For the month of August, the company acknowledges "The Remarkable Journey of World Time", inviting its fans to explore the history behind universal time and the challenges faced by watchmakers to display multiple time zones on just one dial.

 

In 1884, the International Meridian Conference adopted universal time and the world was officially divided into 24 time zones. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) became the principle meridian. Ever since, the watchmakers’ challenge has been to display multiple time zones on just one dial. This month's episode invites you to uncover the origins of the horological complication, right up to the manufacture's remarkable innovations of today. #PatekTime #PatekWorldTime

A post shared by Patek Philippe (@patekphilippe) on Aug 18, 2018 at 9:32am PDT

"In 1884, the International Meridian Conference adopted universal time and the world was officially divided into 24 time zones. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) became the principle meridian," read the post. 

It later notes that it was independent Genevan watchmaker Louis Cottier who invented the first mechanisms and dial components that simultaneously and continuously displayed the time in all 24 time zones in the 1930s. "These were referenced by the cities printed on the dial or engraved in the bezel. Patek Philippe worked with Cottier to develop and produce the company’s first World Time mechanisms."

Read also: Patek Philippe launches new World Time Minute Repeater, Ladies First Chronograph

Presented through a video and images, it went on to explain that the core principle of a World Time mechanism is that city names circle the dial, along with a rotating 24-hour ring. "Such principles can be found in the rare Ref. 515 HU Patek Philippe World Time from 1937, which has a fixed time-zone plate showing 28 locations and a 24-hour rotating disk."

 

The core principle of a World Time mechanism is that city names circle the dial, along with a rotating 24-hour ring. Such principles can be found in the rare Ref. 515 HU Patek Philippe World Time from 1937, which has a fixed time-zone plate showing 28 locations and a 24-hour rotating disk. When turned counterclockwise, the disk simultaneously coordinates the times in every time zone, while the hands indicate the local time in the city placed at 12 o’clock. Complications were quickly incorporated to this mechanism as per the Ref. 1415 with chronograph and pulsometric scale. #PatekTime #PatekWorldTime.

A post shared by Patek Philippe (@patekphilippe) on Aug 18, 2018 at 9:29am PDT

"In the 1950s, city names were moved beneath the crystal glass and, for the first time, two crowns were used to set the local time. This can be seen in the Ref. 2523 from 1954, a mechanism patented by Louis Cottier for Patek Philippe," read the next post.

The current Patek Philippe World Time collection is said to display an updated and contemporary design inspired by the 1950s models. 

"From the very first Patek Philippe World Time model, the Ref. 515 HU, introduced in 1937, through to today’s timepieces, the World Time complication has ranked amongst the most popular Patek Philippe timepieces for over 80 years," it stated. (kes)

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