Letter from the Publisher

• 328 Grand Complications, Vol. VII
DOUBLE hOUR/MINUTE DISPLAyS
Even though minutes generally remain identical from one time zone to
another, some brands choose to display the two time zones thoroughly,
using two hands. This is the option taken by Oris on its Worldtimer
caliber, featuring a date that changes automatically in both directions
when the time is corrected after midnight; on the Oris BC4 Flight Timer,
an additional crown positioned vertically at 2 o’clock also serves to
adjust the inner bezel to a third time zone. The Léman Alarm GMT from
Blancpain combines within a single watch the two complications most
useful to travellers. The subdial at 3 o’clock maintains home time. The
alarm and the date are indexed to the central display which is intended
to be used to indicate local time (or travel time zone)—a detail that
might have prevented Phileas Fogg from believing he had failed by a
few minutes in his bid to travel around the world in 80 days, whereas
he had in fact gained a day by heading eastward. On a more daring note
in geometrical terms, the Pontos Décentrique GMT by Maurice Lacroix
displays its two complete time zones on two completely off-centered
subdials. And in terms of originality, de Grisogono struck a major blow
with its Meccanico dG, a completely mechanical watch combining an
analog display for the first time zone with a digital display for the second
time zone (see Retrograde displays and jumping hours chapter).
top left
Oris, BC4 Flight Timer
top center
Blancpain, Léman Alarm GMT
top right
Maurice Lacroix, Pontos Décentrique GMT
left
de Grisogono, Meccanico dG