Short on time? The Journe Octa UTC shows two time zones: where you are, and home. The Patek 5110P shows all 24 at once, and one push at 10 o'clock moves everything to your new zone. The Journe is 40mm by about 10mm in rose gold; the Patek is 37mm and around 9.8mm thick in platinum. Two brilliant travel watches with very different ideas. We have both.
Backstory
The Patek 5110, made from 2000 to 2006, was Patek's first automatic world time watch, carrying on a complication that goes back to the 1930s. The Octa UTC is Journe's take on a second time zone, built on his automatic Octa movement, and the black-dial Boutique Edition was sold only through Journe's own boutiques.
How They Work
The Octa UTC keeps it simple: local time on the main hands, home time shown separately. You set home once and adjust local time as you travel. It's the right tool if you mostly care about two places.
The 5110P is for people who care about everywhere. A ring of 24 cities and a 24-hour ring let you read every time zone at a glance. When you land, press the pusher at 10 o'clock and the hour hand, city ring and 24-hour ring all move together.
Design and Wear
The Journe is 40mm in rose gold with a black dial that makes the layout look sharp and modern. The Patek is 37mm in platinum, with a blue guilloché centre that's one of the best colour combinations Patek has done. Both sit flat and wear beautifully. The Journe has more presence; the Patek is the classic dress size.
Which One We'd Pick
If you travel between two places and want something a bit unexpected, the Journe. If you love the romance of a world map on your wrist and the satisfaction of that one-push change, the Patek. Our guides go deeper on the Octa UTC and the 5110P.
Final Thoughts
Two of the most thoughtful travel watches around, from two very different watchmakers. Either one makes a long-haul flight feel a little more civilised.
In the safe: a 2015 F.P. Journe Octa UTC Boutique Edition and a 2003 Patek Philippe 5110P in platinum.
