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In 1931, the Swiss horologist Louis Cottier presented a patent for a bracelet watch mechanism that would allow the user to see time in the cities of the 24 hours of the world simultaneously. Then what is known as the complication of “world time” was born. Cottier went on to supply brands from Patek Philippe to Rolex and Vacheron Constantin, and the ability has become a very disputed area for watchmakes to show their mechanical magic.
This year’s harvest is as diverse in looks as it is in the mechanical shots of the complication. HermesArceau Le Temps Voyageur has a moon mobile subdial that looms on the imaginary map of Jérôme Colliard of an equestrian world; Jaeger-EcoutreThe reverse of Tribute Geographic Secrets the world timer marker on the back of the case; Montblanc’s 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Monte Rosa presents two rotating subdiales that show north and south poles, has a compass in the bevel, so it will never be lost and zero oxygen inside, so it will not move to half of the mountain.
Omega He has put a world timer inside an Ocean Planet Ocean diving watch for the first time. Empty Constantin He made him one of the 41 complications in his last piece of Mega Les Cabinotiers, the most complicated bracelet ever made. And Bovet has finally addressed the great elephant in the room when it comes to world timers: they cannot deal with the whims of summer savings time, so they are almost always inaccurate somewhere in the world, with a diabolical system of rotating rollers.

Empty Constantin Gold Gold Les Cabinotiers Ultra Grand Complication, Poa

Bovet Record Titanium 30 World Timer, SFR68,000 (around £ 61,450)

Nomos Glashütte Steel Club Sport Neomatik Worldtimer, £ 3,940

Omega Ceramic Seamaster Planet Ocean, £ 14,000

Jaeger-Eleultre Steel Reverse Tribute Geographic, £ 19,300

Montblanc Rose-Gold 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen Monte Rosa, £ 21,000

Andersen Genève Gold Communication 45 TWG Edition, around £ 54,000

Hermes Arceau temps voyageur by Gold White-Gold, £ 36,980

Patek Philippe White gold complications, £ 83,360