A world first in time zone watches - Watchuseek, World's Most ...

A world first in time zone watches
When Michael set-out to establish his own watch making atelier in 2003, he had a sole
ambition: to make his VOGARD brand the number one reference in traveller's watches. More
than six years later and his unique design remains the only wristwatch to offer instant time
zone adjustment with a simple twist of the bezel.
Thousands of VOGARD watches have now been sold around the world and have been tested
vigorously day-in, day-out in real-life situations. Feedback from VOGARD's international client
base has been entirely positive, with the patented Timezoner® mechanism proving superbly
reliable in the hands of both private and professional travellers.
Special editions, such as the Licensed Pilot for fliers and the Radiator F1, have attracted a
particular following in the world's of aviation and motor sport where the proven accuracy and
ease of use of the Timezoner system have resulted in many owners regarding their watches
almost as tools of their trade.
THE THE CHRONOZONER CHRONOZONER - ANOTHER FIRST.
The latest development in the VOGARD range, the Chronozoner time zone chronograph,
demonstrates the permanence of the VOGARD brand and paves the way for a series of
further complications which are scheduled to be gradually added to the line - up every three to
four years following a programme of careful development and extensive testing to ensure they
comply with the key VOGARD philosophy - to make the best and most practical time zone
watches in the world. The Chronozoner offers superior functionality thanks to the unique
arrangement of the winding crown, the push pieces and the dashboard-like design of the dial.
PERSONAL PERSONAL EDITIONS EDITIONS MAKE MAKE THE THE WORLD WORLD YOUR YOUR OYSTER.
OYSTER.
As with the original VOGARD model, the Chronozoner will also be available as a personal
edition, meaning you, the owner, can effectively carry your own world on your wrist.
VOGARD's ability to engrave the bezel of your time zone watch to your exact specifications is
a world first in the industry - select any locations you desire, from particular cities to places that
hold special memories. You may even choose to have your bezel marked with the names of
hotels where you spent the times of your life, the art galleries where you bought your greatest
masterpieces, the vineyards that have supplied your finest wines, the cities where you made
your best business deals . or even with the names of the lovers whom you hold dearest to
your heart.
THE THE NEW NEW WOMAN’S WOMAN’S WORLD WORLD – ALL ALL YOU YOU NEED NEED TO TO ADD ADD IS IS A A SUNTAN
SUNTAN
This brand new model has been designed for women on the move and combines elegance
and technicality in a fascinating way. They have taken mother-of-pearl from the depths of the
sea and hand-crafted it into a dial to create a mysterious play of light that will awaken your
desire to travel to the most distant corners of the world.
The bezel may be engraved with your favourite and most luxurious travel destinations. To
ensure you never miss your 'plane - or even your gondola - each city subject to daylight
saving time is adorned with a diamond to indicate the seasonal change. The feminine touch of
this highly attractive travel companion is underpinned with a set of three straps in different
materials and colours, so that this timepiece may be combined with anything and everything
from your holiday wardrobe. Special spring bars allow a rapid change of strap to match any
outfit and any time of day.

VOGARD - a unique solution to an
international timekeeping problem
When Vogard founder Michael Vogt worked in senior marketing roles for some of
Switzerland's best-known watch brands he travelled between more than 100 countries - and
that is when he discovered a gaping hole in the market for a stylish, dependable,
mechanically-powered GMT watch that didn't demand complex and laborious adjustments
every time its wearer arrived in a new time zone.
It was this that inspired him, back in 1997, to explore the possibility of creating a wristwatch
that could be 'toggled' between time zones - no matter how many hours apart - by the
simplest, most convenient method possible.
Extensive research into the history of horology during the past 200 years revealed that the
watch makers of old were only interested in accounting for astronomical phenomena with their
timepieces, whereas what Vogt wanted to do was to find a simple answer to the political
phenomenon applied during the 1884 International Meridian Conference at which the world
was divided into 24 time zones, with Greenwich in the U.K. as Zero Meridian and further
Meridians at every 15 degrees.
THE THE COMPLEX
COMPLEXITY COMPLEX ITY OF SIMPLICITY
Vogt's vision was to create a watch in which the bezel would form part of the movement and,
when turned in either direction, would enable instant adjustment of the hour hand. It sounds
simple, but the logistics of perfecting such a mechanism presented major mathematical and
mechanical challenges which took six years to overcome.
When the concept for the original Vogard watch was unveiled at the Baselworld show in 2003,
it was immediately recognised as offering a unique solution to the time zone problem thanks
to its ingenious mechanism that was perfected and engineered by Switzerland's most talented
independent watchmakers.
BRILLIANTLY BRILLIANTLY SIMPLE, SIMPLE, SIMPLY SIMPLY BRILLIANT
BRILLIANT
BRILLIANT
The patented system links the watch movement with both the case and the bezel, so that
when the latter is turned it engages a crown wheel which, through a miniature clutch and a
sophisticated gearing system, adjusts the position to the 12 and 24 hour hands of the watch.
Depending on the model, the bezel is engraved with 24 or 36 different time zone locations
which are pre-synchronized with the mechanism during assembly as well as 's' positions that
account for areas using DST - Daylight Saving Time.
In order to switch from one time zone to another, all the wearer has to do is open a hinged
lever at the side of the case, rotate the bezel in either direction until the relevant city is aligned
with the 12 o'clock position and then re-close the lever. The watch is now set to the local time,
and the locking lever prevents the bezel from being accidentally adjusted.
The operation takes as little as three seconds from start to finish, making the system as useful
for the busy executive who simply wants to check the time on the other side of the world
before calling a colleague as it is for the international traveller landing in a totally different time
zone from the one he or she took off from. And regardless of the number of times the watch is
adjusted, the movement continues to run as normal, ensuring no loss of accuracy between
time zone changes.

The most easy-to-use
mechanical traveler's watch
VOGARD has crafted the first mechanical watch in the world which enables the wearer to easily
change time zones with a simple rotation of the bezel. At the heart of this mechanical marvel is
a new watchmaking vision which integrates bezel, case and movement engineering into one
smoothly-functioning unit. The result is a traveler's watch with previously unattainable practicality
for the wearer. The VOGARD Timezoner® system also is the first ever to allow, at a turn of the
bezel, for the indication of Daylight Saving Time (DST or summer time) in a given location.
In accordance with the internationally approved time zone system the bezel is marked with 24
destinations, one per time zone. The watch has been developed for frequent travelers who are
overseas and who eventually need to reset their watch to the local time at their destination.
With VOGARD, the traveler no longer needs to know the time difference to GMT or to home
time, but only needs to dial the desired destination on the bezel. Thanks to a sophisticated
system of transmission wheels, the watch automatically sets the correct local time at the
selected destination.
P2
CARACAS
CARACAS
NEW YORK
RIO
F.NORONHA
NEW YORK
RIO
F.NORONHA
MEXICO
MEXICO
AZORES
L.ANGELES
CALGARY
AZORES
L.ANGELES
CALGARY
LONDON
LONDON
ALASKA
ROME
ALASKA
ROME
HAWAII
MOSCOW
ATHENS
HAWAII
MOSCOW
ATHENS
SAMOA
SAMOA
AUCKLAND
DUBAI
AUCKLAND
DUBAI
NOUMEA
KARACHI
NOUMEA
KARACHI
SYDNEY
BANGKOK
COLOMBO
SYDNEY
TOKYO
BANGKOK
COLOMBO
SINGAPORE
CARACAS
NEW YORK
RIO
F.NORONHA
MEXICO
L.ANGELES
CALGARY
AZORES
LONDON
ALASKA
ROME
MOSCOW
ATHENS
SAMOA
DUBAI
AUCKLAND
NOUMEA
KARACHI
SINGAPORE
TOKYO
SYDNEY
TOKYO
COLOMBO
BANGKOK
SINGAPORE
P1
(1) The bezel and the watch are currently set for
London and the time is 10:10 a.m.
(2) Open the handle.
(3) Turn the bezel and choose the desired destination
at 12 o'clock.
(4) Close the handle.
(5) Read the time at the new destination.
(6) The watch is now set for Rio and the time is 07.10
a.m.
Note: During DST turn the bezel to the s-Position as
Rio is a destination subject to DST.
(P1) Push pedal P1 to start and stop the
chronograph.
(P2) Push pedal P2 to return to zero the tree
hands of the chronograph.

Swiss watch engineering
at its finest
The Timezoner® system is a breakthrough development in the engineering of mechanical
Swiss traveler’s watches. It is patent-pending and consists of 3 interacting parts:
1. The Turning bezel is activated or deactivated by a lever hinged onto the case.
2. The crown wheel in the watch case transfers the turning of the bezel mechanically to the
movement.
3. The heart is the mechanical Caliber ‘Timezoner 01’ (see image). A sophisticated system
of wheels transmits the movement of the crown wheel accurately to the hour hands.
This complication is exclusively engineered and manufactured by VOGARD. As far as the
engineering is concerned, VOGARD appoints the most talented watchmakers of our time.
VOGARD assembles all timepieces in its own ateliers in Nidau, Switzerland. Every single
timepiece is subject to a severe control of precision. The average tolerance is between 0 sec.
and +10 seconds per day.
The watch case
- Antimagnetic stainless steel 316L , titanium or 18 karat gold 5N, polished or brushed by hand.
- Engraved case back with 4 screws and a see-through mineral glass.
- Inside and outside curved sapphire crystal.
- Dials with applied indexes or Superluminova C1.
- Extra large and faceted hands with Superluminova C1 for easy reading and extra-strong
luminescence at night.
- Diameter: 43 mm or 48 mm
- Water resistant to 100 meters (330 feet).
The turning bezel
- Bi-directional.
- Brushed or polished ring in stainless steel 316L or 18kt gold 5N with invisible gearing underneath.
- Exchangeable bezel inlay in brushed steel or polished alloy.

The Time of your World
VOGARD’s starting vision is that the real luxury for people is to have time and to have the
freedom of decision where to go and when. This is why VOGARD is primarily addressing
travelers who are able to plan their own agenda. Entrepreneurs of any kind, pilots, sports
professionals or modern adventurers share this philosophy. They are successful in life and are
searching for self-fulfillment. They want products which allow them to express their
independence and which satisfy both their rational and emotional needs.
The company wants to serve watch enthusiasts who travel the world. VOGARD shall be a
reliable and useful companion on their ventures, but also on their voyage through life.
The essence of the brand is expressed with the slogan ‘The Time of your World’. Truly
respecting this philosophy, VOGARD adapts the destinations on the bezel to the specific
needs of its target groups.
♦ Business Officers: Bezel with 24 major cities and capitals
♦ Licensed Pilots: Bezel with 24 Airport codes
♦ Bogey Golfers: Bezel with the world’s 24 most exciting golf courses.
♦ Motor sport fans: Bezel with Formula 1 racing courses
In addition, a very special model to all discerning travelers is the PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL EDITION EDITION, EDITION in
which owners may select a customized bezel with up to 24 of their favorite destinations. The
owner will receive a certificate which guarantees that it will be registered as a single piece and
that it will never again be produced in the identical execution unless written consent is given by
that owner. As such, VOGARD is a perfect gift with which to remember a lifetime of great
travel adventures.
The watch collection features models in steel, titanium or 18 karat gold retailing in a range
between US $ 7’000 to $ 35’000 (ca Euro 5’000 to 25’000). The brand is distributed through
selected high-quality jewelers at prestigious resorts and in major cities, such as
- Asp Aspen Asp Aspen
en, en
Hochfield
- Palm Palm Beach Beach, Beach Hamilton
- Princeton Princeton, Princeton
Hamilton
- Fort Fort Lauderdale
Lauderdale,
Lauderdale , Levinson
- San San Francisco Francisco Shapur
- Vancouver
Vancouver,
Vancouver , Brinkhaus
- Calgary, Calgary,
Brinkhaus
- Cancun Cancun, Cancun
Ronay
- Sao Sao Sao Paulo Paulo, Paulo C.Amorim
- Singapore
Singapore, Singapore Bezel
- London London, London
Marcus, Harrods
- Paris, Paris, Colette
- Moscow, Moscow, Ambassad
- Madrid, Madrid, Atempo collectors
- Kiev Kiev, Kiev Vendome
- Berlin Berlin, Berlin Quartier 206
- Lausanne,
Lausanne, A l’Emeraude
- Geneva, Geneva, Kunz
- Gstaad Gstaad, Gstaad Weber
- St.Moritz St.Moritz, St.Moritz Embassy
VOGARD’s ambition is to create the best luxury traveler’s watches made to date and to
establish itself as a highly recognized niche-player. And VOGARD is committed to building a
brand with the following core values:
♦ Useful luxury
♦ Innovation and discovery
♦ Personalization and independence

Michael, Le Créateur
VOGARD founder Michael ‘Mike’ Vogt started in the watch industry at the age of 20 when he
joined Swatch Group in 1983. After studying for an MBA in economics and marketing at
Switzerland's prestigious University of St Gallen he became European brand manager for
Unilever in London before joining TAG Heuer in 1991 as international marketing manager, a
post in which he worked directly with the sponsored athletes such as Michael Schumacher
and the late Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna to create high performance chronographs.
He then moved to Ebel as world-wide marketing director, a role in which he gained huge
experience from the legendary watch industry guru Pierre-Alain Blum. Next he went to Gucci
where he launched with Tom Ford two of the brand's most significant collections.
It was during these high-pressure roles that took him to more than 120 countries around the
world that he realised there was a gap in the market for a good-looking, simple-to-use, highly
functional time zone watch that could be re-set without all the usual button-pushing and
crown-spinning that was required of current models.
His conviction that such a watch should be available was so great that he spent more than five
years researching, developing and perfecting his own patented 'Timezoner' mechanism which
would allow his unique 'VOGARD' watches to be adjusted from one time zone to another by
simply opening a lever and rotating the bezel.
The VOGARD name is formed from a contraction of Vogt's family name and the term 'avant
garde,' an expression used to describe a creation that is ahead of its time.
When the prototype VOGARD watches were unveiled at the Baselworld show in 2003, the
concept proved to be highly appropriate - no one had seen anything like it before, and the
mechanism attracted huge enthusiasm from watch industry experts, retailers, enthusiasts
and, above all, the globe-trotting individuals whom Vogt first had in mind when he set out on
his quest to create a truly unique time zone watch.
The first VOGARD watches went on sale in 2004, since when the brand has developed a
following from thousands of satisfied clients around the world. In addition to the standard
Business Officer model, versions with specially engraved bezels have been produced for
golfing enthusiasts, licensed aircraft pilots and stockbrokers. In addition Vogt's love of sport,
and of motor racing in particular, has led him to create editions marked with the names of the
world's most important race circuits.

A voyage through time
1767 The Royal Greenwich Observatory publishes the Nautical Almanac establishing
the longitude of Greenwich as a baseline for time calculations. GMT is set up to
aid naval navigation as the globe begins to expand with the discovery of the
"New World".
1784 Benjamin Franklin is the first to suggest the practice of Daylight Saving Time in a
whimsical essay addressed to the editor of the Journal of Paris.
1840’s GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) is established in Britain as the national time
system on land and replaces all local times. It is only officially adopted by
Parliament on August 2, 1880.
1860’s The USA has around 300 different local times and most cities rely upon their
own local “sun” time. However, the emerging railways make it possible to travel
hundreds of miles in a day and require a consistent time zone system.
1883 The USA is divided into 4 time zones roughly centered on the 75°,, 90°, 105° and
120° Meridians. GMT is adopted at noon on November 18 and telegraph lines
transmit the time signal to all major cities.
1884 On November 1, the International Meridian Conference in Washington, DC,
applies the concept of 24 time zones around the world with Greenwich as Zero
Meridian and Meridians every 15°. This system is still in place today.
1914-1918 During World War I several countries, including Australia, Great Britain, Germany
and the USA, adopt summer Daylight Saving Time. The time is advanced +1
hour to conserve fuel by reducing the need for artificial light.
1925 The numbering system is changed so that the day begins at midnight, as does
the civil day.
1928 UT (Universal Time) replaces GMT. To alleviate the confusion in terminology, the
International Astronomical Union (IAU) adopts the term Universal time (UT). The
term GMT is still used for some purposes in navigation.
1942–1945 During World War II the USA and some other nations keep their clocks
advanced by an hour throughout the year. England uses “double summer time”
(+2 hours) during summer months and standard summer time during winter
months.
1972 UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) becomes effective internationally and since
January 1, 1972 UTC is obtained from atomic clocks. The unit of UTC is the
atomic second (SI). UTC replaces UT and GMT as a new reference in order to
correct the slight inadequacy of timekeeping based on the motion of the earth.
1986 The U.S. Congress passes a law moving up the start of summer time to the first
Sunday in April, while keeping its end on the last Sunday in October.
1996 The European Community introduces a harmonized Period for DST starting on
the last Sunday in March and ending on the last Sunday in October.