GMT movement types and how you use them

I don’t really need a gmt and I rarely travel more than 1 hours time difference from where I live, but I do talk to people in other time zones so that’s my excuse.

I'll be honest, I've always aspired to own a "flyer" GMT watch ever since I learnt about the distinction between that and a "caller" movement. Context: I often use a GMT for the purposes of tracking a second time zone, which is useful because I have good friends who live abroad, and I know when I can text them at their waking moments.

However, when it comes to travelling, I hated the hassle of having to stop the movement and re-jig the respective hands when touching down at the destination. Eventually, I put in place a workaround by setting the destination time before take-off.

Having just acquired a Tudor Black Bay GMT, I'm truly looking forward to having that wonderful jumping hour hand functionality. Although I now have to contend with not having a quickest date function.

That said, I learnt that GMT watches also fulfil a secondary function - for those who work in environments where they don't get to see much of the rising and setting of the sun, it's handy to know whether it is daylight (or not), e.g. if you are a cave diver, or maybe even someone who works in mining?

I'd like to hear how you guys use your GMT watches 🤝

I own both types, and I don’t see one as inherently better or worse.

A caller GMT is great for tracking multiple other time zones. I can quick set the GMT hand to EST or PST without stopping the watch. I find having the GMT hand set directly to the target time zone is much more intuitive to read at a glance than turning the 24h bezel.

Caller GMT: Breitling Avenger II GMT

A flyer GMT is great for traveling, but inconvenient for tracking other time zones. I just leave the GMT hand (or actually, wheel my case) set to GMT. It’s still handy for certain uses, like reading log files on a server (which are always time stamped in UTC).

Flyer GMT: IWC Spitfire UTC

Agree with the comments above, it's a little inconvenient that on flyer GMT watches the GMT hand is pretty much stuck to one time zone, I still prefer that style though but not by much.

Honestly? I don't need a GMT at all, but when I do I find that a caller, or "office" GMT is the better choice for me.

It's also easier to set the date with an office GMT.

Not a GMT guy my self so can’t weigh in 🙃

Sadly, since covid I haven't travelled nearly as much as I used to, so an Office GMT would better define my life at the moment.

But the traveler/flyer GMT has to win the competition for best complication. It's so fun seeing the hours jump whilst the seconds continue running, and also the date flick forwards or backwards when adjusting in the early hours.

I find a 12 hour bezel is the easiest way to track a second time zone.

I've never found it inconvenient to set my watch to a new time zone while the aircraft taxis from the runway to the gate. It's not like you can do anything else while seated and waiting...

have you never had even the smallest interest in GMTs though?

Very true! When traveling abroad, I usually fly with my wife, who hates the taking off and landing period, so I'm usually holding her hand and helping her center herself haha.

I've never owned a GMT but I might get one at some point. The rest of the watch would be what helps me make my decision (style, price, size, etc.). Caller vs. Flyer would be secondary and I'm not sure which I would prefer.

Flyer for me. It's just so useful when traveling.

I also like to be able to track timezones, mainly for work really. My team sits in three other timezones so it's useful for when they are coming online.

The GMT Master II is great for both of these: jumping hour hand for when I travel; and rotating bezel for easy tracking of colleagues timezone. Basically it's a perfect watch for me 😂

I don't actually own a GMT, but my Tissot PR 516, like quite a few earlier quartz movements, has an independently adjusted hour hand, i.e. the crown only moves the hour hand. Not a GMT but makes travelling a little easier if your destination is a round number of hours away.

I picked ‘flyer’ as I like the effect of the jumping hands. However real answer is 50/50 depending on use. I tend to prefer caller (office) when I’m in my home office and flyer when I’m (big surprise here 😉) flying!

I have at least three GMT's in my collection but heck I dont travel anymore..LOL

Whoa. Which model is this? I had no idea Tissot did such a thing with their movements.

I have 2 flyer GMTs and I leave the GMT hand set to UTC to track the time from server logs and other places related to work. I remember the offset for other timezones I need to track and add or subtract that from the UTC time.

I think the key thing about if a flyer GMT is useful for the calling/office use case boils down to if there is a rotating bezel. That gives the best of both worlds: jumping hour for travel; rotating bezel for easy timezone tracking (even easier than the caller movement).

It seems to me that if the choice were jumping hour (no bezel/fixed bezel) vs caller GMT, the caller GMT is more useful. But if it's with the rotating bezel I don't necessarily see the advantage of a caller GMT movement. Am I missing something there?

I have bought a GS SBGN003 earlier this year, and there is no substitute for a "flyer" GMT, allowing you to set the hour hand at the time of destination without hacking the movement.

I travel a lot so the flyer is the one for me, so easy to jump time zones. I defo see the need for both types. When shopping I hate it when manufacturers don’t tell you what the watch does though. It’s a completely different thing so requires to be clear in the spec

Not sure on this. To me they serve 2 different purposes. The desk or caller is good when you need to know a second time zone I.e. doing business with someone abroad or family in another time zone. The travelling GMT is when you need to change the time where you are and you want to track time at home. The rotating bezel I think only adds function is there is also a 24 hour chapter ring which gives the ability to track 3 zones. This last one is actually a rare beast. Not a lot of watches have a jumping hour plus an interval 24 chapter ring plus rotating bezel. If you then want water resistance then your into unicorn territory. I like the look of the Jack mason strat-o-timer which has 2 of these things but not the 24 hour chapter ring

Caller. And not because I prefer it...

You see, my wife is from India, as are half of my work team, as are a bunch of friends and acquaintances. So I traveled to India on a every other year basis, and need to actually track their time on a quasi regular basis.

And India standard time is fun. It's half a time zone, between Dubai and Dhaka (more precisely, Delhi or Mumbai time is 30 min earlier than Dubai).

Now, some caller GMT allow you to jump by 30 minutes (oh how I love you, Orient). Many allow you to freely adjust the away time. So both work perfectly. None of the caller GMT allow this flexibility. After all, you jump the hour hands. Hour hands can't do 30 min jump.

That said, the most amazing world timer watch I have is Citizen AT. That thing rocks my (travel) world.

It's vintage, so will be pretty hard to find. Consider it the great uncle to the PRX quartz 35mm.

This is why I got the Breitling Avenger (see my post above). 24h chapter ring + 24h bezel + 300M WR. It's missing the jumping hour though (movement is based on the ETA 2892), so not quite a unicorn.

You make excellent points. I do think that the 24hr marked rotating bezel is much easier and quicker for checking separate timezones than using the crown to change the 24hr hand, especially if you want to check more than one timezone.

I can see the jumping 24hr hand useful for semi-permanently tracking one extra timezone, but the bezel approach allows for ultimate flexibility. Combined with the jumping hour hand and you have a great combo I reckon.

I own both types but traveller GMT gets my vote as best.

I like the timing bezel, but I can see why some want it.

I work in Avaition, so I operate in GMT making a “traveller/flyer” the best for my needs… except the price difference is so huge, I can only afford a “caller/office”!

Extra steps in set up every time I get to a new time zone, yes it’s a faff, but not a massive deal breaker.

Also, what’s super handy to me is a rotating bezel on my GMT, allowing me to track 3 TimeZones. Local for me, GMT for work and the rotating bezel tracks where my other half is, as she works in aviation too so we are always in different time zones! 😂🤦‍♂️

GMT is definitely my favourite complication!

I own both. I also fly aeroplanes. My flyer GMT’s are a GMT II Batgirl and a GS Springdrive. My travel GMT is a Seiko SSK.

Flyer GMT’s are not designed to track more than 1 timezone. They are designed to allow you to set your watch to the local time when you cross time zones without losing track of UTC/GMT. Something a pilot would use because for all planning and reporting arrival/departure times and times at a waypoint. No one does this anymore, you use an app on your iPad (electronic flight bag) or the aircraft’s GPS. I still pretend that I use my watch.Why otherwise would I spend crazy money on a fancy GMT?

Traveller GMT’s are designed to track multiple time zones and are much easier to set. (Unless your flyer GMT always has the GMT hand set to your local time and not actually GMT).

So, I like them both but for different reasons. The flyer , especially the Rolex, for the history and the traveller for travelling, keeping track of my origin and new destination times.

Then there is my Casio Oceanus T200. It’s a fraction of the price in titanium. Finishing is remarkable and comes close to the GS (better than the Rolex in my opinion) AND it outperforms the other two in every technical aspect. It even does daylight savings and 30 min time zones which none of the GMT’s can do.

So that’s my opinion. You buy it because you like it. And I like GMT’s.

#gmt #gmtmaster2 #gs #grandseiko #casio #oceanus #worldtimer #rolex #t200

Bloody love a GMT, own several and just counted, I have an equal number of caller and flyer. Obviously, when i'm travelling, it's easier to use the flyer, but it's not exactly difficult with the caller.

Similarly, when i'm sat at my desk in my home time zone, it's easier to adjust the caller, but it's not difficult to do the flyer.

I haven't voted, I don't have a preference and my phone doesn't do it for me.

One of my Flyers:

One of my Callers: