You probably like to make sure everything you are putting your money on serves one purpose or the other. What is the fun in buying anything, especially one like a GMT watch, that you won’t be using at all? So, are GMT watches useful, or are they just another fad by watchmakers and the fashion-conscious?
In this piece, we go deeper into the mechanisms that GMT watches work on, providing the many benefits that they bring to the table for you also.
In This Article...
What is the Purpose of a GMT Watch?
A GMT watch allows you to track and tell the time in two different time zones simultaneously.
The standard GMT watches come with a fourth/ extra hand, which serves as an hour hand for the second time zone that you want to track. Thus, a simple glance at your watch should give you a world time outlook for your current location and the second one you are following.
PS A missing second-hand means that the GMT watch will have three hands instead – an hour hand, a minute hand, and the GMT hand.
What are the benefits of a GMT Watch?
Besides being able to track time across multiple time zones, GMT watches bring more to the table.
Here are some of the other benefits you can get from owning a GMT watch.
For Professionals
Individual professionals can get the best out of a GMT watch rather than having to depend on their phones all the time.
The first category here is those who travel a lot.
For these travelers, we have seen that the GMT complication is quite popular. They wouldn't be going for it if it didn’t bring any promises to the table.
Professionals who also work with international time zones/ have a global presence will also benefit from this watch.
For example, a team leader can know when their counterparts in another part of the world will be signing into work for the day to get them into a meeting at a good time. Pros who work in the financial niche and have to trade the markets can also stay on top of different opening sessions in multiple parts of the world.
Beats your Phone
Your smartphone needs a constant connection to the internet to track time across different zones. Lose that, and you might be faced with a dicey situation.
Here is another place where your GMT watch comes to play.
When on the airplane, you don't have to turn off your GMT watch or put it on airplane mode, either. These are issues that would have come up with your phone and prevent you from getting the best time updates.
Finally, we have to reiterate that the convenience of owning a watch as functional as this beat having to trust a phone app. The only downside is that you cannot track more than two time zones (sometimes, three) at once on a GMT watch.
Compass Functionality
We do not naturally include GMT watches on our list of best watches for hiking, hunting & fishing, camping or any outdoor activities. Knowing how amazing they can be when used as compasses, though, maybe we should rethink that.
Thanks to the extra hand and bezels on your GMT watch, you can configure it to be a pretty accurate compass.
We have embedded a video guide to setting your GMT watch as a compass below
Personal Style
Take a look at a GMT watch, and you will agree that style is not lost on these units.
Manufacturers go all out to ensure that GMT timepieces are engineered to be as beautiful outside as they are on the insides.
Even if you do not need the GMT functionality right now, the style will never be out of place. By the time you would need the GMT complication, you would have been well familiar with that wrist gear of yours.
What is the Best GMT Watch?
From the above, you can see that you can barely go wrong with a GMT watch.
Are GMT watches useful? You bet they are – and they bring more to the table for you also.
That said, there remains the question of what the best GMT watch is. Like most other purchases that you would make, this one will be subjective to personal needs and style.
We have developed diverse buying guides, and reviews for different GMT Watches here to help you out better. Find one that suits your needs below, and explore for the perfect pick.
What are the features of a GMT Watch?
The features and complications on a watch will vary by manufacturer and designs. With the GMT watch category, at least two parts remain the same across all of them. These are:
How do I set my GMT Hand?
As long as the local time is set right, you don't have to set the GMT hand. What you need to do, however, is set the bidirectional bezel in line with the time difference between your first time zone and the second one to be tracked.
Enjoy your GMT Watch
Always remember that the GMT watch tracks time in 24-hour formats concerning the bezel. If you have not been telling time in the military form before, that could be tricky at first. You will become an expert at converting the time on your watch to AM/ PM mentally in no time.
