The world timer is one of those complications that’s actually pretty useful. For someone who travels or liaises with people in other countries frequently, a quick wrist-worn reminder of who’s awake and who’s asleep can be the difference between sealing the deal and calling the CEO of a multinational corporation when they’re at home … in bed … asleep. Many competent world timers include a globe to aid use, but the trouble is, the two-dimensional nature of the dial doesn’t lend itself to the sphericity of our planet—Montblanc, however, thinks it’s found a solution.

It’s time for another trip into the world of our imaginations as we wonder what it’s like to buy whatever watch we want. And why not make it three while we’re at? For this dream watch collection, we’ve assumed the persona of a traditionalist, someone who likes their watches with a more classical taste—but with a bit of a twist.

If you’ve been watching these videos then there’s a high chance that sooner or later you’re going to buy a watch. Maybe it’ll be your first, and doubtful it will be your last; either way, it’s a decision that requires careful deliberation before jumping into. Easier said than done, however, so let us do some of the hard work for you and leave you to enjoy the rest: and by that I mean here is a list of five more watches that you should avoid.

There’s not a whole lot that watchmaking has to throw at us that we would be surprised by these days. Tudor’s P01, for example, that was close—but it really was only a matter of time before that unusual prototype was dusted off and wheeled out. What with whole watches being made from sapphire and dials with spiders in them, it’s come to the point where we’ve seen practically everything—and that makes the secrets of the three chronographs we’ve got coming up all the more surprising.

Mechanical watchmaking is full of compromise. There’s only so much that can be done with wheels and springs in a space smaller than a matchbox, and that leads to some little quirks and eccentricities that are all part and parcel of owning one of these little ticking devices. But has Ulysse Nardin managed to conquer the trickiest quirk of all?

Think of Nomos and think of the German brand that gives you bang for the buck. A few thousand pounds spent with Nomos gets you a substantial list of must-haves and desirables, including minimalist Bauhaus design, supreme build quality and a movement made not by someone else, but by Nomos itself. So, imagine what the brand could do with a much bigger budget? Well, wonder no more, because here is just that, the Nomos Lambda. Should rival luxury German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne be worried?

The decade of 1950 was a huge turning point in the economy of the developed world. With the austerity of war falling behind and a bright new future shining ahead, it was an unprecedented period of growth in jobs, technology and living standards that gave people more time and money for the finer things in life than ever before. This is the story of the GMT-Master Root Beer, and how it changed Rolex forever.

Ever since Willy Breitling decided to amalgamate his wristwatches with the bane of the 1940s’ schoolroom, the slide rule, there have been questions over the legitimacy of the brand as a watchmaker. Clearly, it’s a company that makes watches, there’s no disputing that—the concern arises more from the credibility of its impact on the wider world of watchmaking. The question is, are those concerns unfounded, or is there some truth to them?

We’ve all been there, looking at the world’s first luxury sports watch, Audemars Piguet’s game-changing Royal Oak, thinking, “I wish.” For the lucky few who get to own one, they can enjoy the defining work of one of watchmaking’s most influential designers—but not everyone can be so fortunate. But it’s not game over just yet because we’ve got a selection of watches that just might scratch that itch without costing anywhere near as much.

The feud between watchmaking powerhouses Rolex and Omega has been raging for over a century, for so long it’s almost hard to remember how it all begin. Let’s remind ourselves.

Just as Rolex is the brand everyone knows as the luxury watch to have, Seiko has the same reputation as the affordable, reliable go-to for those shopping on a budget. Very few have heard of Seiko’s big brother, Grand Seiko, and when they do, the inevitable response is one of shock; after all, why would anyone pay ten times the price of a standard Seiko for the addition of the word ‘Grand’?

Everyone loves a good sports watch, but there’s nothing quite like a smart timepiece to spruce up a suit and tie. Smart watches can be a little, how do I say this, boring at times however—but that doesn’t have to be the case. Here are three examples to prove it.

Mistakes happen, it’s a fact of life. When you’re Rolex, however, making some of the very best watches in the world, they don’t happen very often—if at all. But they do still occur from time to time, and this one—it’s a doozy.

Some of us are happy for our watches just to tell us what the time is, but some of us are not. There are a handful of people for whom a watch must display not only the time, but the date, the day, the month and even the phase of the moon. Entry to this club will set you back a few thousand pounds, but the upper end seemingly has no limit. Question is—can you tell the difference?

Depending on your level of enthusiasm for watches, you may or may not have heard of the watchmaker F.P. Journe. If you haven’t, welcome to one of the most impressive watchmakers you’ve never heard of, and if you have, prepare to be even more impressed by the brand than you already are.

If you’ve bought one watch, you’re likely to end up buying another. The more that’s learned, the more can be appreciated, the more fine-tuned taste becomes. The refinement of those preferences can be boiled down into five common categories that are shared across many connoisseurs of fine watches—and it just so happens that the Black Bay 58 by Tudor fits into all of them.