[F]Glashütte Original Senator Excellence Pair Watch

Today we take a look at two beautiful models from Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence series: the first is a perpetual calendar in stainless steel, the second is a red gold model with moon phase and date display. Both have an elegant design and easy-to-read dials.

Just two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to review the Panomatic Calendar from Glashütte Original. We were impressed with the design, despite the amount of information displayed on the dial. In fact, we have two more watches from the brand in our office, both of which are new dial variants of watches released in 2023, both Senator Excellence models with complications. Let’s see if these watches are as impressive as the Panomatic.

Senator Collection

A closer look at the Glashütte Original website reveals that the Senator collection, to which these Excellence models belong, offers technically sophisticated watches. The Panomatic series differs in its focus on asymmetrical dial layouts. Neither collection has sports watches, but they do have watches with different calibers and similar features. The final decision comes down to whether you love or hate symmetry.

Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar

Our first watch is the Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar. This 42mm x 12.8mm stainless steel watch comes on a synthetic blue strap with a folding clasp and features a finely grained zinc-plated dial.

A new element to this watch is the slightly darker dial. While other perpetual calendar models use a silver color, this one goes for gray. Equally noticeable is the use of blued elements, including the hands, indexes, and printed font. The applied Roman numerals are made of solid gold, adding to the premium feel. Frankly, the dark dial, blued details, and braided strap give this dressy complication a sporty vibe that I like.

A lot of information is displayed

Perpetual calendars typically display a variety of information, and this Senator Excellence model is no exception. Here, a traditional central hand displays the hours, minutes, and seconds. A dual-wheel panoramic date display, day of the week, and month all sit within recessed, lightly bordered apertures. These three displays are attractively presented with white numerals or lettering against a dark blue background. Next, there is a moon phase display at 8 o’clock. Finally, a leap year display is located at the top center of the dial. Admittedly, this is a more mainstream look than the Panomatic series, but it’s clean and easy to read.

Caliber 36-12

The Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar uses the automatic in-house caliber 36-12. This movement has a power reserve of 100 hours and operates at 28,800vph. Like all models in the line, this watch has been thoroughly tested and certified. Other notable specifications are the silicon hairspring and the movement’s six adjustment positions. Performance-wise, the 36-12’s perpetual calendar is accurate until the year 2100 and features three correctors in the midcase for easy adjustment and setting. Though sometimes difficult to see from under the 21K gold rotor, the movement is highly finished and features fine angles along with a typical German-made three-quarter plate.

Price and review

Glashütte Original’s Senator Excellence Perpetual Calendar isn’t the smallest watch, but at 49.2mm long, it will fit a wide variety of wrists. Plus, the technical strap allows you to take advantage of the watch’s 50m water resistance. The reference 1-36-12-03-02-64 can be purchased for 24,500 euros. It’s not cheap, but Glashütte Original has excelled in offering a high level of functionality and finish at a lower price than its competitors. With its new colorway, this watch is very attractive. For more information, check out the product page on the Glashütte Original website.

Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moon Phase

While the next watch is a little more austere than the Perpetual Calendar, the Panorama Date Moonphase strikes a sweet spot for those who prefer a more understated design. This Senator Excellence model is also slightly smaller, at 40mm in diameter and 12.2mm thick. The case is made of 18K red gold with brushed and polished surfaces.

Glashütte Original already offers a red gold version of this watch, so what are the new details? The main difference is the addition of red gold applied indexes and hands. A more subtle change is the finely grained, hand-finished silver-plated dial, which has a warmer look and pairs well with the included brown alligator strap.

Dressy Dial

The Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moonphase dial has a different layout than its more complicated cousins. On this watch, the moonphase indicator is located between 10 and 11 o’clock. A blue background with gold stars and moons matches the central blue seconds hand. The panorama date sits in its usual position around 4 o’clock. Overall, it has a clean design that would look great with a suit or a nice shirt and jeans.

Caliber 36-24

The Moon Phase uses the same calibre 36 that is the basis for the 36-24 movement. It is also automatic, has a power reserve of 100 hours and has passed a series of tests for reliability and precision. Glashütte Original offers a sapphire crystal case back to complement this beautiful piece. The movement is a real eye-catcher thanks to its high-quality finishing. As with the Perpetual Calendar, the case back is secured with five screws and is water resistant to 50 metres.

Price and availability

Due to its smaller diameter, the Senator Excellence Panorama Date Moonphase naturally feels smaller on the wrist. However, its lug-to-lug length of 49.2mm is the same as the Perpetual Calendar. However, the downward-curving lugs help hide this length. Naturally, the gold brings a price premium, with this watch going for €25,000 with a red gold folding clasp and €22,600 with a pin buckle. Considering that most high-end three-hand dress watches are in this price range, this watch still represents good value for money. For more information, check out Glashütte Original’s product page.

lastly

Glashütte Original makes beautiful watches, and while the prices are in the luxury range, they appear to be significantly cheaper than the competition. The designs are impressive and the movements are noteworthy. What’s best of all is that the brand has updated most of their lineup over the last few years, which is appealing considering most brands have been using the same movements and designs for years. I’ve enjoyed looking at these Senator Excellences, what do you guys think?

Watch Specifications