Words: Jonathan Wells
If you’re trying to impress, nothing says ‘frequent flyer’ like a world timer. These jet-setting, buckled-up timepieces are among a globe-trotter’s most faithful travelling companions — and they are surefire indicators that you know your way around a first class cabin.
Just look at them. With the distinctive rings of cities around their dials, world timers are not only among the most functional of watches, but also the most beautiful. They are sought-after slices of wrist-mounted wanderlust, ticking calls to adventure — and tools that will help you keep your bearings in 24 timezones.
Their cases conceal a complex, clever mechanism — but one that is remarkably easy to read. Most world timers coordinate an outer chapter ring with the names of 24 reference cities — one for each time zone. A pusher, set into the case, allows the wearer to move between these cities, one by one, to discover what the local time is wherever they may find themselves.
That means, whether you’re touching down in Bangkok or Buenos Aires, you’ll always be one step ahead. So you can stop flaunting your passport full of stamps or that rainbow of notes in your wallet — because a true frequent flyer can be identified by his world timer alone. Here are the best to buy…
An invitation to travel: Jaeger LeCoultre Geophysic Universal Time
Combining advanced watchmaking with a face that inspires emotion, this pink gold watch is firmly anchored in the twenty-first century, and features bâton à facette hands, appliquéd hour-makers and a water resistance of five bar.
A finer thing in life: Chopard L.U.C Time Traveler One
Bringing together impeccable elegance, flawless quality and state-of-the-art technical sophistication, this L.U.C timepiece is the perfect piece of kit for the modern gentleman. Expect 18-carat rose gold, see-through sapphire crystal and a power reserve of 60 hours.
Fit for an aviator: IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner Chronograph
The perfect Universal Time Coordinated watch, this IWC features a Timezoner that will display the time and date for a new time zone with a simple, single turn of the bezel. Add the black dial with red detailing, and you’ve got a true aeronautical instrument.
Day and night: Montblanc 4810 Orbis Terrarum
With the Earth anchored at the core of one of Montblanc’s most contemporary and useful complications, this timepiece adopts a universal approach; telling the time in 24 timezones and indicating how night and day evolve all over the world.
Precise to the last: Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time
In a sporty steel case, Vacheron Constantin’s enviable world timer shows a full 37 different time zones — and the centre, featuring a ‘Lambert’ projection map, depicts the continents in sunburst satin-brushed and velvet finishes.
Out of this world: Ulysse Nardin Executive Moonstruck
The only watch to depict the movements of the moon and sun in relation to the Earth, as well as a map of the tides, this astronomical wristwatch from Ulysse Nardin is a self-winding, water-resistant, limited-edition map of the stars.
The height of luxury: Patek Philippe 5230R
Highly coveted by frequent flyers and collectors alike, the recently relaunched 5230R from Patek Philippe features a carefully evolved rose gold case, a new pierced hour hand and a manually guilloched dial centre inspired by the Maison’s archives.
International appeal: Breitling Aviator 8 B35 Automatic Unitime 43
Designed with international travellers in mind, this automatic wristwatch from Breitling offers world-time indication through an ingenious independent hour hand — and is available with a stunning dial in black or silver.
Want to explore a different style? Here, we take a look at the best chronometers money can buy…
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