t is one way of reminding us of the relativity of time: terrestrial time applies only to ourselves. Elsewhere, time is different. Why, somewhere a few light-years away, there might be an hour that lasts 1,000 years!
Depicting the globe is one of the most interesting forms of decorative expression, poetic, philosophical and didactic at the same time.
But it can also be a challenge of manufacturing skill and craftsmanship, an exquisite exercise in miniaturised mechanics when the globe begins to turn on itself to indicate the progression of night over the Earth. And quite naturally, associated with this representation of the globe is the regular dance of universal time that turns with it.

Depicting the globe is one of the most interesting forms of decorative expression, poetic, philosophical and didactic at the same time.

BOVET RÉCITAL 22 GRAND RÉCITAL

The three heavenly bodies that pace of our lives – the sun, Earth and moon – are represented in cinematic form by a model known as a tellurium-orrery. The sun is represented by the oneminute flying tourbillon, the raised carriage bridge of which evokes the sun’s fiery rays. An index fixed to the carriage wheel indicates the seconds on a 1200 sector scaled to 20 seconds. The imposing, hemispherical Earth, on which oceans, relief, deserts, forests, clouds and air currents are meticulously represented, rotates around its own axis and indicates the hours over a natural cycle of 24 hours. Lastly, a spherical moon orbits the Earth according to its exact synodic period of 29,53 days. From 200,000 to 500,000$

GREUBEL FORSEY GMT-EARTH

With this new timepiece, GMT Earth, Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey took up the challenge of providing a complete three-dimensional view of the terrestrial globe from the North Pole to the South. This spatial 360° view was made possible by rearranging the architecture of the movement and the case, which has a side window in shaped sapphire, as well as a sapphire crystal case back in three dimensions with a built-in dome. Three time zones are visible simultaneously, and these can be set to the nearest quarter of an hour. Moreover, on the rear of the watch the 24 time zones, including summer and winter times, complement the universal time indicated by the terrestrial globe. More than 500,000$

JACOB & CO ASTRONOMIA BLACK CERAMIC

The Astronomia watches from Jacob & Co are astronomical first and foremost by their price. And while the mechanical ingenuity of their design is evident, more than anything they are a poetic metaphor for the cosmic ballet, an incredible, spinning show enclosed beneath the watch’s crystal. Above the celestial dial, which accomplishes a full rotation in one sidereal year – the time it takes the Earth to make one full rotation around the sun in relation to the fixed stars – four satellites rotate together in 20 minutes. The three-dimensional representation of the terrestrial globe in lacquered titanium also rotates on its own axis, as does that of the moon, represented by a cut diamond. The third satellite carries the dial with the hours and minutes. Driving it is a triple-axis gravitational tourbillon that completes its rotation around the first axis in 60 seconds, around the second in five minutes and right around the dial in 20 minutes. More than 500,000 $

ARNOLD & SON GLOBETROTTER

Spanning the dial of the Globetrotter is a large bridge supporting a terrestrial globe in 3D beneath a domed sapphire crystal. This world-time globe is made from a piece of rounded brass that has been chemically engraved then polished to represent the different continents and oceans of the northern hemisphere. The mountainous areas are sandblasted to create an impression of depth, and the oceans are blue-lacquered. The globe portrays the northern hemisphere seen from the North Pole and swivels in coordination with a transparent 24-hour ring that aligns with the red hour hand to indicate the time in the second time zone. From 10,000 to 20,000$

MONTBLANC 1858 GEOSPHERE

Presented on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of Minerva, the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere is a tribute to the heroes of mountaineering. The world’s Seven Summits are indicated by red dots on two rotating globes representing the two hemispheres. The watch is equipped by a new world-time complication developed by Montblanc’s watchmakers at Villeret: two globes turn in opposite directions and effect one complete rotation in 24 hours. Encircling the two globes is a graduated scale with the 24 time zones, which also indicates day/ night by means of contrasting colours. This complication provides an instinctive way of reading the time zones. The use of SuperLumiNova® on the continents improves the watch’s nighttime visibility and performance. From 5,000 to 10,000$

FRANCK MULLER VANGUARD WORLD TIMER GMT

At the centre of this watch sits a bas-relief map of the world. Running all the way around this, two circles indicate the 24 hours as well as the 24 time zones, represented by iconic cities. Local time is shown on the central hands, while an additional hand, tipped by a red arrow, shows the home time. This imposing automatic timepiece measuring 44mm by 53.7mm has a power reserve of 42 hours. From 20,000 to 50,000$

JUNGHANS MEISTER MEGA

The map of the world featured on the Meister Mega indicates the five reception zones of the radio-control signals by means of five points and codes inscribed on its surface. Its new radiocontrolled movement, the J101, guarantees absolute accuracy. On three continents, it receives a radio signal that varies by only 0.006 seconds per million years and synchronises automatically once a day. Outside the reception zone, the watch continues to function with the precision of an extremely accurate quartz movement that varies by no more than 8 seconds a year. From 1,000 to 3,000$

All mentioned prices are indicative and correspond to price segment.

TO READ MORE
Europa Star Watch Curator ’18 is a selection of 147 watches classified under 13 specific trends:
Tourbillons - Globes - Sun, Moon & Stars - Purity - Open-worked - Skulls - Sport - Tough - New displays - Barocco - Vintage & Neo-vintage - Connected - Calibres.