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World Time by Patek Philippe 5110
 The
self-winding 5110 wristwatch shows the local time not only at
home but also in any other of the world’s 24 time zones at a
single glance. Two patent applications have been filed for the
ingenious mechanism which provides the dual advantage of easy
readability and unprecedented user-friendliness: the time zone
can be switched without affecting the accuracy of the minute
display. With this horological innovation, the only independent
Geneva watchmaker, Patek Philippe, has yet again enriched its
repertoire of useful complications. This latest one will be
highly appreciated especially by executives who have many
contacts abroad or travel overseas frequently.
In 1884, two
important resolutions were passed at the International Meridian
Conference in Washington: the official division of the earth
into 24 time zones, each 15° of longitude in width, and the
establishment of universal time. Since then, many watchmakers
have been asking themselves the same question: How can a watch
which displays several time zones be designed to eliminate the
need for any manipulation that might cause errors and
inaccuracies – and aggravation? After a four-year development
period, the Patek Philippe 5110 now delivers a fascinating
answer.
The eminently
legible face of the Patek Philippe World Time watch is organized
in three parts. The hour and minute hands indicate the local
time on the central dial. Around it are two concentric rings.
The inner ring is subdivided into 24 a.m./p.m. hours, and the
outer one bears the names of cities that represent each of the
24 time zones. These two rings allow simultaneous reading of the
current time in any time zone without any adjustments
whatsoever. The numbers from 1 to 24 opposite any city name show
the current hour in the respective time zone. The minutes are
indicated by the minute hand. At the 12 o’clock position, the
inner ring with the day/night contrast shows the same local time
displayed by the hands.
 When
the watch is set for the very first time or after the movement
has stopped, the city on the outer ring as well as the local
time on the 24-hour ring must be set to coincide with the 12
o’clock reference position. Example: The owner is currently in
Geneva (Paris time zone) and the local time is 8 a.m.
The push button
at 10 o’clock must be pressed repeatedly until the name Paris
reaches the 12 o’clock position. Then, using the crown, the
hands need to be set to 8 o’clock. This adjustment causes the
24-hour ring to rotate as well; the owner must make sure that
the numeral 8 (a.m.) and not 20 (p.m.) is aligned with the name
Paris. Once this setting is made, the crown is no longer needed
for adjustments, and should be pushed in firmly.
As long as the
owner does not leave the time zone, the setting of the city ring
does not need to be changed, and the 24-hour ring will complete
one full counter clockwise rotation per day. Thus, the owner in
Geneva who needs to contact someone in another time zone can see
at a glance whether it is an opportune time to call.
The most
compelling advantage of the Patek Philippe World Time watch
truly comes to the fore when its owner travels abroad and
switches the watch to another time zone: not a second’s accuracy
is lost in the process.
When the owner of
the 5110 flies from Geneva to Tokyo, he does not need to know
the time difference between the two cities to set his watch.
Upon arrival in Tokyo, he merely presses the push button until
the name Tokyo is lined up in the 12 o’clock position. The hands
move “automatically” and now tell the local time in Japan. The
current time in Geneva (Paris time zone) is now indicated by the
24-hour ring opposite Paris.
The simpler it is
to operate a mechanical timepiece, the more complex the
mechanisms concealed beneath the dial. It took four years to
develop the World Time watch 5110. This suggests how technically
challenging it was to integrate the new complication in the
extra-thin self-winding Patek Philippe calibre 240 with its
miniature 22K gold rotor.
The beautiful
simplicity of the patented Patek Philippe complication is based
on a completely new synchronization principle which requires
only one single correction button to simultaneously adjust the
city ring, the 24-hour ring, and the hands that display the
local time. Each activation of the push button at 10 o’clock
triggers three movements at the same time: the hour hand jumps
forward by one hour while the city ring and the 24-hour ring
each advance counter clockwise by one index increment.
One of the most
interesting aspects of the 5110 is the integration of a coupling
system which allows its owner to switch to another time zone
without resetting or interfering with the movement. The hour
hand is uncoupled and can jump in increments of one hour while
the minute hand remains constantly engaged with the movement.
For this reason, the accuracy of the minute indication – which
remains the same across all time zones – is not affected.
The coupling
system was built pursuant to the existing Patek Philippe Patent
No. 340.191 (1959) which is also at the heart of the recently
launched Travel Time – a timepiece with two central hour hands
that concurrently display the time in two different selectable
time zones.
As all other
mechanical movements crafted by Patek Philippe, the stunning
self-winding calibre 240/188 bears the Geneva Seal. This
valuable hallmark is deemed the highest attainable official
quality seal in watchmaking. It is conferred only upon movements
of Geneva origin which comply with the most stringent aesthetic
and technical standards. Thus, the Geneva Seal stands for
flawless craftsmanship.
The design of the
World Time watch 5110 was inspired by Patek Philippe World Time
watches dating back to the 1930s and which have regularly
fetched top prices at prestigious auctions.
Special attention
has been paid to several details which enhance legibility. The
24-hour ring has a darker and a brighter half to highlight the
difference between night and day. Each name on the city ring is
clearly defined with a triangular index symbol. A noticeably
larger index is assigned to the city of London, representing the
Prime Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). An arrow-shaped
baton index at 12 o’clock (the pointer baton) on the dial
simplifies the precise adjustment of the city ring: The triangle
that belongs to the chosen city must coincide precisely with the
pointer baton.
Patek Philippe’s
World Time watch is available in 18K yellow gold, white gold,
rose gold, or platinum. The central dial with the guilloché
pattern has a silvery sheen in the gold models, and is blue in
the platinum model. The dial features applied gold index batons
at each hour and lozenge hands.
To distinguish
the 5110 in platinum from its white gold sibling and to
underscore its rarity, it has a flawless Top Wesselton diamond
discreetly set between the strap lugs at 6 o’clock. The cases –
with a diameter of 37 mm – are water resistant to 25 meters and
have a sapphire crystal back which affords a mesmerizing view of
the exquisite self-winding movement with its solid gold rotor.
The watch comes with a hand-stitched crocodile skin strap and a
fold-over clasp in gold or platinum to match the case.
The World Time
watch 5110 unites a wealth of aesthetic and technological
attributes which convey an unmistakable message: This is a truly
innovative timepiece backed by a proud watchmaking heritage.
With its easy readability and unmatched convenience, it clearly
sets itself apart from other multiple time zone watches which
are often rather difficult to set. The 5110 also addresses the
growing demand for such watches. To this very day, World Time
watches are considered to be a Patek Philippe specialty even
though their production was discontinued in the sixties. Patek
Philippe World Time watches made between 1930 and 1960 now
regularly fetch top prices at auction. The World Time watch Ref.
2523 which dates back to 1953 and has a dial depicting the
European continent in cloisonné enamel, was sold on April 25,
1999, for 1,488,500 Swiss francs at an auction in Geneva.
The World Time
watch 5110 enriches Patek Philippe’s repertoire of useful
complications which enhance convenience. Its affordable price
also gives a broader circle of timepiece connoisseurs the
opportunity to acquire a contemporary watch with innovative
technology from the tradition-conscious Patek Philippe
workshops. |
