Letter from the Publisher

AROUND ThE WORLD IN 24 hOURS
To keep step with the development of various
means of transport, and particularly the railway
system, the International Meridian Conference in
1884 decided to divide the planet into 24 time
zones, taking the Greenwich Meridian as the
reference point or zero longitude. The first dual
time zone watches were equipped with two more
or less coordinated movements displaying the time
on separate dials. This device was subsequently
refined by using a single movement equipped
with a mechanism uncoupling the additional hour
hand. Today, watchmakers vie with each other
in developing ingenious and ever more original
systems on watches showing two, three, four or
more time zones. Over the years, they have also
come to associate this function with others that
are greatly appreciated by travelers, such as the
alarm, day/night and 24-hour indications.
• 326 Grand Complications, Vol. VII
above
Rolex, Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master
right
Pierre Kunz, Second Time Zone
far right
Panerai, Luminor 1950 Tourbillon GMT