First launched in 1978, the Quantime Perpetuel by Audemars Piguet was the worlds thinnest automatic perpetual calendar. One of only 362 examples in rose gold, this reference 25657 captures much of the appeal of the earliest pieces, with its classic "Audemars Piguet" signature, crisp white dial, and moonphase.

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

The lines of the Quantime Perptuel were pennedby Jacqueline Dimier, whois considered by some as the protg of the legendaryGrald Genta. The reference25657 was produced between 1982 and 1993, making it among the earliest of theQuantime Perptuelmodels.During that period, 362 examples weremade inrosegold, versus the 1,309 pieces produced in yellow gold.

The perpetual calendar indications are laid out in an intuitive manner. The date and day are shown at three and nine oclock respectively, with the months displayed at twelve oclock. A moonphase indication is placed at six oclock, with graduations for the moon position just above. The Audemars Piguet font is flat and restrained, imbuing this piece with a certain vintage appeal. Later versions of the same reference are known to have the more contemporary font, giving them a distinctively more modern appearance.

All of the subdials are recessed, which gives a satisfying level of depth to the overall design and creates some interesting effects when it interacts with the light.This is another subtle feature which is lost in subsequent iterations.Evidence suggests that the dial was manufactured byStern Crations, the storiedmanufacturer which also produced dials for thePatek Philippe Nautilusand theRolex Stellamodels, among others.Therose gold stick hands provide excellent legibility against the white background.

This Quantime Perpetuel 25657 is powered by the Caliber 2120/2, derived from Jaeger-LeCoultres legendary. 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.

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

Closer look

Condition

This Audemars Piguet Quantime Perptuel is in very good condition throughout. The case and lugs show superficial marks from wear over time, most notably light scuffs on the bezel between 12-1 o'clock and 5-6 o'clock. The hallmarks and engravings are crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.