Watch Insider: My Top 15 World-Time Watches


Many who travel throughout the world have to frequently re-adjust our watches for a new time zone when arriving at our destination. And those of us with friends and business associates around the globe often need to know the local time in multiple locations at once. Wearing a watch with a world-time function means that you can surf through the world’s time zones instantly. Here are the top 15, from my blog, Watch-Insider.com.

All of these watches, whether you refer to them as “multiple-time-zone,” “world-time,” or “unitime” watches make my list because they are easy to read and adjust, technically interesting, and great-looking. All are driven by mechanical movements with time-zone functions, either integrated or provided by a module, and all are great examples of traditional watchmaking. (To learn more about some of the world-time watches pictured, click on the links in the captions.)

Breguet Classique Hora Mundi
Breguet Classique Hora Mundi (Click here for info)
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime
Breitling Transocean Chronograph Unitime (Click here for info)
Breitling for Bentley B05 Unitime
Breitling for Bentley B05 Unitime (Click here for info)
Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer
Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer
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  1. Sheridan

    I’m hoping you might be able to please help? I live in New Zealand and I’ve got a worldtime watch SKU WO057FAACVM7ANTH-138005, but cant find any manual instructions on how to set up this watch (just had the battery replaced). Could you please tell me where I could find these or if another watch has the same set up and I might be able to use those instructions. Really appreciate your help.

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  2. Karl Stumke

    I loved my JLC Master Geographic but really struggled reading the hands against the dial colour and reluctantly sold it. The replacements I considered were Hora Mundi, VC Traditionalle World Time, Patek 5130 and the new JLC Geophysic Universal. Breguet make beautiful watches and pieces of art., I discounted it because price and the fatness of the watch made it wear a bit heavy on my wrist. But truly a beautiful watch. The VC is the most comprehensive with 36 time zones. The downside to that is that you need to squeeze all those names onto the dial and then things start getting a bit cluttered. It is also about 25% more expensive than the PP and larger in size at 42 mm. But certainly a true world time. The JLC I loved the photos but when I touched it in the flesh just felt under whelmed. Its function and in SS the price point is good but I didn’t feel the clarity of the hands were much better for me as a user. The dial looked great in the phots, the single crown an inspiration but I just didn’t get the emotional connection. The PP I went back and looked at for over 2 months. It didn’t suit my needs totally as I do need India and Iran time zones which it doesn’t have. I also hated the idea of a certain town on the dial which shall remain anonymous…just gave me an absolute fur ball and the fact that it didn’t seem to cater for day light saving. The watch on its own I thought was pretty ugly but it kept pulling me back and I absolutely love it. It oozes quality and workmanship and I cant wait to put it on in the mornings…so the PP won I am afraid…now for the 5524!

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  3. Any world time G-Shock , Rangeman in particular. And more reliable most llikely.

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  4. Al Bundy

    What? No $15 Casio with a calculator? Who made this crappy list???

    Reply
  5. Debashish

    Vacheron Constantin Patrimony Traditionnelle World Time is the finest mechanical world time watch, yet it is not in this list.

    Can you please tell me the reason?

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  6. Hector Jorge Peña

    The JLC Master Geograhic is a really nice watch and isn´t included here.

    Reply
  7. frank hodge

    Well I guess that they are all impressive albeit expensive. I will stick with asking a policeman!

    Reply
  8. I am a collector of World Timers, and have a number of the watches on your list. However, I think the most beautiful of all World Timers have been missed… It is the Jean-Mairet & Gillman Hora Mundi – 25 were made in gold.

    What I like about the movement is that the city names always stay in the same position, so when traveling you never have to look for the city.

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  9. I beg to know more about the rolex day -date president 118 206 What makes this clock a valuable

    Reply
  10. A user

    Most of these watches are not true world time watches because they can’t show half hour GMT offsets (like GMT+5:30 as in India). For affordable world time watches, go for Citizen, Seiko or Casio.

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  11. I would have to say the Breitling Bentley with that new in house movement is then most attractively functional watch. Before Breitling made watches they specialized in precision chronographs and time keeping. The fact that they are 100% COSC certified and all of the aviation tools are also separately certified due to the companies active partnership with naval aviation. So as far the world time function I would have to say that it is the most reliable and functional time piece in the collection.

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  12. Michael H

    Agree w Moh. Two watches only two measure and are set table for half and 3/4 hour time zones, the V C World Time and now the unlimited ed. Rose Gold Jaeger Coultre Doumetre. Suggest you redo. Love Breguet bot it and the rest miss Delhi Afg. Nepal and other zones. Unless you can tell me any of these 15 can?

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  13. The Breguet is by far one of the most beautiful timepieces in my humble opinion. I could only dream of touching one let alone affording one. While I have a three car garage for our family vehicles and almost own both vehicles, it would take a hearty second mortgage rather than another car payment to put that baby in my safe. There it would stay because I would be afraid to wear it without my body guard around. It is gorgeous, however, and the variations of global references available for the face and serious in house movement make this a lifetime achievement for the wrist.

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  14. Ricardo Cohen

    This list lacks the most smart GMT around. Patek Philippe travel time!!

    Reply
  15. Fabio Anderaos

    I elected the Baume Mercier Capeland Worldtimer in stainless steel case with blued Breguet-type hands. The design is elegant, clean and it seems to be user-friendly.

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