Inspire me - a sub-£3k GMT that isn’t a Black Bay
Discussion
I’m looking for a GMT of some sort, as man maths has dictated that a need to travel means that a GMT is also required.
I currently own a Tudor North Flag, a Heritage Ranger and also a Seamaster Chrono, so something different is appealing. I’m open to divers, flyers, drivers or anything else really. My only stipulation is that it must be an auto, and around £3k really is the top of my budget. Also, no Christopher Wards or Bremonts (I don’t like the fake heritage).
Candidates so far:
Breitling Superocean
Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage
Any number of Sinn UTCs
At the top of my budget there’s a Blancpain Trilogy GMT, but my concern is it’s an old watch.
What else would people recommend?
I currently own a Tudor North Flag, a Heritage Ranger and also a Seamaster Chrono, so something different is appealing. I’m open to divers, flyers, drivers or anything else really. My only stipulation is that it must be an auto, and around £3k really is the top of my budget. Also, no Christopher Wards or Bremonts (I don’t like the fake heritage).
Candidates so far:
Breitling Superocean
Alpina Startimer Pilot Heritage
Any number of Sinn UTCs
At the top of my budget there’s a Blancpain Trilogy GMT, but my concern is it’s an old watch.
What else would people recommend?
Edited by AlasdairMc on Thursday 18th April 21:23
Mühle Glasshütte do some nice GMTs.
SAR aviator (developed in conjunction with the German naval Search and Rescue.
Seabatallion
Developed in conjunction with the German equivalent of the Marines
Teutonia II World Time:
Terrasport IV GMT
I have a Mühle 29er Big and am hugely impressed with the quality for the money.
They are also designed for a purpose and built for a task and it shows.
For a different take on dual time zones and much cheaper how about the Magrette Dual Time?
https://www.forasec.com/magrette-dual-time-18.html
SAR aviator (developed in conjunction with the German naval Search and Rescue.
Seabatallion
Developed in conjunction with the German equivalent of the Marines
Teutonia II World Time:
Terrasport IV GMT
I have a Mühle 29er Big and am hugely impressed with the quality for the money.
They are also designed for a purpose and built for a task and it shows.
For a different take on dual time zones and much cheaper how about the Magrette Dual Time?
https://www.forasec.com/magrette-dual-time-18.html
What a wonderful budget to have! Are you absolutely determined to spend up to it?
The reason I ask, is that there is a nice Longines GMT watch that I wasn’t aware of up until this week, the Conquest GMT. Available as automatic or their UHP Quartz, they look very nice.
Coincidentally I have two GMTs on their way from China: a Panerai fake and a ‘Batman’ homage. Drunk eBay = Chinese watch mayhem.
I’ll let you know how I get on!
The reason I ask, is that there is a nice Longines GMT watch that I wasn’t aware of up until this week, the Conquest GMT. Available as automatic or their UHP Quartz, they look very nice.
Coincidentally I have two GMTs on their way from China: a Panerai fake and a ‘Batman’ homage. Drunk eBay = Chinese watch mayhem.
I’ll let you know how I get on!
lostkiwi said:
Mühle Glasshütte do some nice GMTs.
SAR aviator (developed in conjunction with the German naval Search and Rescue.
Seabatallion
Developed in conjunction with the German equivalent of the Marines
These two have always appealed to me, fantastic build quality and great history.SAR aviator (developed in conjunction with the German naval Search and Rescue.
Seabatallion
Developed in conjunction with the German equivalent of the Marines
Luckily the only time I tried one on I was in no position to buy but it’s really struck a chord with me.
Depends upon how much you travel and actually need to rely upon the GMT function - is it a ‘must’ have or a ‘would like to’ have?
If the former, then you should seek out a ‘True’ GMT, in my opinion i.e. one with an independently operable hour hand, which allows you to flick the main dial time display hour hand back & forth to your new local time without either stopping the watch running or disturbing the GMT hand.
Wherever you land, it’s easier & more intuitive to read local time from the regular time display.
A majority of GMT watches - like Sinn, B&R, TAG, Muhle (I think) - often use ETA 2893 movements or similar, which independently allow the GMT hand to be re-set, but not the 12-hour hand. That’s not great for travelling, as I’m of the opinion you want your GMT indicator to stay put on ‘home’ time whilst you move your main 12-hour hand to destination ‘local’ time.
Sure, you can work around it with re-setting the watch or spinning bezels, but I always think if you’re buying an actual tool for an actual function, the entire point of a tool is to accomplish something in the most efficient way to make your life easier, hence ‘True’ GMT.
Bad news is ‘True’ GMTs are harder to find.
You’ve ruled-out Tudor, which is understandable given your current collection, but they have a good such movement (early-days date teething issues aside).
Omega would do the job, but you already have one & it would most likely be a second-hand buy at your budget.
Alpina do actually have a heavily-modified True GMT movement, as do Oris, so they would absolutely be worth a look. Seiko as well.
Out of budget, but as pioneers of GMT functionality, you could stretch to pick-up a lower-end quality (or just simply lacking box, papers, bracelet etc.) Rolex Explorer II 16570. Now discontinued but something of previous well-kept secret bargain, these models have been creeping up in price, but if you find a watch forum and buy used, with perseverance a decent example could be found just under £4k.
If the former, then you should seek out a ‘True’ GMT, in my opinion i.e. one with an independently operable hour hand, which allows you to flick the main dial time display hour hand back & forth to your new local time without either stopping the watch running or disturbing the GMT hand.
Wherever you land, it’s easier & more intuitive to read local time from the regular time display.
A majority of GMT watches - like Sinn, B&R, TAG, Muhle (I think) - often use ETA 2893 movements or similar, which independently allow the GMT hand to be re-set, but not the 12-hour hand. That’s not great for travelling, as I’m of the opinion you want your GMT indicator to stay put on ‘home’ time whilst you move your main 12-hour hand to destination ‘local’ time.
Sure, you can work around it with re-setting the watch or spinning bezels, but I always think if you’re buying an actual tool for an actual function, the entire point of a tool is to accomplish something in the most efficient way to make your life easier, hence ‘True’ GMT.
Bad news is ‘True’ GMTs are harder to find.
You’ve ruled-out Tudor, which is understandable given your current collection, but they have a good such movement (early-days date teething issues aside).
Omega would do the job, but you already have one & it would most likely be a second-hand buy at your budget.
Alpina do actually have a heavily-modified True GMT movement, as do Oris, so they would absolutely be worth a look. Seiko as well.
Out of budget, but as pioneers of GMT functionality, you could stretch to pick-up a lower-end quality (or just simply lacking box, papers, bracelet etc.) Rolex Explorer II 16570. Now discontinued but something of previous well-kept secret bargain, these models have been creeping up in price, but if you find a watch forum and buy used, with perseverance a decent example could be found just under £4k.
Surely the function of the GMT pilots watch is to show GMT (the reference time for aviation) wherever you are in the world.
That’s a true GMT watch, other watches might show dual time zones or whatever but GMTs are just for showing what time it is in GMT and local time in the wearers country.
That’s a true GMT watch, other watches might show dual time zones or whatever but GMTs are just for showing what time it is in GMT and local time in the wearers country.
El stovey said:
Surely the function of the GMT pilots watch is to show GMT (the reference time for aviation) wherever you are in the world.
That’s an overly-literal interpretation of the term.Yes, the GMT function was originally developed with pilots in mind, and their need to know GMT, but unless the OP or other wearers is a pilot, navigator or other specialist, then GMT in itself as a reference is not particularly useful for most.
It just so happens that for historical, research etc. reasons the time in Greenwich was selected as the arbitrary universal benchmark. It could have just as well been taken from anywhere.
That’s handy if you’re from the UK, but for those hailing from elsewhere in the world GMT is not overly helpful as a reference (outside of specialist roles noted above) - the GMT function is far more useful as an ‘at-a-glance’ indicator of your own home zone time, not that of some observatory in Greenwich.
El stovey said:
That’s a true GMT watch, other watches might show dual time zones or whatever but GMTs are just for showing what time it is in GMT and local time in the wearers country.
‘True’ GMT as I have used it is commonly accepted as the terminology for a watch which allows setting of ‘local’ time without disturbing ‘home’ time.Regardless of where you have decided to set the GMT hand, the ability to independently change local time is the key benefit.
If you’re a native of North America, Africa, Asia etc. and have a genuine need of the function, you’ll buy a GMT watch for the innate functionality to set it to your own home time or other point of reference - knowing the time in Greenwich is fairly pointless for most of the world.
Yes, I know where you’re coming from, and both literally-speaking and regarding your professional requirements, then I do agree with you that GMT in itself does mean exactly ‘what it says on the tin’.
I think the confusion arises because as regards watches, GMT nowadays is very-much used by manufacturers & buyers as shorthand for any watch that is capable of tracking two (or more) time zones simultaneously, whereas perhaps as you note GMT & ‘dual zone’ would be more apt, but that battle was lost a long time I suspect.
I do accept that ‘True’ as regards GMT can be taken to mean two equally valid things, which is presumably why the term is often used within inverted commas!
I think the confusion arises because as regards watches, GMT nowadays is very-much used by manufacturers & buyers as shorthand for any watch that is capable of tracking two (or more) time zones simultaneously, whereas perhaps as you note GMT & ‘dual zone’ would be more apt, but that battle was lost a long time I suspect.
I do accept that ‘True’ as regards GMT can be taken to mean two equally valid things, which is presumably why the term is often used within inverted commas!
If a quartz movement is acceptable, there are some lovely looking 9F Grand Seikos with true GMT functionality that should meet the budget.
SBGN001 might be doable, which is stunning piece.
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-spor...
Long shot perhaps, but Lorne Gifford of this parish (Marine Chronometer Co - Offshore Professional developer) was talking about a GMT being amongst his next projects; might be worth an enquiry in case he's got anything off the drawing board... bound to be interesting and unusual
SBGN001 might be doable, which is stunning piece.
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-spor...
Long shot perhaps, but Lorne Gifford of this parish (Marine Chronometer Co - Offshore Professional developer) was talking about a GMT being amongst his next projects; might be worth an enquiry in case he's got anything off the drawing board... bound to be interesting and unusual
If a quartz movement is acceptable, there are some lovely looking 9F Grand Seikos with true GMT functionality that should meet the budget.
SBGN001 might be doable, which is stunning piece.
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-spor...
Long shot perhaps, but Lorne Gifford of this parish (Marine Chronometer Co - Offshore Professional developer) was talking about a GMT being amongst his next projects; might be worth an enquiry in case he's got anything off the drawing board... bound to be interesting and unusual
SBGN001 might be doable, which is stunning piece.
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/grand-seiko-spor...
Long shot perhaps, but Lorne Gifford of this parish (Marine Chronometer Co - Offshore Professional developer) was talking about a GMT being amongst his next projects; might be worth an enquiry in case he's got anything off the drawing board... bound to be interesting and unusual
Over budget but not hugely, a lovely robust watch with GMT function:
Blue dial
https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Planet%20Ocean...
Black dial
https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Planet%20Ocean...
Blue dial
https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Planet%20Ocean...
Black dial
https://www.watchfinder.co.uk/Omega/Planet%20Ocean...
I'd offer up Farer as another brand worthy of consideration if you are a fan of colour and design:
I like the Oxley and Lander versions slightly more than the Ponting, although I prefer the design of the Ponting as it has an inner GMT hand.
https://farer.com/collections/gmt-automaticwatches
They are a nice size, understated and not too big.
I like the Oxley and Lander versions slightly more than the Ponting, although I prefer the design of the Ponting as it has an inner GMT hand.
https://farer.com/collections/gmt-automaticwatches
They are a nice size, understated and not too big.
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