Global Timekeeping: Exploring BOVET’s Mastery of the GMT Complication

Thanks to BOVET’s mastery of the GMT complication and exceptional interpretations of the GMT and world time watches, keeping track of multiple time zones is a matter of precision and art.

GMT watches and travel are like peanut butter and jam sandwiches; they are destined to go hand in hand. At their core, watches were invented so we could tell time whenever, wherever, and so the GMT complication seems a natural fit for watches in a world where travel takes people places and brings loved ones closer. Perhaps none has made the GMT complication quite like the work of art the way BOVET has accomplished.

At its most fundamental, the GMT complication is represented by dual-time watches that display two time zones on a single dial, using the combination of the standard hour and minute hands, as well as an additional GMT hand that can be set typically in an hourly increment. Thanks to this extra hand, the GMT watch can inform the wearer of the local time and the home time.

The GMT function enables travellers to stay abreast of the time at home and abroad. It is especially useful for business travellers who might want to make an overseas phone call and know that they are calling at the right time. At BOVET, the GMT complication goes beyond the ordinary with hemispheric displays, three-dimensional indicators and a range of spectacular decorations.

Guided by heritage, innovation and passion, BOVET under the current stewardship of the visionary owner Pascal Raffy sits at the acme of watchmaking. Producing approximately 800 watches annually, BOVET continues to uphold an exceptional level of chronometry and artistry central to its identity since its founding over two centuries ago.

A musical score when fallen into the hands of master conductors, each would sound different. This is no different with the GMT complication, with the GMT watch displaying the second time zone in a variety of manners.

These days, the GMT complication is largely grouped into caller GMT or true GMT, based on whether the GMT hand is used primarily to display the local time or home time. The caller GMT hand is deemed to be more useful at keeping track of an overseas time, while the true GMT hand is better suited to keeping track of the home time due to their respective mechanisms. Furthermore, the GMT hand is used in conjunction with the bi-rotational 24-hour GMT bezel coated in two distinctive colours to differentiate between night and day.

With the true GMT complication, the hour hand for the local time can be set independently by an hourly increment, forward or backwards, with the GMT hand remaining stationary. This makes it easier for the user to set the local time while ensuring the home time indicated by the GMT hand remains untampered. On the other hand, the caller GMT watch features a GMT hand that can be adjusted forward independently without moving the regular hour and minute hands.

The GMT complication is also interpreted in rare instances with a GMT subdial featuring an extra set of hour and minute hands, in addition to the regular hour and minute hands. And to display multiple time zones at once, the worldtimer is arrayed with a selection of cities and countries around the world synonymous with a specific time zone. This rendition allows some creativity with brands offering names of the cities most relevant to users of a particular geography. For BOVET, however, the GMT complication branches into a whole new level.

As a co-founder of BOVET, Edouard cast the foundation of the Maison. His first watches were generously trimmed with gemstones, mother-of-pearl, miniature paintings in Grand Feu enamel and rich engravings. In the 20th century when industrialisation gradually took over watchmaking, leading to the severe decline of enamelling and miniature painting, BOVET’s belief in artistic crafts didn’t waver. The Maison first encountered fame in the Far East with the unrivalled quality of its miniature paintings, winning the admiration of many. Even the Emperor of China became a BOVET collector. Some of the pieces are exhibited in the Forbidden City.

Today, BOVET is a proponent of polished lacquer, a new technique inspired by its past creations and developed by an artisan working exclusively for BOVET to highlight the lusciousness of Chinese lacquer. Requiring repeated firings in lower heat, it is seen as a versatile and successful alternative to enamelling. Fleurisanne, one of the most demanding and elaborate engraving techniques, is also practiced here.

BOVET balances form with function. Magnificent yet purposeful GMT watches highlight innovative interpretations of the GMT or world time complication. Another example, such as the award-winning Dimier Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter Two combines a universal time display with indexable second-time zone, a double face flying tourbillon, a three-dimensional hemispheric moonphase indicator with a trademarked writing slope case made of sapphire.

The breathtaking watch is an exercise of artistry, innovation and bravery. It is a GMT watch unlike any other. Its symphony of flawless finishing, avant-garde complications and futuristic materials brings upon the sense the watch represents the state-of-the-art. It is an evolution of the Récital 26 Brainstorm Chapter One, which debuted a host of innovations.