Stately and classic, the Glashütte Original Senator collection has been popular within the brand’s varied lineup for some time, showing off everything from simple time-only watches, through chronographs, and even the very highest complications like the flying tourbillon, the latter a Glashütte town specialty dating back to founding father Alfred Helwig who defined its mechanical principles. The perpetual calendar is another lofty ticking delight seen in the Senator line, and this time, Glashutte Original is offering a particularly ravishing, individually numbered edition of 100 pieces in the ever-tempting combination of a salmon (or rose, if you prefer) dial and white metal. I suspect this one will find plenty of love from fans of fine German watchmaking, as its details are gorgeous while legibility remains high–something certainly not always the case with the complex perpetual calendar, and its multiplicity of indications. The watch projects an aura of refinement without fussiness, and adds a little pinch of sportiness in its attitude, for good measure. As such, this reference seems an ideal candidate for a daily-wear perpetual calendar wristwatch. Let’s get down into its details, and explore why it might be a compelling choice for you.
As with all high quality watches, the movement is the all-important foundation. The Caliber 36 in its base form has been around since 2016 and remains in service at the Manufacture for many good reasons. Meeting and exceeding COSC fundamentals with a 6-position adjustment, the caliber radiates classic Germanic watchmaking charm, with concepts of modern high horology in tow to keep things practical. Some of those practical elements include a freely sprung balance wheel with gold regulation screws, a silicon hairspring that is utterly impervious to the effects of magnetism, and a robust 100-hour power reserve, a factor the brand achieves with a single mainspring barrel, by the way. A considered look at the components suggest robustness and sturdy construction, as well as prettiness, but there’s certainly no lack on the latter aspect: bridges shine with nicely laid down Glashütte ribbing (or what the Swiss call “Cotes de Geneve“), the winding wheels display sunburst decor, and the balance cock shows off a distinctive engraving, something of a distinguishing characteristic of many finer German watches. Powering the mainspring barrel with each movement of your wrist is a large centrally mounted rotor that has a heavy 21K gold peripheral mass, elegantly secured to the main body of the component with fire-blued screws. Again, the 36-12 is a great looking movement, but still radiates purposeful construction; you just sort of sense that this is a machine meant to deliver excellent results, despite being very, very easy on the eyes. Stop seconds functionality ensures precise timesetting to a reference signal, a good thing given this watch’s inherent precision capability, and the calendar functions of day, month, leap year cycle, and moonphase can be adjusted with reasonable ease via the traditional inset pushers readily visible on the satin-brushed case flank. The oversized panorama date is both sophisticated and effortless to read, and remains one of those house signatures we’ve come to expect from top-end creations by Glashütte Original.
Yet, all of that goodness would matter for little, if it wasn’t presented in an extraordinary manner. The form is familiar and elegant, but the dial absolutely steals the show! Coppery in certain lighting, and salmon pink in others, it immediately reminded me of exquisite high complications in similar shades from some of the most legendary Swiss manufactures, that were often extremely limited in production and typically cased only in platinum. With the Senator, lustrously polished and blued poire-style hands combined with tall, stately Roman numerals to recall the face of classic table clocks. They contrast alluringly against the base dial color, that is further highlighted with a matching blue railroad minute track, brand signatures, and a shimmering metallic moonphase indicator with stars and moon in polished gold. Here, you get the same sense of restrained “special” luxury of those aforementioned Holy Trinity watches, although at a considerably less stratospheric price! This is by every measure a regal watch, of course, but Glashütte Original is known for being a high-end manufacturer that also delivers great value for money. This stunning new reference exemplifies that appreciated quality-price proposition at an suggested retail of USD $20,900 on the strap, or just about a thousand more on the elegant and easily adjustable matching Senator bracelet. For a truly gorgeous, in-house manufactured watch featuring a superbly clear rendition of one of the most prestigious implementations in the classical watchmaking repertoire, and in quite a limited series…well, let’s just say that that MSRP strikes me as a decidedly fair figure, either beyond–but especially within–the surreal market realities of 2021.
Much like the movement inside, the case of the Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Perpetual watch reflects thoughtful refinement with straightforward robustness. Predominantly brushed for discretion, there are just enough polished bevels here and there to create an appealing light play, without any excess ostentation. That’s probably a good thing, because while this is a beautiful timepiece by any consideration, it certainly isn’t a small one, at 42mm. Still, given the easy presentation of the large dial, the ample diameter of the purpose-built in-house movement powering everything, and the overall sense of serene complexity, that case size seems perfectly natural. This is a surprisingly practical (and affordable, relatively speaking) high complication watch that can be enjoyed both for what it offers technically, and how clearly–and elegantly–it conveys that information to the wearer. This is a relaxed high complication piece that can surely be worn almost anywhere, from casual to formal settings, and back again. We’re it me, I’d spring for the bracelet version, and add the blue alligator strap afterward, giving a rare and lovely timekeeping companion that could do just about everything from casual to formal, all four seasons of the year.