Watchismo Times: Two Timing Bastards - Double Dial Dual Time-Zone Watches

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Two Timing Bastards - Double Dial Dual Time-Zone Watches

1960's Tourist Automatic

Here and There... For those folks who can't add a couple hours to know what time it is somewhere else, the 'dual dial' watches are perfect. For me, the oddball vintage designs double my pleasure.

1800 Captain's Four Independent Time Zone
Pocket Watch by Chantelot a Marseille
Sold for over $50,000

Watches with provision for showing time in more than one place are very rare before the late 19th century when true “world time” watches were first made. Before this, watches such as the present piece are very occasionally found with multiple movements and dials for keeping the time in different places. Before the advent of mass travel, there was little need for people to know the time in other places and the only people who would be interested in this were sailors and frequent voyagers. The present watch being of such high grade and therefore cost, is likely to have been made either for a rich sea captain (probably based in the port of Marseille) or as a gift for the Sultan. The present watch is exceptional for several reasons, the very large size, the quality of the case and dial and the provision for four time zones at such an early date.

source - Antiquorum

1860 'Happy Face' Dual Time Zone Thermometer

The present watch has the unusual feature of a mercury-filled glass tube thermometer as opposed to the more favored Houriet-type bimetallic strip thermometer usually fitted to pocket watches. The dual-time-zone is geared using an extra wheel mounted beneath a bridge on the dial plate and driven from the center wheel, the going barrel directly driving the other set of hands. -->Link