WORLD TIMER. Travel with ease with a watch that tracks time across zones, like how these four do
IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph
A world-time watch, while being extremely useful to the modern jet setter, tends to be rather complicated. IWC succeeded in solving this quandary with the Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph. In short, a formerly complex operation is simplified to pushing the bezel down, turning it to the desired time zone and then releasing it. That’s it. The 24-hour hand and date display will also be synchronized correctly. On top of its ease of use, the Timezoner Chronograph also features the collection’s classic color coding, an innovative chronograph and an engraving of the Junkers Ju-52 airplane on the case-back.
Case size: 45mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Dial: Black
Strap: Calfskin
Movement: 89760, automatic
Power reserve: 68 hours
Water resistance: 60m
Breguet Classique Hora Mundi 5727
Back in 2011, Breguet scooped up multiple awards for their Classique Hora Mundi 5717. This year, the maison produced a most worthy successor: the Classique Hora Mundi 5727. Much like the 2011 model, the new Hora Mundi features a unique mechanism that keeps track of two times and but accurately juggles date progression and day/night cycles as well. At the push of a button, the watch jumps between the two and displays the proper city reference at its 6 o’clock. All of this happens in front of a minimalist dial proudly displaying the classic Clous de Paris motif.
Case size: 45mm
Case size: 43mm
Case material: 18K white or rose gold
Dial: Silver
Strap: Leather
Movement: 77F0, automatic
Power reserve: 55 hours
Water resistance: 30m
Ball Trainmaster Worldtime
Despite its name, the Trainmaster Worldtime from the Ball Watch Company will be quite useful for travelers using modes of transportation faster than mere trains. Besides being chronometer-certified and having an easily read world-time function, the most unique aspect of this Trainmaster Worldtime is its lowlight visibility. A series of 13 micro tubes containing H3 gas fitted on the dial and hands of the watch ensures easy legibility in even the darkest environments. In fact, this method has been proven to be 100 times brighter than other luminescence techniques commonly used in watchmaking. This certainly makes the Trainmaster Worldtime from Ball a most illuminating traveling buddy.
Case size: 41mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Dial: Black or silver
Strap: Crocodile or stainless steel bracelet
Movement: RR1501-C, automatic
Power reserve: 40 hours
Water resistance: 50m
Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 5230
Time zones can sometimes be just as finicky as national borders: They can move back and forth following historical or political considerations. Even the cities used to refer to specific time zones (e.g., Jakarta time or Dubai time) have at times changed as well. As one of the first Swiss watch brands to take these considerations into account, Patek Philippe has decided to discontinue its legacy World Time watches and introduce the new Ref. 5230 as the golden standard. For one, you can easily tell the time in any time zone with a single glance on the 24-hour time ring and the the city disk. Local time is prominently displayed by the hour and minute hands. Finally, the Ref. 5230 also features a hand-guillochéd woven motif made using a rose engine that’s almost a century old.
Case size: 38.5mm
Case material: 18K white or rose gold
Dial: Silver and black
Strap: Alligator
Movement: 240 HU, automatic
Power reserve: 48 hours
Water resistance: 30m