What are the GMT watches available today, how do they compare, and which are the best? These are the questions we want to answer in this post.
My first Rolex watch was a GMT-Master II Stainless Steel that I purchased in Singapore in 1997. At that time, the flip lock on the bracelet had just come out, and after comparing prices and models during trips across Asia and the US, I finally purchased it in Singapore which was the only place that had this newest model. I bought it for about US$1,800, if I remember it translated to about PhP67,000 at that time, less the tax rebates and all.
Today this GMT is considered a vintage watch and can fetch about SG $17,000 with the right buyer.
I really like the deep red and black bezel color - to mark daylight and night hours, and that the bezel has 10 clicks per 5-min marker (2 hours on the GMT bezel). Accuracy is great, and I like the minute, second and GMT hand designs that support high precision in setting the time.
My next Rolex was also a GMT-Master II Steel and Gold, also with a black face, but this time in 2010 it came with a ceramic Cerachrom bezel.
The Rolex is of course, really good! The all-black bezel gives it a more formal appearance, and the bracelet is a sleeker, modernized version. One thing with this model though is that the bezel has 2 clicks per minute marker (2 hours on the GMT bezel). This is fully sufficient when using the bezel for the GMT function. However I use this as a general time marker to set when I need to be at a departure gate or for any time I need to keep, so just 2 clicks is somewhat lacking in providing granularity. Of course not a big thing, but this is now something I check when considering new GMTs.
These watches have accompanied me to very many trips across different time zones and various cities around the world.
Then I found Seiko quite fascinating and I purchased the Seiko Watchmaking 110th Anniversary Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean Limited Edition.
This watch has a 72-hour power reserve, and a ceramic bezel. The Seiko Prospex GMT is an Office GMT as compared to the “True GMT” of the Rolex. This means the GMT hand can be set independently and can only move forward, while the main time display remains untouched. In the True GMT, the hour hand can be adjusted independently, which allows you to quickly adjust the main time display to the local time, while the GMT hand displays Home time. The GMT hand in this case moves forward and backward with the hour hand, and is very functional. I’ve used the True GMT for decades and it feels very natural, so I had to get used to the idea of an independent GMT hand. I didn't like it at first, but it does have the advantages of quick adjustment to the current date whenever you’ve not been using the watch for some time, so I’ve grown to appreciate it’s different design philosophy.
Now I’m looking to purchase another GMT with a fresh look and I’ve scanned all the popular watch brands, compared designs, models, specifications and features, and prices. I’ll share the models I’ve considered, my personal takes on them, and my top choices.
Sinn 105 St Sa UTC W
Sinn is a German brand and has a good heritage. The pricing is quite good, and the technology features are sound. This model also has a clear case back, which I prefer. However the face design, and the hands are quite a departure from the Sinn tool watches with very technical and high-engineering appearances. These are the big drawbacks for me. Another point they could improve is to put luminous marks on the GMT hand.
MONTBLANC 1858 GMT
Mont Blanc is a German company known for their pens, and I have a number of their Writers Edition and Limited Edition Pens, and their leather pen cases and accessories, and I much appreciate them. For mechanical watches, they are a rather recent entrant, but definitely worth considering. For this GMT model, it has a 50-hour power reserve, 25 jewels, a good heritage, the bracelet is finely designed with a feature for quick interchangeability and mini adjustments for precision fitting, the watch face has a sunray design that makes it more interesting than a solid color. This could have been a winner and their diving watch versions are great, however for the GMT the red block that goes around the watch perimeter is a big downer and I don’t like it. The fixed bezel is also a drawback that limits usability of the watch.
AQUIS GMT DATE
Oris has a hundred-year plus history in watchmaking, and they make performance mechanical watches at reachable prices. This Aquis GMT Date is a sound option with a clean yet exciting functional display. The luminous markers are generous, and the hour, minute, second and GMT hand designs are good. The bracelet is also well designed. It has a clear case back which is good, a with mineral glass cover and not the typical sapphire crystal though not an issue as it is protected by one’s own wrist during use. The power reserve is 42 hours. The bezel is ceramic. Overall this is a very good watch option. I would have preferred if the GMT hand was longer, but the design is adequate. This is an Office GMT, as differentiated above.
Panerai Luminor BiTempo PAM 01361
This Panerai at SGD 15,500 is the most expensive options of the lot, thus far. It’s a beautiful and elegant watch, dressy and not sporty like the other options and so has less functionality by not having a rotating bezel. If you’re in the market for a dressy GMT watch, and you’re a Panerai fan with its signature lock over the crown, this could be the pic for you. I came very close to purchasing a Panerai on several occasions, but the watch never clinched it for me. The display case back and movement for this watch is very handsome. However if you’ve seen my other choices you’d know I lean towards a metal bracelet. I like the power reserve display (I have 2 IWC watches with a 7-Day Power Reserve display) and that the luminous colors for the 12-HR GMT hand and power reserve hand are different. It’s a beautiful watch but doesn’t match what I’m looking for at this time.
I’ve looked at Blancpain and Jaeger LeCoultre but didn’t find suitable options. These were very nice but are designed as dress watches and so done have the functionality I seek.
Breitling AVENGER AUTOMATIC GMT 45
This Breitling is a great option at a price of SGD 6,450. It uses a Breitling 32 movement supplied by either ETA or Sellita. It has a 42-hour power reserve and is a COSC-verified chronometer, which means it has a higher level of accuracy and consistency in time-keeping as compared to most other watches. I rather like the face design of this watch, clean yet detailed and functional. The rotating bezel is that of a divers watch with minute markers, in stainless steel with no ceramic face or paint so it quite lacks readability but also makes it look more classical. There is a GMT dial on the inner rim adjacent to the bezel, which is good. I like the red GMT hand but the seconds hand has reduced visibility and no luminous mark. It would have been great if this had a clear case back instead of the steel case back. Overall I consider this a good option.
Breitling AVENGER AUTOMATIC GMT 44
This Breitling Avenger GMT is part of the new series and is indeed an updated model. The stainless steel bezel is maintained but now features black GMT hour markers to replace the previous difficult/to-read minute markers, so this is completely a GMT watch as compared to its predecessor. The font of the numbers are modernized to increase readability, including the hour markers on the inner rim, which were enlarged. This is ideal for tracking 3 time zones simultaneously. The GMT hand retains the red color, while the seconds hand is now more visible and has a luminous marker. All plus points and this is truly an upgrade! I wish it had the clear case back that the chronograph versions of the New Avengers series have, which is very handsome, but unfortunately the GMT version still sports a steel case back along with the Breitling 32 movement. The technical specs claim 25 jewels as compared to 21 jewels on the previous model. This is not clearly explained if this is a new Breitling 32 model or simply due to the ETA or Sellita movement appointed. The power reserve is still at 42 hours, which is good but better if it were now up to 50 hours at least, to cover a full 2 days with extra. It’s a COSC movement so accuracy is at a higher level. The 44 mm case size is also better compared to the previous 45 mm, and is well fitted for a GMT complication. The luminous markers for this watch are good, including the marker on the bezel. A big draw for this watch is the finely designed bracelet with built in micro adjustments. Another well thought feature is the clear GMT hour markers on the outer rim of the dial. At SGD 7,600, this is a great option. A clear case back would have made this a super choice, a clear winner! Perhaps an improvement that is easy to execute is - a slightly more prominent GMT hand and arrow. When you want a True GMT function, this is a setback as it is an Office GMT. Overall, a great choice and specially at this price level.
IWC Pilot’s Watch Chronograph
This Pilot’s Watch is NOT a GMT, so you may ask why I’m including it. I actually own 2 IWCs with a 7-day power reserve and one is a major complication. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at the IWC line-up, and I have to say I was very impressed with a number of the models, particularly for the Pilot Watches. This one, priced at SGD 12,700 is at the higher end of most of the watches I’ve featured so far, it is still within the range. So it could be viewed as an option. The beauty of this watch is that it now has a clear case back to feature the intricate and appealing IWC calibre. The steel bracelet is beautifully designed, and the watch features a day of the week aside from the date. It has a 46-hour power reserve and 33 jewels on the movement. If you are willing to go without the GMT hand that makes a full cycle every 24 hours, and trade that with the day-of-the-week that cycles every 7 days, then this could be an interesting choice.
TAG HEUER AUTAVIA GMT COSC
The watches I’ve featured here mostly have rich histories and the brands leverage these on their websites. You need to view them in detail to see which captivate you the most. In the case of TAG Heuer, I found it a plus to understand that TAG stood for Techniques d'Avant-Garde business group, so it’s not just a chosen brand name. This particular model sells for SGD 6,200. It has a ceramic bezel that subtly shifts from black to blue, as would happen every sunrise and sunset, so this is good feature. It has an engraved steel case back. It has a COSC movement and a 50-hour power reserve. The GMT hand is in bright orange, and both the GMT hand and seconds hand have luminous marks, and the hour and minute hands have generous luminous marks. I would have preferred if the minute hand were longer, to touch the railroad markers, and a clear case back would make this a winner. Overall a sound choice at this price level.
Tudor Black Bay GMT
Tudor is a solid watchmaker and specially now as the company falls within the Rolex flag. The styling is quite similar to Rolex except for a number of key elements, like the cyclops magnifier on the date window, protectors for the crown, the hand designs, and the matte aluminum bezel in place of the shiny ceramic Cerachrom bezel.
I like the hour markers on the dial, which are very much patterned after Rolex watches, though I’m not a fan of the snowflake design of the hour hand and GMT hand. The minute and seconds hands looks good and lend to accurate measuring of time, so overall the hand designs are good. The calibre is in-house manufactured by Tudor, is COSC-certified and has an impressive 70-hour power reserve.
The bezel has 48 notches, meaning there are 4 clicks per 5-minute marker. This is very good.
The price of this gold-and-steel model is SGD 8,880, which is a great value. And for Tudor, the gold color is not a coating that will fade over time but actual gold or gold layers over steel that will retain their luster and color over time.
These Tudor Black Bay models are very sound choices, even though I’m not a fan of the matte bezels and prefer shiny ceramic ones these are excellent when you like the styling.
Grand Seiko SBGJ237 Sport Collection Caliber 9S 25th Anniversary Limited Edition
I’ve gazed at this watch very closely and from every possible angle! It’s quite an interesting piece with many good features. It retails for SG$10,800. It boasts higher accuracy than standard COSC chronometers, and so it has dropped that label. The design is quite beautiful and functional. The dial is a light blue cloud pattern, which draws on the feeling of gazing theough an airplane window while on the clouds. A very apt design for a GMT watch - lets you feel like you’re flying even when you’re not on a trip.
The bezel is one of the key designs. It’s made of sapphire rather than ceramic. As a clear material, it enables the whole bottom half to be luminous, and on the top half the numerals are also luminous. This creates a fascinating display! The bezel colors of white and dark blue correspond nicely to the day and night of the GMT hand.
I also like the “inner bezel” marked with fixed GMT hours, making it even simpler to track 3 time zones simultaneously.
The GMT hand is well sized and carefully designed to be easy to read at night, as it doesn’t clash or overlap with luminous hour markers along its track. I wasn’t a fan of the rectangular ends of the classic Seiko hour and minute hands, but it’s not a deal breaker.
The seconds hand with no luminous mark is also not my preference, but again is okay.
The biggie for me is the bracelet design that Grand Seiko hasn’t focused enough on in my opinion. The micro adjustments are done by repositioning the strap, which would need tools or a watch shop's assistance. The look of the bracelet reminds me of my original Rolex GMT bracelet from 25 years ago, and falls behind some of the current leading designs.
Another curious item is the 72-notch bezel. This means 6 clicks per 5-minute marker. This is generally good, and much better than one big-brand GMT (I won’t mention the model) that has 5 clicks per 5-minute marker. The reason this is off design for me is that when you mark an hour using the GMT hand, you can do it but you can’t mark 30 minutes, and have to mark 20 or 40 minutes. So for India that is 2.5 hours behind Singapore time, the GMT hand can’t be set precisely. So I prefer 4-clicks or 8 clicks or 10-clicks.
The clear case back is very good, with a special titanium oscillating weight colored light blue with anodic oxidation. However I would much rather have a bigger window and a smaller oscillating weight to see the movement more clearly.
Other features are great, like a 55-hour power reserve, superb finishing that is well known to adherents of this brand, the precision manufacture - making this model a playful and lively design addition to any collection, and one worth considering carefully.
Omega SeaMaster Planet Ocean 600M GMT
Now we come to the Omega Planet Ocean 600m GMT. Among the GMT watches available today, and considering I have the Rolex SS and S&G GMT2 watches (😊 Praise God), I consider this Omega the most interesting and great overall value for money. Not cheap at all at SGD 12,600, but good considering long term value and watch longevity.
This watch interests me because of the polished ceramic bezel in dual black-white color representing day and night, which makes the 24-hour rotation of the GMT hand more
meaningful. It’s a True GMT and the GMT hand is connected to the hour hand. More troublesome if you don’t often use the watch as adjustment to catch up to the right date is more tedious, but this type of GMT is still my preference.
A big plus is the see-through case back and the elegant display of the caliber. These make me prefer this watch over getting a 2nd Rolex stainless steel GMT with a 2-color Cerachron bezel.
Note this photo displays the Planet Ocean GMT Deep Black. But the use of 2 colors for the luminous hands is notable.
The dual color scheme of the luminous markers is also a fine touch. This helps define the GMT hand position in the dark, even when the GMT hand is under the hour marker - except when it is fully covered as in the photo below.
Note this photo displays the bracelet for the Planet Ocean Ultra Deep, and shows similar bracelet ingenuity.
The stainless steel bracelet with an extension and quick fine adjustment is well designed and an engineered advantage.
I don’t like the James Bond connection of the Omega SeaMaster. For me it is. Negative more than a plus, but I don’t mind it as much as I like the features I’ve mentioned. The 60-hour power reserve powered by two spring barrels is also a plus factor.
The interesting thing is - this watch is now so difficult to find! About 2 months ago this unit with a leather strap was still available at the MBS Omega boutique in Singapore. Not my top choice as I wanted to get the model with the SS bracelet, and it loses some of its innovative edge with the leather strap. But now this Planet Ocean 600m SS GMT is nowhere to be found. The whole of Singapore doesn’t have any unit, and 2 watch stores would not accept deposits to order the watch. I’ve checked Duty Free and city shops in Shanghai and Mumbai and Manila! I can find the Rolex GMT2 either brand new or pre-owned both at higher than standard retail price, but the Omega is so elusive! I guess this makes it even more special if you were able to get one.
And so the story continues… given the situation, which is the best GMT model today? What do you think? Let me know your comments.
This post is work-in-progress, so check back for updates and let me know your comments. Thanks!
Comments
Post a Comment