Elite Traveler January-February 2019

STYLE MEN’S WATCHES

by Kristen Shirley

HOUR HANDS First designed to help pilots keep track of time zones in the early era of commercial flying, GMT watches use a 24-hour hand to track a reference time. Originally, the hand indicated Greenwich Mean Time, the day’s universal reference time, but now it is generally used for home time (despite its name). Rolex’s GMT-Master has set the benchmark since 1955, and its latest GMT-Master II brought back the iconic “Pepsi-colored” bezel from the original model, setting the watch world aflame after its release at Baselworld. Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Pilot Travel Time uses a skeletonized hour hand to indicate a second time zone, but on a 12-hour scale. It has day/night indicators for both local and home time, and a local date hand at 6 o’clock. The secondary hours are easy to change on both watches, thanks to independently adjustable hour hands, so your watch won’t lose accuracy when moving time zones. Rolex GMT-Master II watch in oystersteel, $9,250, Wempe in New York, +1 212 397 9000, rolex.com Patek Philippe Ref 5524G Calatrava Pilot Time in 18K white gold, $47,630, Gearys in Beverly Hills, California, +1 310 887 4250, patek.com

THIS ISSUE, WE TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO THE WORLD OF TRAVEL WATCHES. WHETHER YOU NEED TO SEE ALL 36 TIME ZONES AT A GLANCE OR SIMPLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS AT HOME, YOUWILL FIND THE PERFECT WATCH HERE Travel time

DUAL TIME ZONES These watches use apertures instead of hands to show the secondary time zone. Fabergé’s very clever movement in the Visionnaire DTZ, designed by prestigious Agenhor Manufacture, hides a secret at its center, much like its famous eggs. When you look directly into the crystal dome, a magnified aperture tells the time of a second time zone. Be sure to take a peek at the back of the movement to see how small the numbers really are. To showcase the movement, Fabergé ingeniously uses a dial-side rotor; what appears to be a blue dial is in fact the embellished rotor. The movement is very subtle; it is only noticeable if you are really looking for it. Laurent Ferrier’s Dual Time Galet Traveller uses two push buttons to move the secondary time zone backwards or forwards. The hour is visible at 9 o’clock, and the local date is displayed at 3 o’clock. There’s also a seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. Fabergé Visionnaire DTZ in 18K yellow gold, $29,500, Cellini Jewelers in New York, +1 212 888 0505, faberge.com Laurent Ferrier Dual Time Galet Traveller in 18K red gold, $68,000, Swiss FineTiming in Chicago, +1 312 337 4700, laurentferrier.com