This is what I would call an intelligent and elegant watch for travelling. I just got these first pictures and want to share them with you …
The new 44 mm Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer is a stunning beautiful watch! But not only this it is also an ideal watch for travelling if you like the idea of a “Unitime” timepiece showing you in parallel all the major 24 time zones. This Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer would not be an ideal watch for travelling if you could not do this: At home you set and synchronize your local time with the 24 hour ring indicating the 24 major time zones. In Austria I would set the watch to “Paris”-time since this is the time zone I life in. The Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer will now e.g. show me 17:00 on the main dial and 5 p.m. at the position of “Paris” on the 24 hour ring. Now I can read the zone time in all the other 23 time zones.
Let´s assume I travel to New York. The time difference is six hours … Arriving ion NYC I just need to pull out the crown in its first position and turn back the hour hand in six one-hour-steps. Now the Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer shows me the correct ime in NYC, the date change will be correct at midnight and the 24 hour ring still indicates me all the corresponding zone times in the other 23 time zones. The point is: When setting the time with the Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer whilst travelling I DO NOT LOOSE my still correct indicated minutes and seconds. This is an essential feature that distinguishes a real watch from a gimmick and/or traveller´s lookalike watch.
To achieve this Baume & Mercier uses the by IWC developed Worldtime module that IWC also uses for its Pilot´s Watch Worldtimer. The only difference is that the module is combined with an ETA automatic movement at IWC and with a Sellita automatic movement at Baume & Mercier.
Let me tell you something: The Sellita is not one iota less good in terms of quality than the ETA. Richemont has installed an own quality management at Sellita called “GranJean” (= reinforced quality criteria). This cell in-between Sellita guarantees the higher Richemont standards. The adjustment of the movement is done with premium norms and the steel ball bearing are replaced by ceramic ball bearing at the automatic winding rotor. This increases the quality of winding and makes the system more resistant against shocks.
What in my eyes is makes the watch very attractive is its fair price. In Austria you pay 6150 Euro including 20 % of VAT for the steel version. Compared to other real worldtimer´s and not the gimmick ones this is not expensive. Even the 18 carat redgold version is not really expensive. In Austria you pay 15.850 Euro including 20 % VAT.
I recommend you to think twice if your intentions are to buy a Worldtimer these days …
Hi ! Nice review ! But don’t you think that 44 mm is huge ? Does it look odd on wearing such a big watch ?
Alexander, I’ve been reading your blog for months now but this is my first post. Let me start off by congratulating you tremendously on your hard work. I appreciate the variety and zeal with which you provide us with daily articles.
One question arising from your this article: can you mention an example of a worldtimer (don’t have to mention brand) whose functions fail to give worldtime?
A particular example I’d be curious to have your views on is the Zurich Weltzeit. I know this model, which I quite like, is not “really” a worldtimer in the sense you have to click on the 2 o’clock pusher to obtain the next time zone, but at least by centrally displaying the “travel time” the adjustment is flawless as you travel across timezones. What are your views?
First let me thank you for the compliments. I will continue to work hard to also satisfy you in the upcoming future …
You want me to give you an example? The Frédérique Constant Worldtimer and the Montblanc Worldtimer do not provide you a flawless adjustment, as you called it. So when changing the time zone you will loose the actual correct indicated minutes and seconds when adjusting the watch to the new zonetime. You will have to start all over again from scratch …
For me the Nomos Zürich Weltzeit is a perfect watch for travelling and “surfing”. The Nomos allows you a flawless adjustment and as you also mentioned by using the pusher at 2 o´clock you can easily surf through the 24 major time zones. The Zürich Weltzeit will always show you the correct zonetime. The Nomos Zürich Weltzeit described in three words: less is more!
A nice watch, thanks for the presentation!
As a watch expert, Alex, please do not make the common typo and use the correct spelling “Sellita” 😉
Thank you my friend! Knowing and very much respecting Miguel Garcia, knowing his calibers I meanwhile should know how to spell Sellita … I do not know why, but I always get it wrong 🙂
Alexander, thanks for a great review of this world timer. Very nice looking watch.
But I must admit to some concern about the pricing. Not to take issue with your discussion of enhancements, but modifications or no this is still a mass produced movement, and a ‘second choice’ movement at that. If Richemont and IWC thought the Sellita movement was superior to the ETA/Valjoux I’m sure it would have been used in the IWC Pilot long ago. I suggest that this ‘upgrade’ of a B&M product may be hyped as more than it seems.
Richemont’s sister brand, Jaeger, makes two very impressive second time zone/world time models with completely in-house proprietary movements – the Master HomeTime and the Master Geographic. In steel cases these sell for US$8,750 and $12,200 direct from JLC through their online boutique. Why would I buy hamburger when I can have steak?
Even Frederique Constant makes a world time model that sells for about 1/3 of the B&M cost and the FC has an in-house developed movement.
This sounds to me like Richemont using an old brand name and lack of public insight into the details of product to milk some extra profit out of a novelty. Sure, it will probably sell reasonably well – but is it giving value when priced as it is?
Many thanks again for your informative and insightful presentations, and best regards.
Concerning the FC Worldtimer I have to tell you that I like the fact that the watch is equipped with an in-house movement, but I do not like the fact with its Worldtimer module you are not able to change the hours in one-hour steps. So when travelling you will loose your minutes and seconds … The IWC module put on a Sellita base would then be my choice. And compared to real functional Worldtimers the B&M is not expensive. Please do not forget the Austrian price includes 20% VAT!
The only real drawback B&M has is the fact that Richemont can´t provide own movements to the brand. So B&M relies on sources from outside. With the quantities delivered by ETA you can no longer build a brand so B&M has to rely on Sellita calibers. As already mentioned I do not doubt the quality of a Sellita calibre and with the internal control done by Richemont I think you get a good value for money.
Alexander, thanks so much for your reply.
I do see your point – and your clarifying the pricing of the B&M helps greatly. Perhaps there is more value in their Capeland even with a third party movement.
Maybe the Capeland series will be the beginning of a renaissance for the B&M brand.
And just as a suggestion for you to consider, I like to use my Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra when I travel. The hours can be changed without disturbing the running minutes and seconds. The base model is not a second time zone or GMT (they do make a model that does display second time zone) but it is quite functional when hopping between time zones on business trips. Just a thought.
Keep up the great work. Best regards.
Ingenious features. Sinking closer&closer, to Perfection. Hurry! I hate waiting! 🙂