World-time watches were invented, as is the case with most innovations, out of necessity. With the advent of the industrial age came the means necessary to facilitate global trade and travel and, as a direct result, there was a need for timekeeping devices capable of tracking time in multiple locations. Between 1930 and 1931, Louis Cottier designed an ingenious, ultra-thin mechanism that simultaneously displayed the correct hours across the world's time zones through a rotating 24-hour ring, in addition to the local time. The city of choice (local time zone) would be set at the 12 o'clock position with the hours/minutes hand set at local time. The design was superb in its simplicity, and remains in use until the present day. Extremely user friendly, the world time display indicates the correct time in both hours and minutes, night and day, for nearly every time zone in the world simultaneously, while clearly indicating local time - all via a single dial.

Patek Philippe has since embraced the artistic opportunities worthy of such a poetic yet practical complication, and in many instances, combined it with one of their most exclusive métiers d'arts creations - cloisonné enamel. In this example, fully complete and consigned by the original owner, the vibrant cloisonné enamel center disc depicts the North Pole in a wonderful array of blues, greens, browns, and yellows – all outlined in fine gold. A well-balanced 40mm in diameter, and fitted with a luxurious and heavy platinum link bracelet, this modern horological masterpiece marries the old and the new perfectly, and is sure to be the perfect companion for the well-traveled connoisseur.

CONSIGNED BY THE ORIGINAL OWNER