Delicate as the balance may be, Carl F. Bucherer seems intent on keeping one foot in the present and one foot in its past. It recently revamped its image in a decidedly forward-looking push, with watches like the Manero Peripheral BigDate Black and more restrained yet still contemporary offerings like the Manero Central Counter chrono. Yet at the same time, it’s introducing pieces like the Heritage Chronometer Celebration, a near one-to-one repro of one of its vintage models. Building on the latter, the brand last year released a worldtimer based on another model from its back catalog. That limited edition offered in collaboration with Hodinkee has sold out, but the brand is ready to introduce the non-limited production model of the Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer.

The case of the Heritage Worldtimer doesn’t scream vintage — it’s not gold and it doesn’t have fancy lugs, though there is a limited-edition rose gold version available. The non-limited production model is a fully polished stainless steel affair that measures 37mm across and 10.25mm thick, making it an easy wear on all but the largest of wrists. The sapphire crystal doesn’t induce any distortion and the watch has a predictably meager 30m water resistance, objectively adequate but not up to most modern consumers’ standards. What can’t be ignored is the second crown at 9 o’clock, which is used to adjust the city ring. It provides symmetry, but on an object that is often referred to as having a face, many won’t be able to ignore the ears.  While world timers vary in how they handle the city ring — usually operated with a pusher or crown, or placed on a rotating external bezel — most modern iterations that employ a second crown place it on the right side.

While many will begrudge a butterfly claps and its sizing limitations, I’ve never had such issues, so I’ll ignore those complaints. The quick-release 13-link bracelet (THIRTEEN!) enables a level of articulation and comfort that most bracelets simply can’t achieve. Each small link acts as a point that can contour to your wrist, and I found it to just melt away on my wrist. I do have two gripes: the lugs are 21mm and while I know the straight ends are accurate for many vintage watches, I would’ve appreciated fitted links like CFB did with the mesh bracelet on the Heritage Chronometer Celebration.

The dial of the Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer is simple enough, especially for such a watch. Worldtimer’s can get very intricate, as brands try to embellish and ornament various parts of the dial in an effort to create a high-end experience (and justify high-end pricing). Also available in black, CFB has tacked in the other direction while maintained an elegant aesthetic, with an ultra-clean monotone silver dial the creates separation with depth and texture instead of color and materials. (The first limited edition released earlier this year had a blue and silver two-tone dial and a dauphine handset.)

The central dial sits about the rest of the watch face, with a brushed silver finish and rhodium plated markings (not applied indices) and a matching baton handset. The sunray texture gives way to a sloped 24-hour ring which sits just above the rotating city ring; both rings have a matte finish. Everything is kept clean and legible, though there are some instances, when the light his in just the wrong way, that you lose the hands for a second. This is so infrequent and so easily resolved (just tilt your wrist) that I didn’t consider it a significant drawback to the watch, but it is a common “feature” of watches that have hands that are close in shade to the dial.

One interesting quirk of the dial is the inclusion of the movements jewel count. In modern timepieces this is uncommon, but in vintage pieces, it was a regular feature of watch dials. During the 1960’s, brands were engaging in what some have called the “Jewel Wars,” using the jewels of a movement as an indicator of quality. Some run-of-the-mill movements were fitted with 100 or more jewels! Seeing as this watch is based on a model from the 1960s, it’s not too bizarre to see the jewel count printed on the dial.

For those unfamiliar with how a world timer watch works, I’m happy to provide a brief primer. World timers show the time in any other time zone, on demand. Unlike a GMT watch, though, which displays two the time in two (or more) time zones at all times, world timers require user interaction. But don’t worry, it’s easy. On the Heritage Worldtimer, use the left crown to rotate the city ring so that your current city aligns with the hour hand. Then, read the time displayed on the 24-hour ring for the desired time zone. There are two drawbacks to most world timers: they don’t compensate for daylight savings time or show time zones that don’t fall on the full hour. Both can be managed with some simple math, but can be irksome for those who find themselves living in or referencing time in places such as India, or several states in Australia.

Powering the Heritage Worldtimer is the CFB A2020 automatic caliber. This manufacture caliber features the brand’s signature peripheral rotor system. Instead of a centrally-mounted oscillating weight, the weighted rotor spins around the outside of the movement, on the same plane as the bridges. This mean a thinner watch and an unobstructed view of the movement. The mainspring screw is engraved with the brand’s logo and the bridges feature striping and beveled edges. The COSC-certified chronometer movement offers a very adequate 55-hour power reserve. In addition to the open view of the movement, one element I like about CFB’s calibers is the channel the bridges form, offering a glimpse at the going train; you can see this in the Manero Tourbillon Double Peripheral and the aforementioned Manero Peripheral BigDate Black.

Considering it over two months after I spent time with it, the reality of this watch is that it’s vintageness is its defining factor — everything else, while very nicely done, is just there. The silver-on-silver-on-silver offers a monotone elegance that should be easy to wear and easy to pair, and the watch seems to rely on depth and texture for its vibrancy.  The dual crowns won’t be for everyone but are authentic and amplify the watch’s vintage charm. This watch is really for the vintage enthusiasts who don’t want to worry about an old movement or a deteriorating case or bracelet, and I think that’s still a large enough market for the Heritage Worldtimer to make sense. The Carl F. Bucherer Heritage Worldtimer is priced at $8,800 USD in stainless steel and at $11,300 USD in rose gold, which is limited to 88 pieces. For more information, please visit the Carl F. Bucherer website.