonet mounting for securing the movement in the case makes the watch more reliable and prepared for everyday wear.
The sapphire case back reveals the sophisticated finish of the automatic movement with a newly designed skeletonized rotor (the double G logo is now fully open). Typical Glashütte ornaments and design features such as the three-quarter plate with Glashütte stripes, hand-engraved balance cock, fine perlage finish, blued screws, and decorative finish of the wheels and rotor track testify to the strong Saxon character of the brand.
Furthermore, like all Senator Excellence models, the watch underwent a 24-day comprehensive test cycle and has a special engraving on the case back guaranteeing the quality of each watch. Owners can view the testing results of their watches on a dedicated online portal.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICE
The Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar Rose Opaline is limited to 100 pieces and available from the end of October exclusively at Glashütte Original boutiques and authorized dealers. The retail price of the watch on a blue alligator leather strap is 20,500 euros. The watch is also available on a stainless steel bracelet for 21,700 euros.
For more information, visit the Glashütte Original website.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SENATOR EXCELLENCE PERPETUAL CALENDAR ROSE OPALINE
Case: 42 mm diameter x 12.8 mm height - stainless steel - universal corrector on bezel for setting day, date, and month - sapphire crystal with AR coating on both sides over the dial, sapphire crystal case back
Dial: galvanic rose opaline - manually applied blue Roman numerals - poire-style hour and minute hands - central seconds hand with double counterweight - leap year indicator at noon, day of the week and month in windows at 10 and 2 o'clock, Panorama Date at 4 o'clock, moon phase at 8 o'clock
Movement: caliber 36-02, in-house developed - automatic winding - frequency 4 Hz - power reserve 100 hrs - 49 jewels - hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with Panorama Date, day of the week, month, leap year, moon phase
Strap: blue Louisiana alligator leather or stainless steel bracelet
Reference: 1-36-12-01-02-61 leather strap
1-36-12-01-02-71 steel bracelet
Availability: limited edition of 100 pieces
Price: 20,500 euros leather strap, 21,700 euros steel bracelet