All 37 Timezones in One Watch
Today it is easier than ever before to travel to even the most remote corners of the world, and for many cosmopolitan travellers it has long since become routine to move from one time zone to another for business or pleasure. In 2015 the German watch manufactory Glashütte Original presented the Senator Cosmopolite, an exceptional mechanical timepiece designed specifically to meet the needs of today's world travellers. Its innovative time zone mechanism allows the traveller to display two different time zones at once, choosing any of the 37 time zones currently in use. The mechanism even makes it possible to respond both to the creation of new time zones and to the elimination of existing ones, which happened only recently. In theory up to 96 different times can be set in this way. Despite the complexity of the specially developed automatic 89-02 movement, once again the manufactory put a great deal of effort into making the handling of the timepiece as simple and intuitive as possible. The first of these watches reached the market in the fall of 2015.
Connoisseurs of fine German watchmaking will doubtless appreciate both the aesthetic dimensions of the Senator Cosmopolite and the extraordinary mechanics within. The new automatic Calibre 89-02 was developed in-house by the Saxon manufactory to meet the needs of today's world travellers: The ability to track the time of day in two time zones at once is made possible by an intricate set of finely engineered, integrated complications. The time zone wheel displays a choice of 37 world time zones, each indicated by the official IATA location code designating a key international airport in the zone. The 24 time zones that are aligned at full-hour offsets from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) present a black IATA code in the DST or STD window at 8 o'clock; a further ten time zones aligned with GMT at half-hour offsets appear in blue, while the three remaining zones at quarter- or three-quarter hour offsets from GMT are represented by the relevant IATA location code in red; the colour coding allows one to identify the offset from GMT at a glance.
The dial of the new Senator Cosmopolite is easy to read and presents the time of day at home and away simultaneously, in any two of 37 world time zones. As a rule, the primary point of reference for the traveller on the road is the local time at destination. Accordingly, the designers at Glashütte Original have given pride of place to the away or destination time, represented by the central hour and minute hands, small seconds dial at 6 o'clock, day/night indicator at 9 o'clock, and the watchmaker's signature Panorama Date display at 4 o'clock. A further reference to the destination time is presented at 8 o'clock, where two small windows indicate whether Daylight Saving Time (DST) or Standard Time (STD) is in effect in the destination time zone.
As one might expect from Glashütte Original, the Senator Cosmopolite is further distinguished by its undeniable elegance. The lacquered silver-grained dial features a black railroad chapter ring framing black Roman numerals, with symmetrical placement along the central vertical axis of the home time dial at 12, central hour and minute hands and the small seconds dial at 6 o'clock. The 12-hour home time dial presents a black minute ring and Arabic numerals, the small seconds a black railroad chapter ring and black Arabic numerals. Along the central horizontal axis the destination time day/night dial at 9 o'clock shows a starry night sky on the lower half and a yellow sun on the upper, complemented at 3 o'clock by the Glashütte Original logo. Roman and Arabic numerals, railroad chapter and minute rings are all laser-engraved and galvanised in black. The central poire hour and minute hands are fashioned in blued steel, as are the home time hour and minute hands, the small seconds hand, and the destination time day/night hand.
The 72-hour power reserve indicator, located within the home time auxiliary dial, presents two colours, black and ivory; the home time day/night indicator shows a black dot by night and a light dot by day. The distinguished Glashütte Original Panorama Date display presents the date in black Arabic numerals against an ivory ground, at 4 o'clock. The dial is protected by a domed sapphire crystal, anti-reflective on both sides. The case back offers a clear view, through its sapphire crystal, of the superb finishing and features characteristic of fine German watchmaking, including the Glashütte stripe finish, the brand's double-G logo on the off-centre rotor, blued screws and the exquisite, hand-engraved and galvanised balance cock.
The heart of the Senator Cosmopolite is the new Calibre 89-02 automatic movement. Its exceptional mechanics are set in motion when the traveller wishes to change the destination time. If heading eastward (forwards in time), he turns the crown at 4 o'clock clockwise until the IATA code representing the destination time zone appears in the relevant DST or STD window. If travelling westward (back in time), the traveller turns the crown counter-clockwise. In both cases, the central hour and minute hands jump ahead (or back) in 15-minute intervals until the destination time zone's IATA code appears in the relevant DST or STD window. At this point, the traveller need make no further changes: the central hour and minute hands now indicate the correct time at destination, augmented by the correct day/night indication at 9 o'clock and by the correct display of the date at destination. If the time at the chosen destination is ahead or back a day, the Panorama Date display changes accordingly.
Thus the new Calibre 89-02 transforms its spectacular mechanical complexity into compelling simplicity of use: a masterpiece of fine German watchmaking from Glashütte Original. It operates at 4 Hz (28,800 A/h) and features an off-centre rotor. The oscillation system is regulated by means of four gold screws on the balance rim; the absence of a regulator on the spring allows the movement to run continuously over a much longer period of time, resulting in increased precision. The Calibre 89-02 is comprised of over 400 individual components.
The perfect travel companion from Glashütte Original is available with a red gold or white gold 44mm case with brushed and polished surfaces and a black or blue Louisiana alligator leather strap with red or white gold fold-over clasp.
As befits this extraordinary example of the fine art of German watchmaking at Glashütte Original, the Senator Cosmopolite is presented in a fine, dark brown wooden box with a high-gloss finish.
Use of the Timezone Function
Basic settings
Before the Senator Cosmopolite's time zone function can be used, it is necessary to perform the basic settings, which allow the user to specify where his watch is at home. After winding the watch, this involves setting the home time, the synchronisation of the displays for destination and home times, setting the display for the home time zone and setting the Panorama Date.
To wind the watch one uses the crown at 2 o'clock, whereby the power reserve display at 12 o'clock indicates the watch's corresponding store of energy. When fully wound the power reserve is 72 hours. To set the home time, one pulls out the crown at 2 o'clock and turns it to specify the home time on the auxiliary dial at 12 o'clock. The centrally positioned hands for the destination time are coupled with the home time and thus turn synchronously as the home time is set. One must take care to ensure that the day/night indicator in the upper half of the auxiliary dial is set correctly (white for day, black for night).
In order to synchronise destination and home times, one pulls out the crown at 4 o'clock and turns it in either direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise) until both times are synchronous. The central minute hand jumps in 15-minute intervals and is dependent on the home time set previously. One must also ensure, when performing the basic setting for the destination time, that the day/night display (at 9 o'clock) is set correctly.
To set the home time zone display (at 8 o'clock) one pulls out the crown at 8 o'clock and turns it in either direction until the corresponding home time zone is visible in the right window. One must choose either the "STD" (Standard Time) or the "DST" (Daylight Saving Time) window, depending on which of the two is currently in force in the owner's home time zone. The relevant IATA codes for all current time zones appear on a city ring positioned beneath the dial. In a final step, the Panorama Date is set, using the corrector at 9 o'clock.
Setting the destination time
After the basic settings have been completed one needs to use only a single crown to operate the time zone function, i.e. to set a second time zone (destination time). To do so one pulls out the crown at 4 o'clock and turns it, depending on the direction in which one is traveling, either clockwise or counter-clockwise.
When traveling eastward (forwards in time) one turns the crown clockwise. The central hour and minute hands move clockwise in 15-minute intervals. When traveling westward (backwards in time) the crown is turned counter-clockwise. Accordingly, the central hour and minute hands move counter-clockwise in 15-minute intervals, accompanied by the movement of the city ring with printed IATA codes that is mounted beneath the dial. The crown must now be turned until the correct IATA code for the desired time zone appears in the appropriate window at 8 o'clock (STD for Standard Time, DST for Daylight Saving Time). The procedure for setting the second time zone is thus complete and the crown at 4 o'clock can be pushed back in. If the time at the chosen destination is ahead or back a day, the Panorama Date display changes accordingly.
The traveller doesn't need to know the precise time difference between the home and destination times; the only decisions necessary are the choice of the correct IATA codes and selection of STD or DST at home and destination locations. An overview of the IATA codes used can be found in the user manual accompanying the watch.
Technical Explanations Regarding the Timezone Mechanism
Time zone switch
The destination time is set using the crown at the bottom right at 4 o'clock, which drives the time zone ratchet wheel via an intermediate wheel and a swing-out conversion wheel. The latter has three toothed segments, each separated by a larger gap that is directed, when the wheel is inactive, toward the central minute ratchet wheel. With each passage of a toothed gear segment the minute ratchet wheel turns 90°; the central hand mechanism thus shifts the time display by 15 minutes as well. At the same time, by means of an intermediate wheel, the ratchet wheel group is turned 90°. The selector teeth advance the city ring with the printed IATA codes, via the date cog, by one position. The ratchet wheel group and the city ring are switched synchronously via the locking lever. For a basic setting the city ring can be shifted separately using the crown positioned at the bottom left.
Date change
Driven by the central hour wheel, the 24-hour wheel, with its seven teeth, drives the day ratchet wheel to change the date. The switching cam advances the day wheel one tooth at a time. An intermediate wheel and the date ratchet wheel ensure that the display discs are shifted correctly, forwards or backwards. The adjustable regulator springs assure the correct positioning of the numerals in the display window. During the date switch by the movement, a security disc prevents activation of the corrector.
Power reserve display
The charging movement is transmitted via the barrel arbor, and the discharge movement via the barrel, to the differential. Conversion wheels direct the resulting rotational movement on to the display disc. A slip clutch adjusts the tolerances during the mainspring discharge.
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