For those who like watches with more than just the date, the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar and the Montblanc Star Quantième Complet could be an interesting choice. They fill the gap between watches with just a date window and perpetual calendar watches that start at a much higher price. Both these models have the date shown by an extra hand, with a crescent-shaped tip that indicates the date numeral at the edge of the dial. Both have a moon phase display at 6 o’clock; the Jaeger-LeCoultre has a small seconds dial around the moon phase, while the Montblanc has a central-sweep seconds hand. Both have the day of the week and the month indicated on rectangular windows in the top half of the dial. The pattern is a classic, running back to a Jaeger-LeCoultre calendar watch introduced in 1945.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar, launched in 2013, has a pink gold case, 39 mm iin diameter, 10.6 mm thick, with a brown alligator strap. The lugs are slim, and the relatively small case size and thickness makes it ideal for any wearer. It’s virtually a dress watch and it slips easily under a shirt sleeve. The dial is silvered and sunray-brushed, with the gold appliqué hour markings and gold dauphine hands contrasting well for good legibility. There are four luminescent dots at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock, and the hands also have SuperLuminova for visibility in the dark. Balance is perfect and classical, The in-house Calibre 866 movement is automatic, with 305 parts and 32 jewels. It has 43 hours power reserve. Day, date, month and moon phase indications can be set using recessed buttons on the case side. Price is €20,100 for the pink gold version (reference 155 25 20), while the stainless steel version costs €8,950 (reference 155 84 20). More info from http://www.jaeger-lecoultre.com/

The Montblanc Star Quantième Complet has a dial that looks busier, with date, second and Roman numeral hour tracks at the edge of the dial, four blued hands, and the guilloche texture at the centre of the dial. The feuille-shape hands are blued, while the seconds hand has a counterweight in the form of the Montblanc logo. The slim date hand has a red crescent tip. The case is larger than the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master, 42 mm in diameter, and 12.17 mm thick. On the back, a sapphire display window reveals the automatic calibre MB 4810/912, which can be adjusted using recessed buttons, activated using a small corrector rod provided with each watch. The strap is in brown alligator. The movement has 25 jewels. It is not made in-house: it’s probably based on an ETA movement, perhaps the ETA 2892, which has been further developed by Dubois-Depraz, adding the module to provide the complete calendar indications. The use of an externally-developed movement enables Montblanc to reduce the price when compared to the Jaeger-LeCoultre. The red gold version, reference 108737, costs about €14,000. The stainless steel version, reference 108736, costs €3,530. More info from http://www.montblanc.com/