The GMT: A Year in Review
Many incredible GMT’s were released in 2023, but a surprising underdog took my spot for the best GMT of the year.
My favorite part of traveling is coming home. There’s a distinct feeling of familiarity and comfort that courses through my body and mind upon touching down in the States. This isn’t to diminish the time spent away; rather, it’s the perspective gained during travel that offers a fresh view of one’s own world. For me, it’s a realization of how much I take iced coffee for granted.
When I land, before rushing to the closest Dunks I always make sure to check my watch and on my wrist will undoubtedly be a GMT. Considering the purpose of a GMT, to tell multiple time zones, it tends to be worn most frequently during travel. It’s no wonder that GMT watches hold a special place in the hearts and minds of collectors. We can glance at our wrists and tie a memory, a moment, an image, a meal, or a conversation to a time in a distant place. A time when adventure was certain, and everything was new.
Before I continue it is important to note that not all GMT’s are the same. Specifically there is a difference between a “Caller” (office) GMT, “Flyer” (traveler) GMT and a Worldtimer. The worldtimer is generally obvious, showing the time zones across the globe. The difference between a caller and a flyer is subtle, but worth noting before we move on.
The distinction between an office GMT watch, also known as a caller GMT, and a traveler’s GMT, also known as a flyer lies in their intended use and functionality. The office GMT watch is tailored for business purposes, featuring a central display of standard time and an additional 24-hour hand indicating a second time zone. The unique aspect is the 24-hour hand’s ability to be adjusted independently in one-hour increments, making it practical for tracking time in different regions while in one’s home country. However, adjusting the watch during travel involves a two-step sequence, and this type of GMT complication is commonly found in entry-level watches or watches with outsourced movements. The two most common that come to mind are the ETA 2893-2 or the Sellita 330-1.
Conversely, the traveler’s GMT watch is designed for frequent travelers who need to adjust their watches regularly due to crossing time zones. It features a central display of local hours and minutes, along with an additional 24-hour hand and a date function. The key difference is that the local hour hand can be adjusted independently in one-hour increments in both forward and backward directions, making it more user-friendly for travelers. This type of GMT watch is commonly found in higher-end models with in-house movements from brands like Rolex, Omega, Tudor, and Grand Seiko.
As the year comes to a close and 2023 limps across the finish line, I decided to take a cue from Spotify and present a “best of” selection. If my watch collection and article subjects were documented by Spotify, they would undoubtedly classify my most-listened-to genre as the GMT. It is, by far, the best complication one can have on a watch, especially for someone who travels as frequently as I do. It’s easy to set (apologies to perpetual calendar enthusiasts), generally user-friendly (sorry, minute repeater aficionados), and, in my opinion, the most useful complication after a date window (which we all know is a touchy subject – looking at you Blancpain with your 4:30 date window placement).
I floated this idea to our inimitable (watch people love this word and I don’t know why, but I am all for it) Global Editorial Director, Jack Forster. What surprised both of us was how under the radar this year’s selection of GMTs has been, despite the abundance of extraordinary timepieces to choose from.
GMT’s Released in 2023
This list is not the most exhaustive compilation of GMT releases from the past year, as I’ve omitted a few deserving microbrands. However, the following represents what I consider to be the best GMT/worldtimers released this past year (in no particular order):
- Grand Seiko Snowflake GMT SBGJ27 ‘Yukigesho’
- Seiko Prospex Solar-Powered Flyer GMT SFK001 and SFK003
- Lorca Model #1 GMT
- Ming 29.01 Worldtimer
- Tudor Black Bay GMT Opaline Dial
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 24 Hr Travel Time 5224R
- Breitling Avenger GMT 44
- Grand Seiko SBGJ273 GMT (Red striated dial)
- Grand Seiko SBG275 and SBGM253
- Longines HydroConquest GMT
- Omega Summer Blue Aqua Terra GMT Worldtimer
- Longines Spirit Zulu GMT
- Citizen Series 8 GMT
- Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra Worldtimer Titanium 220.92.43.22.99.001
To Jack’s delight, the Seiko family claims four spots out of the 14 listed above. Even a Citizen snuck in there. However, I regret to inform Jack that none of them made my best-of list.
After thorough research, deciding which is the best, was a brutally subjective task, prompting me to discard all metrics and rely solely on one thing: my pure, unadulterated personal opinion. As many online horological talking heads have expressed over the years, it’s not about the price, clout, or what looks good on Instagram. It’s about buying what you love. For me, two GMT/worldtimers this year stand out, much like your childhood pizza spot or your dad’s Thanksgiving turkey, they just hit the spot, despite knowing other options may have wider appeal.
A Worthy Runner Up
The runner-up for the my heralded and inaugural GMT of the Year goes to the Ming 29.01 Worldtimer.
One word describes this watch: Lume. 2023 seems not only to be the year of the GMT but also the year of lume, with Ming, Studio Underd0g, and others capitalizing on the effervescent glow’s allure. The HyCeram ceramic Super-LumiNova X1 lume (Yes, that is actually the name of it), seemingly a concoction from a Lex Luthor laboratory, is tastefully incorporated throughout. Notably, the hands, crafted from sapphire crystal, feature a luminous center for the hour hand and a luminous outer chapter for the minute hand. Coupled with its dial on a sapphire disc, this three-dimensional design creates a floating illusion the way only Ming knows how to pull off.
Breaking away from past usage of Sellita movements, which allowed Ming to enter the “design-driven value proposition” (Hodinkee), the 29.01 Bezel-less employs a Schwarz-Etienne automatic micro-rotor in 18k gold. To note: In recent years Ming hasn’t used Sellita movements that often, instead preferring highly modified ETA calibers or high grade movements such as the THA designed monopusher chrono caliber or the highly modified SE movements. Beyond its impressive specs, including a skeletonized barrel, cut-back bridges, and a DLC coating, even an eye test of this movement would make the pickiest watch collector drool. With a 70-hour power reserve, the heart behind this worldtimer will continue to beat in any location on this planet.
The Winner: A Vintage Inspired Underdog
However, the Ming doesn’t clinch the top spot. Despite being a worthy challenger, as Zlatan says, “there can be only one.” And, for me and my eyeball test, my favorite GMT of the year goes to the Lorca Model #1 GMT. Again, this is purely a personal preference.
First, the size: I’m a small guy, so a 36mm case size excites me. Second, a 36mm GMT is a rarity, and when this one emerged, I had to take notice. At 11.2mm thick, this watch seamlessly transitions from the beach to the boardroom. The fixed steel bezel pays homage to the Explorer II, and the bullseye/crosshair-designed dial gives the impression of a watch straight from the 1960s design lab. As a vintage enthusiast, discovering the inspiration from 166 Seamasters to Rolex 1600s, and even JLC Memovoxes was thrilling. Each of these influences can be traced to the Lorca Model #1. And I didn’t choose a watch without some lume; the dauphine-shaped hour and minute hands have luminous inlays, with a luminous diamond-shaped tipped GMT hand.
Though not a micro-rotor like our runner-up, the Ming, the Lorca Model #1’s Soprod C125 R4 automatic, accurate to plus/minus 4 seconds, leaves nothing to be desired. With a 42-hour power reserve and 20 ATM water resistance, this travel watch is an absolute beast. Its only drawback is being a “caller” GMT, meaning the hour hand for local time cannot be set independently. However, at 1/10th the cost of the Ming, I can survive the extra minute it takes to set the watch.
The Lorca Model #1 is the modern GMT for the vintage lover. It’s a watch that can traverse from the basement bars of Berlin to the rooftops of Paris.
The GMT is a movement for watch lovers. It’s a practical function that finds a place in both our collections and our lives. The GMTs in our collections transport us to adventures of the past, memories of Negronis on the Amalfi coast, and safaris on the African plains. They are the adventure watches, the timepieces for seekers and malcontents who, despite their efforts, find the most joy in returning home.
In a year filled with incredible GMTs and Worldtimers being released into the wild, the Lorca Model #1 emerges as the perfect underdog to claim the top spot.