Ask An Expert: What’s the Difference Between World Time and Dual Time Watches?

They both share a similar purpose, which is to track and display the time in another time zone. The difference is that a world timer displays multiple time zones simultaneously, whereas a dual timer indicates just two time zones.

For people who have business or personal connections around the globe, a world timer is a nice option because it tells you quickly what time it is where they are, so you can avoid doing the mental math to figure it out.

Quite a few brands offer this handy complication, and most take similar approaches by showing all 24 major time zones on the dial simultaneously. Many feature a rotating ring numbered from 1 to 24. When the ring turns, the numbers line up with a list of 24 cities to indicate the hour in each location.

With all the information shown, word timer dials can look cluttered, which is why I really like the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Geographic. Its clean design uses a relatively small aperture to highlight a city and shows the corresponding time on a nearby two-hand display. It’s true you can’t see every city at once, but a secondary crown makes it easy to change the location.

On the other hand, dual time watches replica are less complicated and also less expensive. They’re extremely popular with frequent travelers because they show the local time and your home time simultaneously.

Even though most brands offer a second time zone watch, many use different ways to indicate the same information. For instance, some use an additional hand, while others use a subsidiary dial or a rotating disc. I like quite a few dual timers, but two standouts are the Rolex Explorer II for a casual look, and the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Dual Time for more formal occasions.

Leon Adams is the owner of Cellini Jewelers.