The Story of World Time: From Cities to Your Home
The idea of tracking multiple time zones at once is as fascinating as it is practical. In a world increasingly connected by commerce, travel, and diplomacy, the World Time complication became one of horology’s greatest innovations.
The story begins in the 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution and global trade demanded synchronization. The Canadian engineer Sir Sandford Fleming proposed a universal system of 24 time zones in 1878, which became the basis of our modern timekeeping. Watchmakers quickly realized the prestige and utility of bringing this system to life on the dial.
In the 1930s, Swiss watchmaker Louis Cottier revolutionized watchmaking by inventing the world time mechanism: a rotating 24-hour disc combined with a city ring. With a glance, travelers could see the time in major cities worldwide. This elegant solution soon found its way into the collections of brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and others, defining the golden age of World Time watches.
Over the decades, worldtimers evolved from pocket watches to refined wristwatches, each showcasing artistry in design and technical mastery. Enamel world maps, guilloché dials, and modern sapphire city rings brought beauty and precision together. Today, worldtimers remain among the most prestigious complications, marrying global utility with horological art.
At 24Time, we are proud to offer collectors a curated selection of World Time watches — each with its own story and legacy.
Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 5230G
An icon of horology, combining Louis Cottier’s ingenious mechanism with Patek Philippe’s timeless design. The 24-city ring and elegant guilloché dial embody both technical mastery and global sophistication.
Hermès Travel Clock with World Times
Hermès embraced Louis Cottier’s pioneering world time system from the 1930s—integrating it with their aesthetic sensibility to create objects that serve both function and elegance. Over time, this vintage timepiece has become a sought-after collector’s item.
Imhof 'Swiss World Time' Travel Clock
Originating in the golden era of mechanical innovation, this Imhof travel clock distills the grandeur of railway timekeeping into a compact, refined form.
Featuring a South Pole–centric map on the inner dial, the clock displays city names aligned to time zones. A 24-hour GMT ring rotates once per day, while the inner city disc rotates every 12 hours. You can set a second time zone instantly using the adjustment screw on the back—align the desired city to the hour hand at midnight, and you're done.
