Are GMTs overrated?

I think the romance of a complication is far more important than its actual functionality

(And yes, I need a GMT in my life 😁)

I have to track 3 time zones and love my worldtimer, that being said it doesn’t accommodate summer/winter time so it’s also not that functional. But as most things in life it’s not about practicality it’s about what you like. I also like my gmt watch a lot and so should you don’t overthink if you need it, more do you love it :-)

I don’t think a GMT is a must have, but if the price is similar to a regular watch, why not? I’m thinking more specifically of the watches with the NH movements as the market is littered with them now. Like you, I traveled on recently to a place with a 3 hour time difference at home for vacation. Did I really care what time it was at home? No. Instead, I brought a rugged Timex with World Time functionality as a side benefit to being absolutely bulletproof.

Your supposition can be extended to dive watches. Do normal mortals need a certified diver with 200m+ WR? No. Is it nice to have, sure why not?

I think I agree with you. It’s like how I enjoy a dive watch that can go places I never will. It’s the idea of a thing.

I totally agree about it being similar to dive watches. I can’t take a diver seriously if it’s only got 100m of WR, despite the fact I’ve never been deeper than like 14 feet.

It was just startling to me when I realized I didn’t need one. I’d spent a lot of time assuming it was something I’d find incredibly useful, and then I didn’t. But as I said, I’m hoping to find it more useful in the future. And either way, it’s a watch I’m glad I own.

Totally, it’s cool to have a 4 hander ✌️✌️✌️✌️

My one and only is the Seiko5 SSK. Not sure I’ll ever really need another. I have a Casio Royale and a SGW-100 that both have world timer functions. And I can always fall back on my phone if I really needed to know the time somewhere else.

I don’t recall the last time I traveled with one of my GMTs. Normally, I travel with my trusty Omega Planet Ocean and a G-Shock. Shame on me! 🤙😂👻

My only issue with those watches is that I probably can’t figure out how to change timezones on them. Obviously that says a lot about me.

For myself, I'd rather use a Casio with a dual time or World time function. But... Nothing wrong with a nice GMT watch.

I almost didn’t take it as most of what o was doing was hiking. I took a Garmin as well, and that was probably all I needed. Then again, pic of that watch on my adventures will mean more to me than pics of a Garmin.

I would be using cell phones or digital watches such as the AE-1200 if tracking other time zones was a real necessity.

A GMT complication is something to which I'm attracted because it has its own charm, but I'll be lying if I claimed that it's something that I really need in a watch.

My biggest problem with the Casios was accounting for stupid daylight savings time adjustments between time zones. That was an absolute pain in the A. That’s where the GMT has the advantage if you know the time difference between home and away times.

But it’s not too bad and the entry price for the Royale is less than dinner and drinks so you can always get one to play around with it.

I have a Royale, but I’ve honestly never tried to do much with it. I’m just assuming it wouldn’t go well based on trying to do basic stuff with a G-Shock. I think the issue is I think technology should be easier to use, so I get annoyed almost immediately if it’s not easy.

I don’t have a GMT and don’t travel much. If I do it’s in Europe and being +1 hour is of course simple to sort out.

My issue though with a GMT you see on many watches is that it’s a bold colour and thicker than the normal three hands which kind of dominates the dial when you glance for the time.

Why would you want a hand on a watch which dominates the dial when 99% of the time the hour and minute hands are all you need? IMO the GMT hand should be like the Sinn 856 UHT which is much more subtle in appearance.

That’s an interesting point. If we’re being honest, I think it’s a little bit about showing off. Like probing a WR number or “Swiss Made” on the dial.

As for that particular watch, it’s a looker. I tend to prefer a bold colored GMT hand and 24hr markings closer to the edges of the dial and/or on the bezel, you have a point. There’s really little need for that, especially since we’ve established that I don’t really use the GMT function. It wouldn’t be too difficult to pull out the reading glasses once a day to check the time back home😂

I think your GMT collection is nicer than my everything collection🤣

Thank you......👍

A bit. For the few who travel or deal with another time zone, it’s genuinely useful. But for the vast majority of folks, it’s mostly cosmetic/fun. I thought I “needed” one in my collection, but I never use the functionality. So now, it’s completely irrelevant to whether I buy a watch. If I like it and it happens to be a gmt, fine. Otherwise no.

The concept of time itself is overrated. We just want mechanical works of art which can do wonderous things. Telling time is just an added benefit.

The truth is that we have apps on our phone that can track as many time zones as we want. And they are radio sync accurate. Frankly, I think a GMT watch is more affectation than real function.

That's why my requirements for a travel watch is met by the G Shock. Because I need more things than a second time zone.

1. It has to be cheap! Hopping from airport to airport, checking departure times, running from terminal to terminal is stressful and distracting. I don't need an expensive watch that I might easily lose.

2. It has to be tough! I spill coffee, smash my wrist into an armrest, bump into people. and more. That watch has to shrug off all that abuse and keep ticking.

3. It has to be super comfortable! I'm wearing this watch under stress. And I find the straps on a G Shock to be very wearable. It's not a fashion item. I can instantly adjust the tightness without a tool. My arm will swell and shrink under the temp differences from the plane vs airport, high altitude, various weather.

4. Track another time zone. Yup, lots of G Shock have another time zone one click away. You can read it with the back light even in a dark plane. Another click to go back to the home time zone. Super fast and easy.

I do bring along a dress watch for occasions once I get to my destination. That's when my Rolex OP comes in handy :-).

Well... yes and maybe. Since we don't need watches to tell time anymore then watches are overrated... kinda. Watches are actually super awesome! I wear a GMT because I love the look and never use/set the other timezone

For me, it's useless. If I finally travel abroad, I'll consider it.

I still like GMT, dive watches even watches associated with flight but have declined watches that are associated with the armed forces etcetera. I arrived at my personal epiphany when the new store manager of my regular ad suggested I buy a Navy Seals Panerai limited edition watch when I was researching a next Pam. I get tired shopping for a week’s supply of groceries, not going to pretend any connection to an elite force.

So many reasons to have a GMT! The history, the movement complexity, the sheer beauty of the mechanics to name a few. And then there are the very lucky few of us that travel time zones for a living and the utility of the GMT is so important. While the digital CasioWorldtimer is inarguably the best world travelers watch ever made, the mechanical genius of the travelers GMT (there are too many examples to mention) is brilliant and engaging.

I've had the same issue.. fell in love with a GS GMT but don't travel enough to warrant one. I decided to take some design cues from them to use it on my own Empire series.

The concept of a gmt is cool for me.

I have an excuse to love the concept as well since I work with people all over the world from gmt+10 to -7.

Sure I have a desktop widget with 5 time zones and my phone has the same on the Lock Screen, but it’s just cool to have it on the wrist. It’s an easy visual reminder of staying cognizant of people’s time zones.

if you cant do simple maths they you will need one , its not hard to add or take away a few hours and nobody should need one and that's not the reason why i have two, they just look so cool with the extra hand

I’m partial to this one…

Mechanical GMTs and Traveler GMTs of either type are, but the concept of it isn’t. Contrary to popular belief, just taking one’s phone out is not always the more practical, convenient, or desireable choice. It falls apart when you compare battery life and the increased social limitations that come with “checking your phone” than just checking your watch. I have had to recharge my cellphone countless times over the past year and a half, while none of my bought-new quartz watches have yet needed a single battery change. This is expanded when solar is thrown into the mix.

For convenience, you have to rummage through a bag or clothes from a cellphone, whereas a wristwatch is always in the same spot throughout the day. This especially becomes relevant in colder months.

For shorter timezone differences, yes, i can keep track of them in my head, but it’s nice to “see” time as they do. And if you have people close to you scattered around, it’s really convenient. All I basically need to remember now is the difference, and i don’t have to bother with the math or check my computer or phone. So for me, my first GMT has been such a nice thing to have in my life.

You make a good point about the social perception of checking your phone. Nobody is bothered if you glance at your wrist occasionally, except that guy whose story is going on 10 minutes with no end in sight. Also, I’ve realized I check the time more than I thought. I recently went out without a watch and was surprised at how many times I glanced at my wrist. I think a watch is just more condor time telling than a phone.