HANDS-ON: The romance of travel and the Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer

Felix Scholz

There’s an inherent romance to a worldtime watch. It’s a complication that offers the promise of adventure. As you check the time in your Sydney office, you can’t help but notice that it’s daquiri o’clock in glamorous places like Santiago (Denver – not so much). Compared to the purely functional GMT, a worldtimer reminds you just how big the world is, and implicitly invites you to explore it.

Baume & Mercier has done an excellent job capturing this spirit in their Capeland Worldtimer – it’s a watch full of warmth and curves. The 44mm case mixes classical style with contemporary size, and the high glassbox sapphire crystal only amps up the analogue vibe. The same goes for the off-white dial, with its old school Arabic numerals and blued steel hands. And while the alligator strap adds a dressy element, I’d be tempted to pair this watch with a distressed leather or mid-brown suede to cement the golden age of aviation look.

Flip the watch over and you can see the movement through the sapphire caseback. Baume & Mercier call it a ‘group manufacture movement’ which translates to an external ebauche (top end Sellita) with a world time module supplied from another Richemont group brand. The movement is nicely finished, with circular perlage and a skeletonised rotor featuring B&M’s ‘phi’ logo. It’s worth noting that this is a true worldtimer – rather than a GMT with a city indicator – so it shows the current time in 24 timezones.

If you’re a veteran traveller or just an inveterate romantic, the Capeland Worldtimer offers just the right mix of old-world charm and practicality.

Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer Australian pricing

The Baume & Mercier Capeland Worldtimer, in steel, $10,900.