Press release
The perpetual calendar
This complication has always been considered particularly significant in the field of Haute Horlogerie, since it constitutes the mechanised reflection of the year in progress. Since the 17th century, this device has proved capable of accounting for the variable length of months during both normal years and leap years.
Today, a watch equipped with such a mechanism requires no manual correction of the date until the year 2100.
Why then? Because, according to the Gregorian calendar in forced since 1592, that particular century year will not be a leap year (meaning one that is divisible by 400), just as 1700, 1800 and 1900 were normal years.
To date, there is practically no horological mechanism that is “perpetual” to the extent of automatically adjusting those particular years.
The Athys Perpetual Calendar
The exclusive new Daniel Roth timepiece houses a mechanical self-winding calibre (DR 114) with perpetual calendar and moon phases, beating to the cadence of 28,800 vibrations per hour and endowed with a 44-hour power reserve.
The classically elegant and legible dial bearing large Roman numerals is entirely in tune with the spirit of the Athys line.
The slightly off-centred hours, minutes and moon-phase display are “surrounded” by the chapter ring and are read off above a transparent sapphire crystal opening enabling one to admire part of the movement.
The day of the week and month apertures are located on two sapphire discs at 9 and 3 o'clock respectively. The calendar is displayed by a blued steel baton-shaped hand at 6 o'clock, and in the centre the leap years are shown by a tiny arrow-tipped hand moving over a four-pointed star bearing the corresponding indications.
Like all Daniel Roth movements, the DR114 is adorned with fine watchmaking finishes: complete decoration, hand bevelling, Côtes de Genève, as well as an 18-carat guilloché oscillating weight for self-winding movements.
The case
The famous double-ellipse case in 18-carat white or red (5N) gold is equipped with pushpiece correctors in order to facilitate adjustment operations (and to avoid any risk of scratching the case) for the months and years (2 o'clock), dates (4 o'clock), days (8 o'clock) and finally the moon phases (10 o'clock).
As on all Daniel Roth models, each lug is individually soldered. The case-back is secured by 6 pentagonal screws and the sapphire crystals are glareproofed.
The Athys Perpetual Calendar in a nutshell
This timepiece that Daniel Roth is launching in this international year of astronomy is equipped with mechanical self-winding Calibre DR114. It displays the moon phase and perpetual calendar indications including leap years, which means it will require no manual date adjustment until the year 2100. This timeless and understated new complication model finds its natural place within the Athysline.
