Christiaan van der Klaauw / Venus Zodiac & Venus Annual Calendar
Key Highlights
- Two Venus-focused astronomical watches, Venus Zodiac and Venus Annual Calendar, powered by the CKM-01 movement with a dedicated Venus module.
- Rotating discs show the real-time positions and orbits of Venus, Earth, and the Moon around the Sun.
- Venus Zodiac adds a blue Aventurine dial, zodiac ring, and a moonphase linked to the Sun–Earth–Moon alignment.
- Venus Annual Calendar combines the Venus planetarium with an outer rail-track annual calendar display.
- Both models use 38 mm stainless steel or rose gold cases with domed sapphire crystals and a sapphire caseback.
A New Astronomical Chapter for CVDK
From Naarden in the Netherlands, Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches presents the Venus Zodiac and Venus Annual Calendar as Venus-focused planetarium pieces built around the CKM-01 movement and a dedicated astronomical module, first launched in 2024.
Each dial is formed from four discs, three of which rotate to carry Venus, Earth, and the Moon, showing their relative positions and orbital paths around the Sun and Earth in a compact mechanical planetarium on the wrist.
The Venus Zodiac: Night Sky in Motion
The Venus Zodiac uses a blue Aventurine dial that recalls a starry sky, with the Sun at the centre and the paths of Venus, Earth, and the Moon rotating above it, framed by the twelve zodiac signs.
The watch indicates the sign in which the Sun is currently located, with markers for transitions between signs, typically around the 21st of each month, while the moonphase is driven by the spatial relationship between the Sun, Earth, and the Moon.
The Venus Annual Calendar: Technical Elegance
The Venus Annual Calendar offers a more technical reading of the same celestial display, with the rotating discs set over a sunray-finished dial and an outer ring presenting a black-and-white rail-track annual calendar.
The days of the month are arranged into individual month sections that account for differing month lengths, so the mechanism needs correction only once every four years, with all adjustments performed via the crown.
The planetary discs also record orbital data: Earth’s orbit around the Sun takes 365.2 days at 107,206 kilometres per hour, Venus completes its orbit in 224.7 days at 126,071 kilometres per hour, and the Moon’s orbital time and speed are noted to complement the moonphase indication.
The CKM-01 Movement and Case Architecture
Both models use a 38 mm case in stainless steel or rose gold with a domed sapphire crystal over the layered dial, while a sapphire caseback reveals the CKM-01 movement with its star-shaped bridges and skeletonised rotor in the form of the Christiaan van der Klaauw sun logo.
The CKM-01 is a uni-directional automatic calibre with a 60-hour power reserve, beating at 21,600 vibrations per hour (3 Hz) with a Swiss lever escapement, jeweled bearings, a free-sprung hairspring, and a variable-inertia balance for stable regulation.
Rhodium-plated, hand-bevelled bridges underscore the finishing, while the rotor in rose gold-plated brass with a rhodium-plated tungsten mass supports efficient winding, driving central hours and minutes, an astronomical moonphase, a planetarium for the Sun, Earth, Venus, and the Moon, zodiac indications on the Venus Zodiac, and the annual calendar on the Venus Annual Calendar.
CVDK’s Astronomical Legacy
Founded in 1974, Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches has built its reputation on integrating astronomical complications into precise timepieces, and the Venus Zodiac and Venus Annual Calendar extend this legacy by focusing on Venus and its relationship with Earth and the Moon as wearable planetariums.
Why It Matters
For collectors in the GCC, where appreciation for technical watchmaking and celestial themes is strong, the Venus Zodiac and Venus Annual Calendar unite high horology with clear astronomical content. Their 38 mm proportions, detailed dials, and CKM-01 movement make them discreet yet engaging options for enthusiasts of astronomical complications. Those interested can speak with their preferred high-end watch specialist in the region to stay informed about future Christiaan van der Klaauw releases.
