Split Seconds

The idea of Duality has produced some pretty interesting timepieces.

- Stuart Danker

Men’s Folio Malaysia explores the theme of ‘Duality’ this month, and learns how it is manifested in the world of timepieces. The GMT complication, for example, tracks its beginnings to the 19th century, in clocks, evincing our pervasive interest in time duality. Besides the GMT complication, many other watch elements embrace the nature of two. Here are some that combine different worlds.

ANOTHER PLANET

IWC’s Portugieser Hand-Wound Tourbillon Day & Night embodies the nature of duality extending from its main complication itself: day and night. A quick glance reveals many other elements of duality in the timepiece — the contrasting obsidian and gold tones, the two-handed design, as well as the two complication windows.

Although the day-night complication is nothing new in today's horological universe, IWC does it with such elegance that it is hard to stop admiring it. Because, while many other brands use a rotating disc to indicate this measurement, IWC uses a tiny globe with a dark and bright side. As the movement is hand-wound — removing the need for an oscillating mass — the day-night indicator is visible from both the front and back of the watch (which is exhibited through the sapphire glass case back).

This is in line with the brand's mission of constantly pushing the envelope, just like how it did with the Eternal Calendar. And it seems like IWC will only continue working — pardon the pun — night and day to put innovation at the heart of its watches for a long time to come.

TWIN HEARTS