Lot 115

Patek Philippe

World Time

An extremely rare Geneva wristwatch "World Time Map" in new condition, with world time indicator and cloisonné enamel dial featuring a miniature world map - with original box, original certificate and operating instructions

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This reference pays homage to the Patek Philippe vintage world time watches that are amongst the rarest watches in today‘s world.
Reference 5131 was produced in three case versions with three different cloisonné dials. The rose gold version shows Asia, Oceania and the Americas, the white gold version shows Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania; this yellow gold version shows the Americas, Africa and Europe.
The mechanism of the Patek Philippe reference 5131J-001 with its permanent display of all 24 time zones and the easy adjustment of the local time is a technical masterpiece that pleases any connoisseur of useful complications. At the same time the watch wows the lovers of fine art with its incredibly beautiful cloisonné enamel dial.
Local time is indicated by the two hands – the city is located on the city ring directly above 12 o’clock. The crown sets the exact time in connection with the 24 hour ring for the day and night hours. Changing from one time zone to another is done by pressing the pusher at 10 o’clock – each push moves the hour hand one hour forward, while the city ring and the 24 hour ring move anticlockwise by one hour (i.e., one time zone). This construction was developed in the early 1930s by the exceptionally gifted watchmaker and inventor Louis Cottier in Geneva. He was the first to offer this design to Patek Philippe and in 1959 the company protected the invention with a Swiss patent.
Later Cottier produced another mechanism that was capable of showing two time zones simultaneously. This was the principle that was used in the development of the Calatrava Travel Time.