Top Travel Watches

Watch companies have long recognized the plight of frequent business travelers, whose daily lives necessitate juggling the prevailing time in numerous parts of the world. Notably, Louis Cottier, a Geneva-based watchmaker, invented a new principle for World Time watches replica in 1935 that was subsequently adopted by Patek Philippe and integrated into its pocket watches replica and wristwatches.

A World Time watch simultaneously displays the local time centrally with the prevailing hour in 24 other time zones around the periphery of the dial. This particular complication has been a staple of Patek Philippe’s collection for more than three-quarters of a century and remains much loved by the cognoscenti. The current Reference 5131 pairs the facility of a World Time together with a sumptuous dial featuring a cloisonné enamel at its center.

Despite the complexity of World Time watches replica, some watch companies have recently democratized the complication. Montblanc launched its Orbis Terrarum, part of its Heritage Spirit Collection, at SIHH 2015. I find the 18-karat gold version particularly attractive.

On the central area of the dial of this timepiece is a depiction of the world as viewed from the North Pole. This delightful representation of the world’s continents incorporates a day/night display that indicates those areas of the planet experiencing daylight and conversely those parts of the planet temporarily dwelling beneath a nocturnal sky.

Travel Time watches replica come in many shapes and sizes beyond these two examples. Indeed, would-be watch buyers have never had it so good.

Below I’ve described nine more of my favorite travel watches replica.

NOMOS-Glashütte Zürich Worldtimer

In some instances the dials of World Time watches replica can appear cluttered. NOMOS-Glashütte, the watch company from Saxony famed for its clean, highly legible dials., offers an interesting twist on this genre of complication.

Following the Bauhaus doctrine of form follows function, the dial does not show the prevailing time in all 24 locations simultaneously. Instead, the wearer presses a pushpiece at 2 o’clock to advance the city ring to the applicable city / time zone and the hour hand moves accordingly to indicate the local time. Adjacent, is a stylish depiction of a house at 3 o’clock, which indicates the home time.

Perhaps purists may argue the watch is not a World Time in the truest sense. However, I would feel compelled to counter that this timepiece masterfully converses with the wearer in succinct and lucid tone. Furthermore, with affordable pricing and a manufacture movement the Zürich Worldtimer makes a compelling case for acquisition.

Seiko Grand Seiko SBGJ003

While I adore world time watches replica, I have to concede I probably favor those timepieces equipped with a GMT function. This complication allows the wearer to display the local time using the main hour and minute hands, but simultaneously indicates the home time with an additional hand.

In reality, displaying two time zones at the same time should adequately sate any travel requirements for the majority of wearers. The principle advantage of a GMT, when contrasted with the majority of world time watches replica, is the GMT’s comparatively clean dial display.

As regular readers of IW Magazine may know, I am a huge fan of Grand Seiko. This high-end Japanese watch company delivers highly legible dials paired with ultra-smooth Zaratsu polished cases. In 2014, Grand Seiko released a new movement, the Caliber 9S86. This high-frequency movement, based on its Caliber 9S85, has a frequency of 36,000 vph (5 Hz) and is referred to as 10-beat or Hi-beat by the Seiko Watch Corporation.

However, my favorite variant of the watch is actually the non-limited Grand Seiko SBGJ003. Its red, ebullient GMT hand contrasts wonderfully against the black dial canvas. The faceted hands and applied indices augment ease of reading, making this a shining exemplar of clean design, a trait no doubt welcomed by weary travelers.

H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Dual Time

This watch, in platinum, is another firm favorite of mine when it comes to GMT-equipped timepieces. At first glance this watch appears to display merely, hours, minutes and small seconds. However, covertly residing behind the hour hand is the GMT hand, available for use when needed.

The primary benefit of this approach by H. Moser is the brevity accorded to the display, uncorrupted by the superfluous. Once the GMT is activated, a function perhaps only occasionally needed, the additional hand emerges from hibernation, conferring utility with its red sinuous form.

Meerson D15 MK-1 GMT

Alexandre Meerson is a relative newcomer to the world of horology, but his handsome timepieces have already led to fervent key tapping by the world’s watch press. His company, Meerson, has focused closely on the interface between the wearer and their chosen timepiece.

Meerson has adopted a holistic approach to watch design, not merely concentrating on the movement, but expending similar levels of attention to the dial, case and even the strap. Indeed, the purchase of a Meerson is accompanied with a personalized fitting where the wearer is invited to have his or her wrist measured, reminiscent of a visiting a prestigious tailor for a bespoke suit. The result is a very agreeable union between the watch and its wearer.

Maison Meerson recently launched this D15 MK-1 GMT in a variety of colors. This timepiece proves unusual with push pieces gracing the left flank of the case. At first glance you may suspect the watch is a chronograph. It is not. The push piece at 2 o’clock advances the hour hand (local time) in one-hour increments, whereas its counterpart at 4 o’clock causes the hour hand to move counter clockwise, again in distinct one-hour leaps. The convenience accorded by the pushers is superb and obviates the need to fiddle with the crown when jet-lagged.

Arnold & Son Instrument DBG

The Arnold & Son Instrument DBG displays two time zones, again allowing the wearer to display any time zone on the dial. In this instance, the timepiece is equipped with one movement, the Manufacture movement A&S1209 that features two escapements / balance wheels, double gear train and twin barrels. While the DBG is equipped with two crowns to allow each display to be independently set, the hand wound movement requires the wearer to wind the watch solely with the right hand crown, proving particularly simple.

Vacheron Constantin Harmony Dual Time

Dual time models simultaneously show the prevailing time using two sets of hour and minute hands for two different locales. Some examples, like the gorgeous Vacheron Constantin Harmony Dual Time, feature only one movement, hence the minute hands shown on each display are not independent. Other Dual Time watches replica actually feature two distinct movements, allowing the wearer to position the minute hands independently of each other. In some parts of the world, the prevailing time may be a half-hour time zone. For example, India is set to GMT +5:30. Nepal’s zone is different by three-quarters of an hour (GMT +5:45).

Cuervo y Sobrinos Prominente Dual Time

Cuervo y Sobrinos’ Prominente Dual Time features two automatic ETA movements serving two displays arranged one above the other in a stylish Art-Deco case.

Jaquet Droz The Twelve Cities

This watch allows the wearer to display the time in one of twelve locations around the globe. By pressing the pushpiece at 2 o’clock the city disc advances, revealing the name of the location via an aperture above 6 o’clock. The corresponding hour is revealed via a window positioned below noon. The design language, typical of many of this maison’s creations, is elegant and restrained, reaffirming why I continue virtually everything that leaves the confines of its atelier in La Chaux-de-Fonds.

Girard-Perregaux Traveller John Harrison

I have to doff my hat in reverence to my compatriot, fellow Englishman John Harrison, whose work in accurately determining longitude created the means to construct various marine chronometers, which helped explorers safely navigate hostile seas in the 18th century. Swiss watch brand Girard-Perregaux clearly shares my respect for Harrison and his technical prowess, releasing the gorgeous, limited edition Traveller John Harrison. This gold cased watch is equipped with a second time zone indication, large date and moon phase indication.

Indeed, it is the work of Harrison which paved the way for all other Travel Watches Replica, a sphere of horology which continues to attract an increasing number of admirers, appealing to legions of watch fans around the globe.

Angus Davies is the founder of escapementmagazine.com