A second time zone indicator ranks among the most useful watch complications, and not just for pilots and other people who fly frequently. But not all of these time-zone displays operate intuitively. They often have a 24-hour hand that can be reset in single- hour increments via the crown, but a watch of this kind may be better suited for frequent long-distance callers than for frequent flyers because when you’re spending time in a foreign country, you want to be able to read the local time from the ordinary hour hand in 12-hour format. If the central hour hand is adjustable in full- hour steps, you still need to pull out the crown first ? and if you mistakenly pull the crown into the wrong position, you run the risk of setting the time incorrectly or temporarily stopping the watch. Oris addressed this problem in 1997 and created the Worldtimer, a watch that lets its wearer operate two push-pieces to reset the local hour either forward or backward in full-hour increments. Even the date display automatically switches in both directions to show either the next date or the preceding date.
The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Worldtimer
The Oris Big Crown ProPilot Worldtimer perfects the concept because the bezel now takes over the function formerly performed by somewhat bulky-looking push- pieces. Spiraling lines, like a turbine?s blades, cover this rotatable ring and give the bezel a non-slip surface that makes it easier to turn. A quick clockwise twist overcomes a spring?s res...