True GMT vs. Office GMT
I am obsessed with getting a watch with a GMT movement for our trips to Europe. Accordingly, I am not looking for anything super expensive that I need to worry about getting stolen.
My question is, does anyone have experience with both a True GMT verses an Office GMT? I am wondering if the true really is that much better and worth the extra price. Still kind of confused as it relates to the actual differences between these movements.
Any firsthand advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Stephen
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Marysville, Michigan
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no worries in Europe about a watch getting stolen if you act "normal"......just go for the one you really like and can afford, even if ít´s expensive.......I only have the "true", so I cannot compare, but if I may believe most reviews, yes the true is better and more convenient
To be blunt, the easiest "GMT" to use in my opinion is a watch with a 12 hour rotating bezel. I used one while traveling in Europe last year, and it worked perfectly.
Simply rotate the bezel to the correct number of hours ahead or behind, and read the hours based on the markings on the bezel.
For me it very much depends on how often you wear it and how often you travel.
Setting a traveller's GMT when arriving in a new timezone is easy. Pop the crown, adjust the hour hand and you are done. On a caller GMT, you have to adjust the time and then reset the GMT hand.
However, let's say you are at home. You haven't worn your watch in 3 weeks. You pick it up and need to set it. On a caller GMT you set the time and then quick set the date. On the traveller's you have to set the time and then jump the hour hand forward to set the date. In this case it would be about 500 jumps of the hour hand.
The question is, which scenario is going to happen more often?
If this is an everyday watch that will rarely stop, a traveller's GMT probably makes more sense because the lack of quickset date isn't a big problem.
If the watch will be mostly worn at home but will be on and off the wrist over a month the caller GMT makes more sense because having the quickest date saves time in setting on every wear.
If it's an exclusive travel watch, either could make more sense. But if your trips generally involve going from one timezone to another and staying there until you go back home, I think the caller GMT is better. But if your trips involve visiting multiple timezones on one journey, the traveller's GMT probably is better.
A true or travelers GMT allows for the hour hand to be set while the minute, second, and GMT hand stay put and keep running. The GMT hand tracks your home Time and the hour hand is set to your current time. Easy to set the time while traveling.
An office or caller GMT has a GMT hand that can be set independently. You do regular business with people in other time zones, you change the GMT hand to that time zone and you know when it’s office hours across the world.
Both formats can work in either scenario, but they are designed for easy setting in different circumstances. If you want a GMT for travel, get a true GMT.
https://youtu.be/hd6xPjF_AfU
Good video on GMTs
I have both types, a true/traveler’s GMT (Tudor Black Bay GMT) and office GMTs (TAG Heuer Carrera Twin-Time and Glycine Airman DC-4). The traveler’s is far more useful if your intent is to travel. Set the GMT time to home (or GMT) and then just adjust your local jump hour hand to wherever you are. The two biggest issues (to the extent that they are, in fact, issues), are price and the lack of quickset date on a traveler’s GMT, which, honestly, is really only an issue at the end of February. Traska has a Miyota 9075 powered traveler’s GMT going on sale tomorrow for $650 — you’re not likely to do much better on price, though I have seen Bulova Wiltons going for around $500. I’d suggest spending the extra on the Traska though for better specs.
If you want something truly inexpensive though, I’d suggest a caller’s GMT powered by an NH34. Tandorio on AliExpress is selling a piece around the $100 mark that you really won’t have to worry about at all.
To be blunt, the easiest "GMT" to use in my opinion is a watch with a 12 hour rotating bezel. I used one while traveling in Europe last year, and it worked perfectly.
Simply rotate the bezel to the correct number of hours ahead or behind, and read the hours based on the markings on the bezel.
Which brand do you recommend?
I have both a travelers and callers GMT, and echoing some of the above, the names pretty much sum up the pros and cons of each. When traveling, it's very handy to be able to flip the hour at your destination, and at every airport in between. But it's rather a pain if you're at home on the east coast, have a mother in California and friends in Germany, and you want to track both, and you have to reset the time entirely to move the GMT hand.
I think the best solution for me, if I were to have just one GMT, is a travelers GMT with a rotating 24 hour bezel (which I don't have). I'd set the GMT hand to UTC, and flip the bezel to the time I want to track. No faffing about with the crown at all. When I travel (which isn't all that often) I can still flip the hour hand. I already do this at home with the Lorier Hyperion, a callers GMT.
On a tangential note, what to do about places with a half hour offset, or worse, Nepal with 45 minutes? Anyone here from Adelaide or Newfoundland or India?
This might be helpful :)
https://www.luxurybazaar.com/grey-market/what-is-a-gmt-watch/
Which brand do you recommend?
I have a Marathon Navigator, but it's a bit marmite. I know Islander makes a few divers with 12 hour bezels.
I have a Marathon Navigator, but it's a bit marmite. I know Islander makes a few divers with 12 hour bezels.
For my taste, I can't get past the Marathon's looks. I really looked at it for weeks and I had to pass. I just came across a Baltic today I might give a try. It's more than I wanted to spend but fits my profile better I think. Marathon is a great watch by the way not trashing yours at all or anyone else's.
To be honest, when I'm traveling I wear my g shock. It's tough. I don't worry about it getting stolen. And it tracks 3 time zones. Then I bring a dress watch packed securely and brought out at the right occasion.
For me it very much depends on how often you wear it and how often you travel.
Setting a traveller's GMT when arriving in a new timezone is easy. Pop the crown, adjust the hour hand and you are done. On a caller GMT, you have to adjust the time and then reset the GMT hand.
However, let's say you are at home. You haven't worn your watch in 3 weeks. You pick it up and need to set it. On a caller GMT you set the time and then quick set the date. On the traveller's you have to set the time and then jump the hour hand forward to set the date. In this case it would be about 500 jumps of the hour hand.
The question is, which scenario is going to happen more often?
If this is an everyday watch that will rarely stop, a traveller's GMT probably makes more sense because the lack of quickset date isn't a big problem.
If the watch will be mostly worn at home but will be on and off the wrist over a month the caller GMT makes more sense because having the quickest date saves time in setting on every wear.
If it's an exclusive travel watch, either could make more sense. But if your trips generally involve going from one timezone to another and staying there until you go back home, I think the caller GMT is better. But if your trips involve visiting multiple timezones on one journey, the traveller's GMT probably is better.
I’ve never considered some of these arguments, finding the true GMT easiest even though I don’t travel, but this all makes complete sense and I would have to agree.
I did just get one with a 12-hour bezel, and if it was simply a better quality watch, I could see it becoming a favorite. As @KristianG posted, it really is the easiest way to track a 2nd time zone.
If you are looking for affordable calling GMT, the Seiko 5 GMT has to be on your like and can be had for 350-500usd
if you want more specs for your money, more and more micro brands use the NH34 movement from the Seiko 5 GMT, I recently acquired a Volare from Vesuviate (375 usd)
should you want to go the traveler road, you will have a hard time finding something below usd 1000. The new Miyota 9075 is starting to make its way to the market. I recently pre-ordered the Gavox Longitude that will use that movement and will be out in April —> https://www.gavox.com/product/gavox-longitude/#&gid=1&pid=3 they currently have an early bird price which makes it quite a good deal I find. That said we are yet to see the watch in action but Gavox has enough history to prove they can deliver. An other cool alternative with the same Miyota movement is the Strat-o-timer from Jack Mason which has a more classic look but should a solid watch. There should be a special WC edition of that watch coming soon. Enjoy Europe :)
I’ve never considered some of these arguments, finding the true GMT easiest even though I don’t travel, but this all makes complete sense and I would have to agree.
I did just get one with a 12-hour bezel, and if it was simply a better quality watch, I could see it becoming a favorite. As @KristianG posted, it really is the easiest way to track a 2nd time zone.
The extra bonus is there is no additional cost to buying, or maintaining a watch with a 12 hour bezel.
I personally prefer a callers GMT as I mostly would use it as a dual TZ watch and for the quickset options. I am not someone jetsetting to europe or asia or wherever on a weekly basis
For me it very much depends on how often you wear it and how often you travel.
Setting a traveller's GMT when arriving in a new timezone is easy. Pop the crown, adjust the hour hand and you are done. On a caller GMT, you have to adjust the time and then reset the GMT hand.
However, let's say you are at home. You haven't worn your watch in 3 weeks. You pick it up and need to set it. On a caller GMT you set the time and then quick set the date. On the traveller's you have to set the time and then jump the hour hand forward to set the date. In this case it would be about 500 jumps of the hour hand.
The question is, which scenario is going to happen more often?
If this is an everyday watch that will rarely stop, a traveller's GMT probably makes more sense because the lack of quickset date isn't a big problem.
If the watch will be mostly worn at home but will be on and off the wrist over a month the caller GMT makes more sense because having the quickest date saves time in setting on every wear.
If it's an exclusive travel watch, either could make more sense. But if your trips generally involve going from one timezone to another and staying there until you go back home, I think the caller GMT is better. But if your trips involve visiting multiple timezones on one journey, the traveller's GMT probably is better.
Excellent answer, as i created 3 using the 3 different ways to have and use GMT
A 13h, true GMT MIYOTA 9075 and soon a office GMT with a Seiko NH34
I find your explanation useful