The emergence of 24-hour watches stems from the need to accurately distinguish between morning and afternoon in fields such as aerospace and medicine. In the 1950s, Longines supplied watches for Swiss National Airlines, including unique 24-hour dials. When it comes to 24-hour watches, the brand that cannot be avoided must be Breitling. American astronaut Scott Carpenter once asked Breitling to design a watch with a 24-hour scale so that it could accurately distinguish between morning and afternoon time in outer space. Therefore, the Breitling aviation chronograph Navitimer equipped with a 24-hour scale successfully flew around the earth three times, becoming the world's first chronograph watch to travel in space.
In the following time, 24-hour watches were also designed in a unique way by major brands. For example, the classic Rolex GMT-Master II series has an additional 24-hour hand and a rotating outer ring, which can display the time in two time zones at the same time; Roger Dubuis also launched the King Series Round Table Knights Zodiac watch, which uses rich Chinese cultural elements to reflect the twelve hours of a day. Although many brands have continuously launched 24-hour watches, this kind of specially designed watch is still relatively niche in the entire watch field.
Chopard L.U.C GMT One Black 168579-3004 is a unique representative of Chopard's 24-hour watches in recent years. The watch uses an innovative material that uses a grade 5 ceramic titanium case for the first time. This material is widely used in aerospace, automotive industry
and medical component manufacturing, and is favored for its lightness, durability, and excellent scratch and corrosion resistance. The dial is polished with vertical satin, combining sports and casual styles. The 24-hour time scale is distributed on the outer bezel, which is half light gray and half black, intuitively dividing the day and night, and can be clearly displayed by the GMT hand, enhancing the readability of the watch.
The independent setting of the two time zones is adjusted by the crowns at 2 and 4 o'clock, providing sufficient practicality and convenience. The diameter is 42 mm, and the time scale area adopts a record texture design, which increases the visual layering. The L.U.C 01.10-L movement inside is carefully crafted by Chopard's watchmaking workshop. It has not only passed the Swiss Official Observatory (COSC) certification to ensure its accuracy and reliability, but also has a 60hour power reserve to meet the needs of long-term use. In addition, the movement of each L.U.C series work has been exquisitely hand-finished, and these details are clearly visible through the transparent case back.
The Breitling Navitimer B02 Chronograph 41 Cosmonaute Limited Edition (model: PB02301A1B1A1) is a replica of the first Breitling Navitimer watch to enter space in 1962. It retains the aesthetic design of the original model, such as the black dial, circular flight slide rule,
three chronograph sub-discs, retro luminous and winged Breitling logo. Unlike the common 24hour watches on the market that provide additional hands and outer ring time scales, it truly shows the rotation of 24 hours on a single dial, and only rotates once a day.
The Breitling self-made B02 movement can be seen at a glance in the transparent bottom, which is certified by the Swiss Observatory, oscillates 28,800 times per hour, and has a power reserve of about 70 hours. The B02 movement has been improved on the basis of the B01 movement, removing an automatic rotor while maintaining its accuracy and reliability. The 41mm diameter is easy to wear, and the lug length and angle are optimized, which fits the wrist better than the old version. In addition, the special engravings on the bottom of the watch, including the words “Carpenter”, “Mercury 7”, “Three orbits around earth”, and “First Swiss wristwatch in space”, are all tributes to the historical significance of this watch https://www.wristwatchline.co/breitling.html.
The Breitling Navitimer and Rolex GMT Master II series each demonstrate 24-hour watch design in their own unique way. The Breitling Navitimer is famous for its single dial showing the 24-hour
clock, while the Rolex GMT Master II series is famous for its 24-hour scale on the outer ring. I specifically mentioned this left-handed Sprite ring because it is too special in the entire series, and even in the entire Rolex brand. The most special thing about this left-handed Sprite ring is that its winding crown is placed on the left side, which is extremely convenient for left-handed users. It adopts the green and black color scheme that is common in Submariner watches. As the crown and shoulder guard move to the left, the calendar window and small window convex lens are also adjusted to the 9 o'clock position, making the dial layout more harmonious while maintaining its legibility.
The 24-hour dual time zone display has become a fixed match. The green and black one-piece Cerachrom ceramic two-way rotating word ring with Oystersteel and Oyster strap is a unique imprint of Rolex. The equipped 3285 movement is equipped with Rolex's patented Chronergy escapement system, which is not only immune to magnetic field interference, but also has obtained the Super Chronometer Certification, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the watch. The power reserve is approximately 70 hours, and it is guaranteed to be waterproof up to 100 meters, providing the best protection for the movement.
