Custom-Tuned JAPAN MADE Movement

The "Himalaya 40mm Anniversary Model" is equipped with a versatile movement crafted by MIYOTA, a movement supplier within the Citizen Watch group. Based on this movement, a module for the annual calendar function has been uniquely integrated. The practice of not solely relying on in-house production but sourcing necessary components from other manufacturers to create a finished product is described as "ébauche," and this was the mainstream in the watch industry historically (and remains so today).

The primary advantage of this method is, undoubtedly, the pursuit of value for money. When taken to its extreme, this annual calendar model, available in the ¥100,000 range, serves as an excellent example.



An annual calendar refers to a sophisticated date display mechanism that automatically calculates for months with 31 and 30 days. However, unlike a perpetual calendar, it does not account for February, thus requiring manual date adjustment once a year.

Nevertheless, the convenience of not needing adjustments for most months significantly enhances its daily usability. Furthermore, annual calendar models are released by numerous high-end brands as "petite complication" items, all of which have garnered considerable popularity.

From its founding until around the 1970s, LIP manufactured its own movements and boasted the highest production volume in France. However, the advent of quartz watches led to a decline in its business. Subsequently, to revitalize the brand, LIP regained popularity with models like the iconic "MACH 2000" series, designed by French designer Roger Tallon and released in 1975. Around 2015, management was transferred to the current owner, SMB, a watch manufacturing company from Besançon.

As LIP approaches its 150th anniversary, the brand has been focusing on reviving French-made mechanical watches, including achieving certification from the historic "Besançon Observatory" for accuracy in recent years.