The Reason
An unusual execution of a perpetual calendar, unique in its intricacies and historically never executed in this way before, technically or aesthetically.
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(QP = French, Quantium Perpetual - English, perpetual calendar).
Made by MB&F and independent watchmaker Stephen McDonnell. With 581-components. Below are three watches of the same model; a fully assembled and cased example. Secondly, components from a kit for a movement yet to be assembled with a different colour mainplate. Lastly a semi complete movement, advanced, shown with and with out subsidiary dials.
Legacy Machine Perpetual
One of the characteristics with this Perpetual Calendar that differentiates it from other conventional examples which are decorated as this one, predominantly by hand and made in small numbers, is the adjustment required after assembly. Normally with QP's there is a considerable amount of time consumed to assure the mechanism functions correctly. Here the watch is assembled and works with little to no adjustment.
A perpetual calendar automatically adjusts to the variable length of each month and leap year.
QP's tend to be made as slim as possible to reduce the thickness of the final watch. Here the Qp is fully visible and some of the components are made on multiple layers emphasizing the horological nature of the construction producing a substantial piece of 3 dimensional horology.
Side profile of movement outside of the case illustrating the thickness of the wheels and components which the QP comprises of.
Recto-verso of the complete movement.
Detail
The balance oscillating above subsidiary calendar dials
Month dial with master cam placed concentrically inside
The assembly to the right of the image with the blued hand, controls the length of each month
Precision time keeping, 6 positions under 10 seconds daily variation.
Balance bridge and balance wheel.
Individual assemblies and components
Main plate. Decorated with a sun burst finish and PVD coloured surface. Assembled with multiple pillars upon which the QP mechanism is assembled.
Inner mainplate. The barrel and train wheels are held into this side of the mainplate. The PVD treatment only effects the dial side when executed. All surfaces are decorated.
A forest of posts, pins and tubes…
Balance wheel inclined, which has possibly the longest balance arbour ever made for a wristwatch mvt.
Balance wheel profile. The balance staff is 11.80mm long.
The movement sitting in a brass movement ring and placed on to a nylon support for manipulation, allowing the movement to be turned over to allow access to both sides during assembly.
Summary
The movement has been produced with every form of CNC machining available, ranging from conventional milling to electro-formage. The decoration is consistency made by hand as normally seen in high-end complications made in small numbers. The domed sapphire allows both the balance and perpetual calendar to be highlighted. It is rare today to find a fully integrated Quanitieme Perpetual timepiece, the majority manufactured are produced in modular form and added to existing calibres. The result is both technically and aesthetically beautifully executed.
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