Audemars Piguet Quantieme Perpetual Calendar 25681BA ‘Clover’, 1980s

Dealer description — S.Song Watches

Over the following decade, the Quantième Perpétuel became a platform for experimentation, giving rise to approximately 70 different references and more than 200 documented variations. Among them, few are as memorable as the Ref. 25681. Better known among collectors as the "Clover", or sometimes Quadrifoglio (Italian for "four-leaf clover"), current research suggests that only 123 examples were produced between 1988 and 1991 across all metals, with just 82 cased in 18-carat yellow gold like the example presented here. Like every other example, it is individually numbered on its caseback. It doesn't take long to understand how the 25681 earned its "Clover" nickname. Building upon the Quantième Perpétuel aesthetic first developed by Jacqueline Dimier, one of Audemars Piguet's most influential designers of the period, who worked closely with Gérald Genta early in her career, the 25681 arranges its oversized calendar registers into a symmetrical four-leaf formation that immediately draws the eye. With the dial almost entirely concealed beneath a solid gold plate, only the four calendar subdials and the hour and minute hands remain visible. Fine engraved lines radiating across the gold surface serve as discreet hour markers, ensuring legibility without disrupting the purity of the composition. While this is undoubtedly a highly complicated watch, it is the design surrounding the complication that defines the beauty of the 25681BA. Many four-register calendar watches have been made, but arguably none possesses quite the same visual identity. The month display sits at 12 o'clock, the date at 3, the moon phase at 6, and the day at 9, creating an intuitive layout that feels every bit as balanced as it is practical. Delicate engraved lines radiate from the central pinion, forming an almost floral composition before flowing seamlessly into the surrounding case and reinforcing the distinctive clover-shaped motif. Blued sword-style hands provide a striking contrast against the gold dial, while the circular-grained sub-registers introduce welcome depth and texture. Unlike many perpetual calendars of the era, which favoured restraint above all else, the 25681 proved that decoration and legibility need not be mutually exclusive. Beneath that distinctive dial sits the automatic Cal. 2120/2, a perpetual calendar movement built upon Audemars Piguet's legendary ultra-thin Cal. 2120. Renowned for its slim construction, reliability, and refined finishing, it remains one of the manufacture's finest automatic movements of the period. As this reference predates the introduction of a leap-year indicator, it also preserves the clean four-register layout that many collectors continue to favour for its exceptional balance and symmetry. Housed within an elegant 36mm by 8mm 18-carat yellow gold case, the 25681 wears every bit as gracefully as its proportions suggest. Its slim profile, stepped bezel, and gently curved lugs allow the dial to remain the centre of attention, while the warmth of the aged yellow gold beautifully complements the display beneath its distinctive clover-shaped crystal. More than three decades after its introduction, the Clover remains a reminder that some of Audemars Piguet's most memorable watches are not necessarily those with the longest list of complications, but those with the confidence to present them differently. While its perpetual calendar is every bit as technically accomplished as its contemporaries, it is the watch's unmistakable character that continues to leave the strongest impression. For collectors willing to look beyond the Royal Oak, the Ref. 25681 remains one of the manufacture's most intriguing and charming creations.