5 Best World Time Watches: Our Picks | The Watch Club by SwissWatchExpo

Whether you’re doing post-pandemic revenge travel, or doing business in different parts of the world, reading time in multiple time zones can be confusing. Thankfully, staying on schedule can be as easy as a glance on your wrist – enter the world time watch.

Developed by independent watchmaker Louis Cottier in the 1930s, the world time was quickly adopted by prestigious brands like Rolex, Vacheron Constantin, and Patek Philippe. Cottier’s ingenious movement allowed watches to display 24 world cities, each representing a different time zone.

Today, it remains a fairly complicated feature, but brands who have mastered the art of the world time have managed to create legible, organized, and beautiful dials that have captured the hearts of jet-setters and watch enthusiasts. Here are 5 of our favorites:

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer GMT Watch 220.12.43.22.03.001

Omega Aqua Terra Worldtimer

Why we love it: It features the well-loved sporty look of the Omega Aqua Terra with a striking dial.

The Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer is a sporty take on a classic complication. With its handsome looks, this watch effortlessly stands out in the Omega portfolio.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer GMT Watch 220.10.43.22.03.001

Available in both Sedna Gold and steel, the Aqua Terra Worldtimer follows a platinum worldtimer that Omega launched in 2017 in a limited run of 87 pieces. This new edition comes in at a fraction of the cost with more intricate details on the dial.

The main attraction in this timepiece is the world map, which has a textured and vibrant quality to it that makes for a remarkable presentation. It is crafted from a grade 5 titanium plate that has been laser-sculpted to create the blue ocean and the relief engravings of the world’s major land masses. Surrounding the map is a 24-hour scale that revolves over the day and an outer ring that depicts the world’s 24 major cities.

Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer GMT Watch 220.10.43.22.03.001

The Aqua Terra Worldtimer runs on two different movements depending on the model. Steel editions are powered by the Caliber 8938 – a METAS-certified movement with an ability to resist magnetic fields up to 15,000 gausses. Meanwhile, Sedna gold versions rely on the self-winding Caliber 8939, which offers a 60-hour power reserve.

Breitling Transocean Unitime

Why we love it: It offers beautiful aesthetics and easy-to-use, real-world functionality in a robust, yet elegant, water-tight case.

Introduced in 2012, the Breitling Transocean Unitime combines the design of the well-loved, three-button Transocean Chronograph with a patented world-time complication.

Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime Rose Gold Watches RB0510

The watch has two revolving discs, both of which are controlled by the crown and reveal 24 different time zones in a single glance. What’s notable about it is that the timezone and dates can be adjusted both forward and backward without interfering with the time and chronograph features.

Sized at 46mm, and available in steel and rose gold finishes, the Breitling Transocean Unitime offers lots of room for legible reading as well as superior wrist presence. Inside, it runs on the Caliber B05, which is essentially the iconic B01 movement but with a special world-time complication module built atop.

IWC Pilot Timezoner

Why we love it: Rugged looks meet superior functionality

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner pairs the classic Flieger watch design from IWC with a rather unique bezel on top.

IWC Pilots Timezoner Le Petit Prince Steel IW395503

Most watches allow the wearer to interact with his wristwatch through the crown – a knob responsible for winding the movement and setting the time. With the Timezoner, originally developed by Michael Vogt in 2014, the bezel that is mechanically linked to the movement handles all actions relating to time zone adjustments. The result is an effortless and intuitive way of setting the time.

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Timezoner is available in two distinct designs – the “Le Petit Prince” which comes with IWC’s signature blue dial, and the Ceratanium version, which is made of a science-bending combination of ceramic and titanium.

IWC Pilots Timezoner Top Gun Ceratanium IW395505

Patek Philippe World Time Complications

Why we love it: A serious, complicated timepiece with contemporary looks

The Patek Philippe Complications 5930 boasts two of the most useful complications for mechanical watches – the world time and the flyback chronograph. Its features are harmoniously arranged on the dial: the 24-hour rotating ring, which is divided into two sections indicating night and day, followed by the chapter ring for the chronograph seconds hand. At the periphery is the two-tier city ring, where cities are written out in a white font.

Patek Philippe World Time Complications White Gold Chronograph 5930

Aside from the world time feature, the 5930 also includes a 30-minute chronograph, indicated using a sub-dial above 6. Moreover, the execution of this timepiece is top-notch: the inner ring of the dial has hand-engraved guilloché patterns, while the white gold case has all corners polished and chamfered, providing a snug fit on the wrist while remaining as timeless as Patek designs are known for.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time

Why we love it: A sporty, stylish look that sports VC’s superb world-time caliber

The Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time, released in 2016, marked the first time that the brand produced a world time watch in a steel case. Vacheron Constantin’s world time stands out with its ability to display 37 different time zones, including those that are offset by a half or quarter hour. A dial in either blue or white balances the sporty look of the watch, while a Maltese cross bezel lends interest to the enduring design.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time 7700V Watches

In the center of the watch face is a ‘Lambert’ projection map representing the continents and oceans, as well as a semitransparent lacquered disc with city names in blue, white, red, or black. A third sapphire disc, set atop the map, provides day and night indications via delicately graded smoky hues that are synchronized with the 24-hour disc.

Lastly, the Overseas World Time also comes with three bracelet options – rubber, alligator leather, or metal, all of which are interchangeable, thanks to the brand’s advanced strap system.

Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time 7700V /
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer GMT 220.10.43.22.03.001

With their impeccable elegance and clever design, these watches allow wearers to travel practically and in style. Explore our collection of world time watches at SwissWatchExpo.com.

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