Founded by Michael Vogt in Nidau near Bienne in 2003, VOGARD is a Swiss watch brand that specializes in mechanical world time watches. VOGARD’s patented Timezoner® system is the first and only watch in the world to provide time zone adjustment with a simple twist of the bezel and the first mechanical watch to allow clear indication of summer time (daylight savings time). Recently, the brand has sold this patent to the legendary Swiss watch manufacture IWC.

The Timezoner® mechanism was first introduced at Baselworld in 2004 and soon the watches equipped with this world premier functionality became popular among globe-trotting travelers. The market hasn’t seen such a revolutionary word time complication before. Feedback from the international client base has been entirely positive, with the patented world time mechanism proving not only useful but also superbly reliable in the hands of both private and professional travellers. Eventually, the Timezoner® is a proven technology and ready for the next step of development.

The patented system links the watch movement with both the case and the bezel, so that when the latter is turned it engages a crown wheel which, through a miniature clutch and a sophisticated gearing system, adjusts the position to the 12 and 24 hour hands of the watch. Depending on the model, the bezel is engraved with 24 or 36 different time zone locations which are pre-synchronized with the mechanism during assembly as well as ‘s’ positions that account for areas using DST – Daylight Saving Time.

In order to switch from one time zone to another, all the wearer has to do is open a hinged lever at the side of the case, rotate the bezel in either direction until the relevant city is aligned with the 12 o’clock position and then re-close the lever. The watch is now set to the local time, and the locking lever prevents the bezel from being accidentally adjusted.

Now VOGARD sold its patent and all related intellectual property to IWC Schaffhausen. Due to the fact that the sale of the IP occurred on an exclusive basis, VOGARD will cease the manufacturing and selling of the Timezoner® as of 31 December 2014. VOGARD as a company and as a brand are not affected by this transaction. Eventually, VOGARD will continue to offer After Sales Services for all VOGARD watches sold, as well as to supply its customers with spare parts.