The Frederique Constant Slimline Manufacture Perpetual Calendar has one claim to fame: being the lowest priced mechanical perpetual calendar. And it manages to be automatic as well as in-house to boot. All for just over US$7500 – almost half the price of the next cheapest perpetual.

Though it’s affordable, the Manufacture Perpetual Calendar has all the features expected the complication. Laid out in a traditional manner with four sub-dials,, the perpetual calendar displays the day, date, month and moon phase, along with the leap year indicator. Pushers in the case set the calendar, which will need correction on March 1, 2100.

The case is 42 mm in diameter and stainless steel (or gold-plated stainless steel). Two dial versions are available, a simpler and more attractive satin finish with baton markers and leaf hands, or a fancier attempt at approximating the Breguet look with a guilloche dial and pomme hands.

The FC-775 movement inside is in-house and self-winding with a 38-hour power reserve. It’s decorated and visible through the display back – and it view is not too bad for the money.

The Manufacture Perpetual Calendar retails for €7995 in steel and €8295 in rose-gold plated steel. Those prices include 19 percent tax, meaning the steel version is €6700 before taxes, or just about US$7560.