1992 Andersen Genève Christophorus Columbus Worldtime

My first foray into independent watchmaking begins with the Christophorus Columbus Worldtime in platinum from Andersen Genève. This was Andersen's second edition of a worldtime watch, produced in 1992 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus. A total of 500 examples were made — 300 in yellow gold, 100 in white gold, 50 in red gold, and 50 in platinum, each with a vibrant lacquered dial and a wonderfully proportioned 35.5mm case.

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The brand's namesake, Svend Andersen, started creating his own watches independently in 1980, and shortly after founded the A.H.C.I. (Academie Horlogère des Créateurs Indépendents) in 1985. As his workshop in Geneva took off, Andersen's focus gravitated towards the worldtime, a complication he originally fell in love with in the 1970s while working in Patek Philippe’s "Atelier des Grandes Complications". In 1990, he finally launched his first worldtime edition, the Communication, and has continued to release subsequent editions every few years since then.

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As a frequent traveler, I've long had a pull towards a watch that could track multiple time zones. I previously owned a Reverso Duo that scratched the itch, but eventually moved on to explore other brands and complications. Most GMT and worldtime watches I've come across since then have either been too large for my wrist, or too rich for my wallet. Finding the Columbus Worldtime was a revelation.

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Not only does this watch fit my criteria for dimensions, it also has a date printed on the dial that's special to me — 1992, my birth year. While I didn't seek this model out specifically because of the date, having it certainly imbues the watch with an additional measure of personal meaning. It's also from an era of watchmaking that I've grown particularly fond of in recent years, allowing it to fit nicely with the rest of my collection.