A world time watch is a traveler’s best friend! Anyone who travels around the world knows how demanding it is to keep abreast of the time zones for each country visited, and the necessity of constantly changing the time on your watch is one more chore that you don’t need to add to the list. Wearing a world time watch solves that problem.
And in this day of global economy, many entrepreneurs find themselves collaborating with colleagues across the globe, and coordinating schedules in different time zones can be challenging. Enter Worldtimers!
These watches typically feature a bezel inscribed with the names of 24 different major world cities, each belonging to a different time zone and a 24-hour time ring. These two features are used to show the correct time of the day in any of the 24 time zones. By moving the cities ring, the hour hand is adjusted to show the correct time in the time zone of the desired city. The inner, 24-hour ring also rotates, showing the correct time in all the other cities at the same time.
An independent watchmaker called Louis Cottier revolutionized the watch industry with the invention of the world time complication back in the 1930s. Many watchmakers, some of the most famous being Patek Philippe and Rolex, adopted this design. The sheer complexity of the movement means a higher price compared to the simpler GMT watches. In addition, these world time watches are more difficult to find. This makes them a treasured catch for true watch enthusiasts.
In this article, our experts picked out a few of their favorite world time watches, perfect for travelers and luxury watch lovers alike.
IWC Pilot Worldtimer
IWC Schaffhausen is a watchmaker brand with a rich history, founded back in 1868. Their watches are revered for their functionality and design. This particular Worldtimer line is a professional watch favorite among many pilots, who praise it for its high-performance and reliable complication. It is very easy to use as the correct time for the desired time zone is adjusted through the crown, while the date syncs with the hour hand.
Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Traveller
With a reputation spanning over two centuries, Girard-Perregaux demonstrates their expertise with the Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Traveller. Not only does the Traveller display the time across 24 time zones, it also features three subdials that display the local hours, seconds and minutes. Other useful functions include a day and night display, a chronograph and a power reserve that can last up to 46 hours.
Hamilton Khaki Chrono Worldtimer
This world timer watch was designed with the help of Nicolas Ivanoff, a famous acrobatic pilot. The watch is powered by an H-41e Chrono quartz movement, specially designed for this timepiece, and housed in a stainless steel case. It can also display the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and is water resistant up to 100m.
Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time
Vacheron Constantin is among the most luxurious watch brands in the world, and this model is the embodiment of that luxury. This complex model displays 37 different time zones simultaneously, including those offset from the UTC. A rotating sapphire crystal shaded on one side illustrates which cities are currently in the night hours.
Ball Watch Trainmaster World Time GMT Chronograph
This handsome and affordable world time watch by Ball, a company whose timepieces are known for extremely precise measurement of time, looks as good as it performs. In stainless steel with anti-reflective sapphire crystal, luminous hands and dial markers, it makes for a perfect travel companion.
If you think one of these world time watches would be an ideal addition to your collection but fear making the wrong choice or paying too much, stop by Leo Hamel’s luxurious store on San Diego Avenue and browse our vast selection of new and pre-owned watches.
Our helpful salespeople will help you select the perfect watch befitting your style, personality, and budget, and show you how to easily master its functions. Get the right watch at the right price at Leo’s.
