SUPER RARE GORGEOUS DISCONTINUED 5131J-014 WORLD TIME “MAP” WITH CLOISONNE ENAMEL CENTER DIAL

Cloisonné Enamel Painting Depicting Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia

It is a debut that was a delight for many people for many different reasons. Its mechanism for the permanent display of all 24 time zones and its truly convenient adjust-ability to any local time constitute a technical coup that will appeal to all who admire useful complications. In turn, its cloisonne enamel dial will delight connoisseurs of the art of enameling.

Patek Philippe’s World Time watches belong to the category of so-called useful complications. They serve their owners well with practical functions of relevance in contemporary everyday life. At a glance, a World Time watch indicates the hour at all major cities.

All the world’s times on the wrist

Cairo                                     Paris
Dubai                                    Moscow
Dhaka                                   Karachi
Hong Kong                           Bangkok
Sydney                                  Tokyo
Auckland                              Noumea
Hawaii                                  Midway
L. Angeles                            Anchorage
Mexico                                 Denver
Caracas                                New York
S. Georgia                            Rio
London                                Azores

The local time indicated by the hour and minute hands applies to the location on the city disk that is directly aligned with 12 o’clock. The crown is used to set the correct time in conjunction with the 24-hour ring, so a distinction can be made between 4 am and 4 pm. Now, switching from one time zone to another is accomplished simply by pressing the button at 10 o’clock. Every time it is pressed, the hour hand will advance by one hour while the city ring and the 24-hour ring will rotate counter-clockwise by one hour (equivalent to one time zone). Pressing the button 24 times emulates a trip around the world and a return to the point of departure.

This mechanism was devised by the gifted Geneva watchmaker and tinkerer Louis Cottier in the early 1930s. He offered his invention to Patek Philippe first and in 1959, the company protected it with Swiss Patent No. 340 191. Subsequently, Cottier created another mechanism for the Geneva-based manufacture. It was able to display two time zones simultaneously and ultimately inspired the development of the Calatrava Travel Time.