Carl F. Bucherer, based in Lucerne, Switzerland, has announced the Heritage Worldtimer, a watch perfect for travel. This watch's nostalgic design is captivating. The movement is equipped with a peripheral rotor and uses the COSC-certified Cal. CFB A2020. The 39mm case is available in stainless steel or rose gold (limited to 88 pieces worldwide).
A 1950s watch for the "jet dwellers" is reissued using modern technology. Automatic movement (Cal. CFB A2020). 33 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 55 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 39mm, thickness 10.25mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Price upon request.
[Article published on January 5, 2024]
A 50s world timer reissued with modern technology
Carl F. Bucherer has announced the Heritage Worldtimer. This new watch is a modern reinterpretation of the original model from Carl F. Bucherer's archives. However, with a few minor improvements, the design remains faithful to the original. The original, released in the 1950s, captures the spirit of the times: unbridled optimism and a desire for travel.
A world timer born from the demands of the times
This sense of form shares something in common with the Jet Age and Googie designs seen in architecture from the same era. The former is a modern design suited to the age of jet passenger plane travel, while the latter is characterized by the eye-catching decorations that were seen on suburban roadsides at the time. One element that both have in common is a futuristic sense of form. In the mid-20th century, nuclear power was expected to bring about a dramatic increase in productivity, and the rapid development of space development gave people optimistic expectations for the future that was to come. These senses of form are products of their era.
Before the advent of jet planes, the Earth was much larger than it is today, and it took weeks to travel halfway around the globe. Jet planes dramatically changed this, making travel across time zones easier and faster than ever before.
This led to a growing need for wristwatches that could display multiple time zones, and in the mid-1950s, dual time and worldtimer mechanisms were developed. Carl F. Bucherer's Worldtimer featured a mechanism that displayed a second time zone by moving a disc bearing city names via the crown at 9 o'clock. The new Heritage Worldtimer also uses a similar mechanism.
Specifications of the new Heritage Worldtimer
The new model has a 39mm case diameter and is water resistant to 3 bar. The case is available in two materials: stainless steel and rose gold. The rose gold model features a sunray or hairline-finished silver dial with thin rose gold hands and applied bar indexes. The stainless steel model comes with a silver or black dial and is paired with matching rhodium-plated indexes.
This model features a rose gold case. Automatic movement (Cal. CFB A2020). 33 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve: approximately 55 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 39mm, thickness 10.25mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Limited to 88 pieces worldwide. Price upon request.
The center of the dial now reads CHRONOMETER and 33 JEWELS, replacing the WATERPROOF and 17 JEWELS found on the original model. The winding and time-setting crown at 3 o'clock and the crown for rotating the city disc at 9 o'clock have both been redesigned for greater ergonomics.
The names of cities on the disc are different from the original, with some even being swapped. Paris, France, has been replaced with Lucerne, Switzerland, and Baghdad, Iraq, has been replaced with Moscow, Russia. Also, Indian city names have been removed and replaced with Karachi, Pakistan, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. Turning to East Asia, Hong Kong has been replaced with Beijing.
Models with metal straps. Models with stainless steel cases are also available with textile straps. Automatic (Cal. CFB A2020). 33 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 55 hours. Stainless steel case (diameter 39mm, thickness 10.25mm). Water resistant to 3 bar. Price upon request.
The strap is made of textile rather than leather, likely to cater to new customers who are wary of leather products, but a stainless steel bracelet is also available.
Peripheral rotor movement Cal.CFB A2020
The Heritage World Timer is equipped with the in-house Cal. CFB A2020 movement, which is COSC-certified. This movement features a peripheral rotor located on the outer periphery. This not only makes the movement thinner, but also increases the visible area of the bridge. The power reserve is approximately 55 hours.
Carl F. Bucherer's Neo-Vintage Line
This new model is a reissue of Carl F. Bucherer's iconic archive model. Along with the Heritage Bicompax Annual, which has the same design style, it can be said that it has firmly established the brand's position in the neo-vintage market.
