Merging the beauty of the desert with the majesty of the mountains, Perrelet have unveiled another limited edition watch with Eastern Arabic numerals!
Perrelet’s heritage stretches back to 1777 with the eponymous Abraham-Louis Perrelet. If you’re a watch nerd, it’s important not to confuse Perrelet with the other Abraham-Louis of watchmaking, namely Breguet. That said, it is the brand’s modern identity that has truly captured the imagination of watch lovers worldwide.
The brand’s appeal lies in its claim to fame: the invention of the automatic rotor, a concept it has continued to explore ever since. While Perrelet has celebrated the rotor in almost every permutation, from peripheral designs to far more expressive interpretations, it has also begun carving out a new path for itself within the dress watch segment.
This began with a small revamp of Perrelet’s lesser-known three-hand collection, the Weekend. Introduced in 2017, the Weekend has served as Perrelet’s minimalist offering, featuring a straightforward aesthetic and elegant complications.
A redesign with an aventurine dial dropped in mid last year, presenting a revised look and feel that was markedly different from the rest of the catalogue. In retrospect, it may have marked the start of a slow but steady repositioning of the Weekend line. Around the same time, the limited-edition Weekend Sand Dunes was released, paying tribute to the Middle East with its textured beige dial and Eastern Arabic numerals.
This year, the brand continues the tradition by swapping colours — and temperatures — with the new Weekend Arctic Dunes. Encased in stainless steel, the timepiece’s dimensions remain the same on paper. At 39mm wide, 47.5mm long, and just 9.56mm thick, the Perrelet Weekend Arctic Dunes suits a wide range of wrist sizes.
The standout feature, however, is undoubtedly the design. Flamboyant without being ostentatious, the ice-blue dial would have easily earned a place on our Christmas winter watches list. Like the Weekend Sand Dunes, Perrelet has delicately embossed the dial to mimic the appearance of sand dunes — or, in this case, snowdrifts. The texture interacts dynamically with light, creating subtle variations in tone and reflection as the wrist moves.
The dial also features a full set of applied Eastern Arabic (or Indian-Arabic) numerals, adding an esoteric touch. Even the date window at three o’clock follows suit, with all dates displayed in the same numeral system.
Turning the watch over reveals a transparent case back, adorned with a finely printed depiction of a snow-covered mountain. Within the illustration, the inscription “Arctic Dunes – Limited Edition 01 of 99” is visible, partially framing the automatic Calibre P-321.
Made in collaboration with SOPROD, the Calibre P-321 operates at a frequency of 4Hz (28,800 VpH) and delivers a power reserve of 42 hours. With a balance of utilitarian specifications and refined finishing, the movement stands out within the Perrelet catalogue.
My Thoughts
Upon reviewing the name and appearance of the Perrelet Weekend Arctic Dunes, I’m immediately taken back to thirteen years ago. In December 2013, heavy snowfall arrived in one of the unlikeliest of places: Cairo, Egypt. In a phenomenon not reported in the previous century — or since — I vividly recall the strange juxtaposition of white-capped pyramids, a snow-covered Sphinx, and that one photograph of an Egyptian man two-handing a snowball onto his unsuspecting companion.
It’s a testament to how certain practices, often dismissed as needless or superfluous, can still evoke remarkable emotional responses. We don’t necessarily need art, music, or mechanical watchmaking, yet it’s precisely these things that can tell stories we haven’t yet heard or don’t yet remember.
In that sense, the Perrelet Weekend Arctic Dunes is a strong continuation of the Weekend line. The only shame, if any, is that there are just 99 pieces to share among all of us watch fans. Perhaps this dial configuration should become part of the standard line, helping to remedy the frustrating rarity of Eastern Arabic numeral timepieces.
Reference: A1300/S4
Specifications
- Dimensions: 39mm case diameter x 47.5mm lug-to-lug x 9.56mm thickness
- Case Material: Stainless Steel
- Dial: Ice blue with sand dune texturing & applied Eastern Arabic numerals
- Movement: Automatic Cal. P-321, developed by SOPROD with Eastern Arabic date complication
- Power Reserve: 42h
- Beat Rate: 4Hz (28,800VpH)
- Water Resistance: 50m (5bar)
- Strap: Blue calfskin leather with alligator finishing & steel pin buckle