Patek Philippe's philosophy of travel hours

The 1950s witnessed a real boom in the world of aviation and transoceanic travel, and with this expansion, an urgent need arose for a new generation of watches for travelers, those that would allow their owner to know the time in two different time zones at a glance.

While most watchmakers opted for the traditional GMT system—which relies on an additional hand that completes a full rotation every 24 hours to indicate the time in the home city—Patek Philippe (Patek PhilippeA completely different point of view.

Why did Patek Philippe reject the traditional GMT system?

The designers at Patek Philippe were not keen on having an extra hand cluttering the watch face all the time, especially since its use was limited to travel periods. This is how the innovation we now call "Travel Time" was born.

How does this complex mechanism work?

The watch features two hour hands positioned directly above each other, so that only one hand is visible under normal operating conditions. The watch case contains two side buttons that allow the upper hand to be moved a full hour forward or backward without affecting the minute or second hands, and without needing to pull out the crown.

For example, if you are traveling from Cairo to London, all you have to do is press the bottom button twice; the top hand will move back two hours while the bottom hand remains stationary, indicating Cairo time. Thus, they continue to move together throughout the day, maintaining the time difference between the two cities.

Innovation has evolved over time: This complication first appeared in the legendary Calatrava Reference 2597 watch in 1958, which remains a favorite among many enthusiasts to this day. Today, this technology can be found in modern models such as:

• Aquanaut 5164

• Nautilus Travel Time

It wasn't just Patek; other companies were inspired by and developed this idea, such as the independent brand Akrivia (founded by Rixip Rixipi, who previously worked at Patek Philippe), as well as Laurent Ferrier with its innovative GMT Rattrapante watch.

Finally, which is your favorite watch that supports dual time zones?

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