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Happy hours elsewhere



World time, universal time or simply dual time zone, travellers' watches are essential companions in our interconnected world - they are evolving as fast as the Earth is turning

What time is it? There is more than one answer to this question, because the answer also means knowing a given location. We are constantly in contact with people and things outside our own time zone! It is in this state that GMT-type watches and more generally watches that can display the time in multiple locations around the world exist.

From adding one time zone to two, three or even four, the increase in hands and dials is closely related to the type of needs we have. To find out the time anywhere at any time, Patek Philippe hired Louis Cottier, the inventor of the universal time mechanism, whose display principle became a benchmark in the field. However, these displays are as diverse as our cultures and capitals.

New era, new era

Is the key date 1954 or 1925? Was the first watch to display a second time zone a Rolex or a Longines? Some might say that this doesn't matter, as pocket watches already had this capability, aided by their comfortable size and close links to the world of railways – which themselves were crucial to defining the international time zones in 1884. Since then, dual-time zone watches have come a long way, evolving towards ever-greater refinement and genuine innovation in the 21st century.

The fourth hand on the central or subdial is the indispensable GMT. While the world reference time is now known as UTC, the three letters that inspired our magazine's name remain the abbreviation for travel watches – although its limitations have long inspired more complex creations.

Fresh out of the oven time (zones)

The proliferation of more complex displays – whether the moving rollers of Jacob & Co., the rotating satellites of Hermès, the hemispheres of Montblanc or Bovet, or the hands that telescope on demand from Parmigiani – points to the inherent difficulties of providing a large amount of information on a surface of less than 60 square metres.

The inextricable link between mechanics, creativity, practical needs and graphic expression – the essence of watchmaking – has always found one of their most exciting areas of expression in the world of multiple time zones. We do see more and more models with separate hour and minute displays, essential for tracking time in countries with 15, 40 or 45 minute time zones (including India and its UTC +5:30).

Local colour

A watch showing 24 time zones needs to be legible, with enlarged dials and smooth fonts. The choice of reference cities for these time zones is also an interesting business exercise. After all, there is no reason for a limited series for the Saudi market (UTC +3) to use Moscow as a reference point. And the last option is still quite rare, as bezels tend to be dominated by markings and few are as functional as those of IWC or Rolex.

After leaving the borders of one's own country, the wearer is free to choose a watch that can go beyond his initial setting. Watches that show the time somewhere else no longer hesitate to do so, crossing borders in our company.