A Look Back at the Amazing GMT and Dual Time Watches of 2019 (Part 1)

With 2020 shaping up to be a very interesting year for the watch industry, we'd like to take a look back at the watches released in 2019. This time, we'll be looking at the GMT and dual-time watches that struck a chord with watch enthusiasts.

A. Lange & Söhne

　Among the watches celebrating their anniversaries in 2019 is A. Lange & Söhne's flagship model, the Lange 1. Marking its 25th anniversary, the Lange 1 is being offered in a variety of limited editions, each with its own unique design. One particularly noteworthy piece is the Lange 1 Time Zone "25th Anniversary." Its silver dial, paired with blued-steel hands and blued indices, allows the wearer to simultaneously read local time and a second time zone. Setting the second time zone is made easy by pressing a pusher on the side of the case and rotating a ring bearing 24 city names eastward. Each push of the pusher also advances the second time zone hand at 4 o'clock in one-hour increments. Of course, like the previous Lange 1 Time Zone, the watch also features a day/night indicator (linked to the second time zone), an outsize date at 2 o'clock, and an up-and-down (AUF/AB) power reserve indicator between 2 and 4 o'clock. This limited edition model, with a white gold case and only 25 pieces in total, is powered by the in-house hand-wound caliber L031.1, whose beautiful finish can be admired through the sapphire crystal case back.

Czapek

　The Czapek Plus Vendôme Ombre features a unique dial layout, including off-centered hour and minute displays at 12 o'clock, a second time zone at 4 o'clock, a one-minute tourbillon subdial at 8 o'clock, and a discreet day/night indicator at 6 o'clock that rotates counterclockwise like a GMT disc. These functions are powered by an anthracite-colored movement with a sandblasted baseplate and bridges. (Ombre is French for shadow, presumably referring to the watch's gray color. The collection's name, "Plus Vendôme," is taken from the famous French square where François Czapek opened one of his early high-end watch boutiques.) Another understated yet functional display on the smoke-gray champlevé dial is the power reserve indicator integrated into the dial at 12 o'clock. The grade 5 titanium case houses the in-house SXH2 manual-winding movement, developed in collaboration with complication specialists Chronode SA, which is visible through an openworked ratchet.

Frederique Constant

　In 2011, Frederique Constant introduced a GMT model with an in-house movement to its collection of classic dress watches. Eight years later, in 2019, the Geneva-based brand, known for its "accessible luxury," added a new complication for travelers to its nautical-themed Yachttimer collection. The Yachttimer GMT's 42mm case is crafted from rose gold-tone stainless steel. The silvery-white or anthracite guilloched dial features rose gold-tone hands and indices, and a date display at 3 o'clock. The dial features a 24-hour GMT ring, and a red-tipped GMT hand indicates a second time zone. Day and night are easily distinguished by the black display (6 PM to 6 AM) and light gray (daytime) at other times. The date display is synchronized with the local time, adding a user-friendly touch. It is equipped with Frederique Constant's automatic caliber FC-350, based on the Sellita SW200, and is combined with a GMT module designed in-house.

Jaquet Droz

　Jaquet Droz's groundbreaking Grande Seconde Dual Time timepiece, first introduced in 2016, is now available in four new 43mm case diameter models in 2019. All models feature the Maison's signature figure-of-eight dial layout. A new element is the off-center dial at 6 o'clock, showcasing an equidistant projection of the globe (as seen from the North Pole), beautifully finished in mirror-polished black or anthracite, with the oceans surrounding the continents. The 24-hour home time display is color-coded into 12-hour increments, with white for daytime and black for nighttime, for intuitive recognition. The 12 o'clock dial also features a jumping-hour local time display, allowing for easy time adjustment. The date display features a circular scale indicated by a red hand, which is synchronized with time adjustment. The Jaquet Droz Caliber 2663H24 features silicon balance springs and pallet forks. It uses a skeletonized fan-shaped rotor and has a power reserve of approximately 65 hours.

(Continued in Part XNUMX)