11 of the best GMT watches for tracking the time all around the globe
Jamie WeissThe relationship between timekeeping and travel is a close one. With its roots in maritime history, progressing into aviation and our ceaseless endeavour to make the world a much smaller place, the GMT complication plays an important role by keeping us in touch with other time zones. If you’re a frequent flier, you’ll know that mild annoyance of resetting the time on your watch to the new local time zone once you land. If you’re like me, though, you’ll quickly forget what the time is back home. A GMT-equipped watch fixes this, providing the ability to track multiple time zones at once. Simply put, it’s one of the most popular and practical mechanical watch complications – I’d even go as far as to say that no watch collection is complete without one.
GMT watch history
Before we get into our picks for the best GMT watches on the market right now, it’s worth delving a little into the complication’s history. Dual time watches have existed since the 19th century, with the Industrial Revolution, colonisation, and globalisation making it increasingly important to be able to conveniently track time in two different locations across the world. Early dual time watches accomplished this by simply putting two movements into one timepiece that could be set to different times – a method that continues to see sporadic use even today.
Another watch complication that solves the problem of tracking time across the globe is the world timer, with the world’s first world time watch hitting the market in 1931: the Patek Philippe ref. 515 Heure Universelle, with a movement designed by Louis Cottier (whose father Emmanuel came up with the original concept for a world timer in 1885 at the behest of the Canadian Railways). World timers are similar but not the same as GMTs.
However, the term “GMT watch” (as well as the modern format for a dual time watch) first came to prominence with the Rolex GMT-Master. The GMT-Master owes its genesis to Pan Am, who in 1954 commissioned the watch from Rolex for their pilots: since pilots constantly travel between multiple time zones, they needed a watch that could display their time at home (or a reference time, such as UTC/GMT) and be easily set to a new local time when they landed, without disturbing the home time displayed. Now, without further ado, here’s our guide to the best GMT watches.
Seiko 5 SKX Sports Style GMT
As far as entry-level GMT watches go, the Seiko 5 GMT is pretty hard to beat. Taking design inspiration from the classic (and now discontinued) SKX case shape and combining it with a bit of Rolex-esque GMT flair, there’s a lot to like about this budget-friendly mechanical GMT. While it’s not quite dive-rated with a non-screw-down crown and only 100 metres of water resistance, its handsome dive watch looks combined with a robust and easily serviceable 4R34 movement make it a versatile daily wearer. It’s also available in a wide range of colours as well as basically everywhere, from Seiko boutiques to mall kiosks. Price: US$475
Baltic Aquascaphe GMT
A more retro-looking, Gallic take on the formula, this Baltic Aquascaphe GMT is another great affordable choice. Size-wise, the 39mm case is slender and well-proportioned, framed with a blue and red sapphire bezel reminiscent of old Bakelite bezels. The whole look is superb, even down to the lumed indices in the bezel. Combine that with a domed sapphire crystal, large, guard-less crown, and drilled lugs, and you have an ideal, classically inspired GMT. Powered by the Soprod C125 GMT movement, and priced at a reasonable A$1,750, the Baltic Aquascaphe GMT makes for a combination that is hard to overlook. Price: US$1,074 (rubber strap), US$1,139 (beads of rice bracelet), available from the Time+Tide Shop
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT
At Watches & Wonders 2024, the prayers of Tudor fans worldwide were finally answered with the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, which takes the cult-favourite diver and adds in GMT functionality. Measuring up at 39mm in diameter, 12.8mm thick, and with a lug-to-lug length around 47mm, this hotly anticipated model is thinner than previous Tudor GMT watches (such as the Black Bay Pro) and oozes vintage Rolex vibes, with an aluminium Coke-coloured bezel insert plus gilt indices and hands. Unlike its more expensive Rolex siblings, however, it’s actually Master Chronometer-certified rather than just COSC. The best bit? Regardless of whether you opt for a rubber strap or faux-riveted Oyster bracelet, both come with Tudor’s superb T-Fit, on-the-fly, micro-adjustment clasps. Price: US$4,400 (rubber), US$4,600 (bracelet)
Nomos Tangomat GMT
Nomos took another different approach with its GMT, doing its best to retain the minimalist aesthetic the brand is well-known for. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for not noticing the Tangomat GMT was a GMT at all, but looking a little closer reveals its secrets. There are two apertures on either side of the dial. At 9 o’clock, we have 24 different airport codes to denote each time zone, changeable at the press of a button. At 3 o’clock sits a 24-hour indicator which moves in time with the cycle of one day. This makes for a simple but very clever way of tracking time wherever you are in the world – more akin to a world timer, but not quite a world timer. All of these features are squeezed into a slender, 10.9mm-thick stainless steel case, which is only 40mm in diameter. Being a Nomos, however, expect it to wear on the large side due to the thin bezel and strut-like lugs. Price: US$4,920
Grand Seiko SBGE285 Evolution 9 Spring Drive GMT
Sporting a fixed bezel like Rolex’s other famous GMT watch, the Explorer II – as well as a beautiful matte dial that recalls the legendary Grand Seiko SBGA211 Snowflake – the SBGE285 Evolution 9 Spring Drive GMT is nonetheless a singularly unique and exceptional GMT watch. Crafted from light yet robust High-Intensity Titanium and featuring a beautifully curved 41mm case that hugs the wearer’s wrist, this is a watch truly designed with the rigours of international travel in mind. As its designation implies, under its hood beats a 9R66 Spring Drive movement, finished with tasteful Shinshu stripes, and accurate to ±1 second per day / ±15 seconds per month on average – and of course, boasts that characteristically butter-smooth sweeping seconds hand. Price: US$8,400
Cartier Santos de Cartier Dual Time
Few watches are as cosmopolitan as the Santos de Cartier, which was originally designed as an aviator’s watch. We’ve seen a few GMT watch takes on this classic timepiece over the years, but 2024 has seen a Dual Time model return to the range, and this one might be the most cohesive yet. Neatly integrated at 6 o’clock, the second time zone and day/night indicator combine with a subtle anthracite dial, making it subtly stand out from other Santos models. A colour-matched date wheel is a nice touch, as is the dial’s tasteful sunray finish. The movement powering this Cartier is a fairly unillustrious Sellita number, but that’s neither here nor there – Cartier has always been about style over all else, and this GMT watch is nothing if not stylish. Price: US$9,150
Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi”
In 1954, right in the middle of the jet-set era, Pan American Airlines, or Pan Am, commissioned Rolex to produce a watch for their transatlantic pilots. The result was the GMT-Master, a watch with a rotating bezel showing 24 different time zones and a fourth hand, which rotated once per day. Almost 70 years later, the GMT-Master remains one of the most influential and popular Rolexes ever, with its original “Pepsi” bezel colour scheme (the red and blue actually chosen to reflect Pan Am corporate colours) easily the most popular version of this watch. The modern GMT-Master II, unlike the original GMT-Master, is a “true” GMT watch – meaning it has an independently adjustable GMT hand – and features a ceramic bi-colour bezel. Price: US$10,900 (ref. 126710BLRO)
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante
The Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante features a unique take on the GMT watch formula that’s challenging to execute, but dead simple to use. It’s ditched the normal GMT trend of bold colours and large bezels, opting for a much more minimalist and luxurious approach, featuring a gorgeous blue guilloché dial, uncluttered by text and logos, other than the simple PF emblem applied below 12 o’clock. The sleek integrated bracelet is just about the best in the business, flowing into the case seamlessly. The beautifully finished PF051 calibre is showcased beneath an exhibition sapphire caseback, and the movement’s party trick is its GMT function. Unlike conventional GMT mechanisms, it’s activated by a sculpted side pusher and golden pusher integrated into the crown. A single press of the left button elegantly advances the GMT hand by an hour with a soft glide, making those post-flight time zone changes a joy. Once you return, the crown pusher snaps the GMT hand back underneath the main hour hand. Genius. Price: US$30,700
Patek Philippe 5524R Calatrava Pilot Travel Time
The Pilot Calatrava was met with some controversy in 2015, as it didn’t seem to fit what everyone anticipated from Patek Philippe to release as part of the Calatrava collection. The unexpected military design and odd pusher setup confused enthusiasts in the early moments of its release, but in time, the 5524R has proven to be a popular and highly coveted model in Patek Philippe’s lineup. The 42mm case is well-proportioned at just over 10mm in height, while the rounded lugs lightly sweep down. A sapphire exhibition caseback displays the typically stunning Caliber 26‑330 S C FUS movement, which features dual time zones, day and night indicators, and Patek’s famed travel time complication, allowing the wearer to neatly tuck away the GMT hand when not in use. The dial itself is a varnished dark brown, with some of the biggest numerals I’ve ever seen on a Patek Philippe, giving the 5524 a vintage, military-esque appearance, but in such a way that it doesn’t lose its elegance. Price: US$57,620
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time Green Collection
Few watches epitomise the glamour of international travel that’s inherent with GMT watches more than this Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time in green and gold. A particularly sumptuous take on the already exclusive integrated luxury sports watch, this model combines a sunray-brushed olive green dial (the first green dial to appear on an Overseas) with a lustrous 18k pink gold case. A particularly user-friendly take on a travel watch, its extra hand can be moved in one-hour increments via the crown, while a pusher just below it at 4:30 advances the date display. Rather than using a 24-hour hand, it instead features an AM/PM indicator at 9 o’clock connected to the GMT hand, making it easier to read the second time zone at a glance. Price: US$75,500
Greubel Forsey GMT Sport Titanium
For most brands, creating a GMT is easy, the instructions are as follows: take your best-selling diver, add a GMT hand and perhaps a two-colour bezel, and bingo! You have yourself a best-selling GMT. Greubel Forsey didn’t take the easy route with the GMT Sport – in fact, quite the opposite. GF took the bespoke approach with this hand-finished, 33-piece limited edition, with an openworked dial showcasing the suspended tourbillon and eye-catching globe which rotates once every 24 hours to cleverly indicate the time in any particular part of the world. The GMT Sport is a statement piece, with a case size of 42mm and a 17.8mm thickness it’s not fitting under any cuffs, but its bright colours, details, level of finishing, and even the paraboloid-shaped sapphire crystal are unique, coming together to make a desirable and functional GMT watch for the more discerning (and extremely cashed-up) traveller. Price: US$480,000 (rubber), US$500,000 (bracelet)