Home » Baselworld - World Watch and Jewellery Show » Baselworld 2012 Preview – Vogard Datezone Pilot Chronograph Watch, an Innovative Timepiece with Four Premier Features
The relatively new watchmaking company from the Swiss town of Nidau, Vogard, will be among the numerous exhibitors at the upcoming Baselworld 2012. The Swiss timepiece manufacturer will try its best to receive wider brand recognition through its new model dubbed Datezoner Pilot Chrono Watch which is announced as the first and (naturally) only timepiece that allows the adjustment of date and time zones via its bezel. This traveler’s wristwatch is also the first ever chronograph that includes daylight saving time changes and the first one that offers personalized bezels that can be selected by its buyers.
Vogard Datezoner Pilot Chronograph Watch
The new model by Vogard is the third innovative mechanical watch by the brand that was founded in 2002 (previously it launched Timezoner and Chronozoner). The founder of the company from Nidau is Michael Vogt. Prior to opening of his own business, Vogt was employed with multinational consumer products firm Unilever, as well as in marketing departments of companies, such as TAG Hauer, Ebel and Gucci.
Date, Time Zones and Time Operated Via Bezel
The special thing about Vogard’s latest wristwatch is the fact that it is the first product with a multiple time zone display that combines date, time zones and timekeeping features. To adjust the date, the wearer pulls the safety lever and then rotates its bezel. The date display is synchronized with the time zones of the cities that are indicated on the bezel. This feature is enabled by the patented mechanism. At the same time, while the bezel is turned, the hour hand moves to an appropriate position, regardless of the direction in which the bezel is twisted.
The whole complication thus insures that Datezoner always indicates the correct date in all of the present time zones. To improve the readability of the feature, Vogard’s designers included a rather large date display that sits at the bottom of the dial. Besides, it is important to underline that the watch has a day and night indicator which is very convenient for understanding the current time in a multitude of different time zones (it shows the present time for UTC and 23 cities that are signified by the official codes of International Air Transport Association).
Automatic Daylight Savings Adjustment
Furthermore, the time zone indications are present in two circles, inner and outer. The outer ring is utilized between March and October, while the inner is used from November to February. Amazingly, both of these rings automatically adjust for daylight savings of time on both hemispheres. As the representatives of the company explained, the buyers of this watch will have the option to choose which airport codes will be included on the bezel. The possibility to personalize bezels, in addition to automatic changes for summer and winter time, is offered by no other timepiece manufacturer in the world.
Andreas Strehler
The groundbreaking trait of the watch is possible due to the inclusion of a complicated angled synchronized wheel which is meshed by movement on one side, and by one of the present 31 knops that are located on the bottom part of the date disk on the other side. The patented self-winding movement of the watch bears the designation Datezoner 01. Ninety percent of the components of this mechanism are produced in the company’s workshops. It was developed by Vogard’s engineers in the collaboration with a renowned watchmaker, Andreas Strehler, famous for his cooperation with Renaud et Papi (owned by Audemars Piguet), Harry Winston and other brands, and the creation of the perpetual disc calendar. The new complication they made together requires extreme precision. In order for it to function properly and accurately, its parts can be produced with the error tolerance of just the 100th part of millimeter. The extremely intricate and innovative automatic mechanism is 38 mm wide and runs at 4 Hz. Its accuracy is up to 10 seconds a day, and it includes a power reserve of minimum 36 hours.
Proprietary Movement in a Titanium Case
Datezone 01 automatic movement is housed in a round case with the diameter of 48 mm. In accordance with its name (Vogar Datezone Pilot Chronograph) and aeronautical inspiration, Vogard decided to make the case from titanium, the material heavily used in aviation. The mentioned influence is also visible on the face of the watch which is protected with a convex and glare proof sapphire crystal. Chrono sub dials are positioned in order to resemble a dashboard of the plane. Supreme visibility is guaranteed by the inclusion of enlarged skeletonized hands that were treated with strontium-aluminates which glow in the dark.
Manufacturer’s desire to improve functionality is visible through the unconventional positioning of the crown and push-pieces. The crown that is used to wind the watch sits at the bottom of the case. The pushers are extraordinarily large, which facilitates their use, even while wearing gloves. The one that is used to start and stop chrono function rests at the four o’clock position, whereas the other one that resets the chronograph sits at the eight o’ clock place.
Reinforced Straps
The Swiss watchmaker enables two choices for the bracelet. The buyer can decide between an alligator leather strap and a rubber band. Both types are integrated in the watch’s case, with the intention to increase the comfort to its wearer. Besides, both types are additionally strengthened with steel inserts. The design of the bracelets is supposed to insure that it will be resilient enough to be worn during extreme conditions, such as sports. At the same time, it can be replaced quite swiftly and effortlessly due to the inclusion of a screw fixing system. Vogard Datezoner Pilot Chronograph Watch is water proof to 50 meters below the surface.
There are two variations of the timepiece that differ only in the color of the bezel (Ref. No. DZP 6131 has a black one, while the watch with Ref. No. DZP 6332 includes a brown bezel). The price of the innovative world time chronograph by Vogard is $16,500.
