Community Stories

Anyone use their GMT function?

MCC
Posts
603
Likes
549
MCC MCC
I have both GMT and a JLC Master Geographic and have used the timezone function because it is convenient and fun.

Do I need it …. no , but I like the watches and the timezone functionality.

Mind you they are both useless when you travel to India since they can only handle full hour timezone differences
Sorry should have added


FE7D063E-1BD5-4EC9-93D2-84E606BFE85F.jpeg B9EC0B7E-C65A-4F38-83A5-839BCBB7E901.jpeg
 
gostang9
Posts
2,675
Likes
7,487
Several posts have referenced the use of different time keeping devices while traveling. I have peculiar habits that work for me:

- iPhone: I manually set the time zone, this way when I’m running from gate to gate at some miserable connection point, I know what time zone I’ve set it for and don’t have to wonder if it’s connected to the local towers and adjusted or not.

- laptop: I never change the time from home time. I live by my work calendar and have numerous meetings. I find it impossible to manage when I would set to local time. Now I can schedule and accept/reject meeting invites always knowing it’s based on my home time (I use the second time zone in Outlook always set to CET as a guide).

- watch: I set to local time when I’ll be there at least one day and then GMT to home time.

- math: when I’m trying to determine who of global colleagues is at what time, I use this..

834705D4-9FA3-435C-8975-B4C8ECCB5E01.jpeg
 
hanky6
Posts
378
Likes
904
Not sure if I am understanding the whole gmt discussion properly but I just love this little beauty...
4BD6D8BC-31E1-438A-880E-0A988C5D78E6.jpeg
 
alam
Posts
8,258
Likes
19,449
fujone fujone
..So what’s your experience? Do you use Gmt or not?.

I do; when on the road over multiple time zones...

gostang9 gostang9
...when I’m trying to determine who of global colleagues is at what time, I use this....
834705D4-9FA3-435C-8975-B4C8ECCB5E01.jpeg

that looks like a cool app! but I bet you agree that wearing an EII brings us a much cooler effect 😀

.
 
D96FC665-7A66-4077-A0DB-32E7559F75B6.jpeg
M'Bob
Posts
7,177
Likes
23,253
cvalue13 cvalue13
The number of anti-magnetics that see Wiley Coyote’s giant ACME horseshoe magnet

M'Bob M'Bob
You will be comforted to know that he has retired from his previous pursuits, has gone vegan, deals with his OCD although a daily struggle, and is now a respected MRI tech at a local hospital in New Mexico. And he wears a vintage Milgauss.

I was contacted by Mr.Coyote via PM, and was told that he is a frequent visitor to the forum, being an admirer of Omega's new, highly anti-magnetic watches and those that resist shock, as he apparently has yet to completely give up his over-sized mallet addiction.

Further, he let me know in no uncertain terms that we got his name wrong, and that he has since moved on from his previous occupation, and is now a MENSA consultant. His card:

image.png
 
alam
Posts
8,258
Likes
19,449
M'Bob M'Bob
I was contacted by Mr.Coyote ...
image.png

Wile retired last year and his replacement is now onboard.

😜

 
Nihon_Ni
Posts
9
Likes
4
I'm an active pilot, so I have great use for GMT function. In fact, every watch I own has a GMT function.
 
Togri v. 2.0
Posts
2,609
Likes
12,112
Archer Archer
I can add and subtract, so I've never understood why people would need a GMT watch.

You should be writing for Hodinkee. This is a great review of the next XXX GMT model 😁😁 Short, honest and low on the usual repetitive hyperbole 😀
 
P
Posts
2,326
Likes
7,547
For travel to places with more than one hour time zone difference, i always do. I use a GMT watch with an independent hour hand (GMT hand set to home time).

Since i only know how to add and subtract by one. 😀

When my wife away, i use a GMT watch where the GMT hand can be adjusted and set that to the time where my wife is.
 
Engee
Posts
1,542
Likes
3,354
I don’t travel much and when I do it’s not a problem to change my watch accordingly, but my son lives in another country 2 time zones away. I do have a GMT which is permanently set to his country, not because I need it but because it’s a nice way to be reminded of him and to take a moment to think about how he’s getting on, and maybe even to prompt me to give him a call.

Nobody needs a gmt these days. Smart phones do the job if it’s needed. But they’re a nice complication to my mind, a throwback to a time when the world was a lot bigger than it is now, and that, for me, is very much the charm of such watches.
 
Nobel Prize
Posts
6,832
Likes
13,797
MCC MCC
I have both GMT and a JLC Master Geographic and have used the timezone function because it is convenient and fun.

Do I need it …. no , but I like the watches and the timezone functionality.

Mind you they are both useless when you travel to India since they can only handle full hour timezone differences
You can rotate the bezel 30 minutes instead of a full hour.
 
cicindela
Posts
15,048
Likes
24,057
My planet has over 24 time zones (some regions have 1/2 hour changes). I tried adding 26 more hands to my Seamaster, but it just got confusing trying to remember things like which shade of red was where and "was Micronesia purple or violet"? For a while I went with 27 watches, but I got accused of unlicensed selling in Venezuela. 🤔 Now I just wear one watch and ask my wife that time is it. She gets annoyed at times with all the questions, but I just pretend that I am stupid, she seems to buy that 🙄
 
cvalue13
Posts
3,998
Likes
9,018
Engee Engee
Nobody needs a gmt these days. Smart phones do the job if it’s needed. But they’re a nice complication to my mind, a throwback to a time when the world was a lot bigger than it is now.

I view the GMT/dual time complication to be the most useful complication, really. More than that, it seems to me the complication that has not just stayed useful over time, but even become more useful in modern times (the ‘shrinking’ of the world means even non-pilots need to more frequently track other and time zones).

I wonder what other complications are as useful? A chrono/stopwatch seems a distant second place, perhaps, for pure timing-of-a-thing; but, any chrono-derivative tool bezel (tachy, etc.) is now surely bested by many other electronic devices. Any date/calendar function: fun, interesting, incidentally occasionally useful, but essentially useless isn’t it? Moonphase? Minute repeater? Alarm - maybe. (As for a reserve indicator: helpful to having a mechanical watch, but not exactly independently useful for another function.)

Not at all saying GMTs are critical for anyone, or even strictly useful for many, but instead just that it’s pretty darn useful for a number of folks compared to other complications.
 
ExpiredWatchdog
Posts
792
Likes
918
Wryfox Wryfox
I always thought a purpose of the GMT was to show AM/PM, like on the Explorer if you're trapped in a cave for long periods, or kidnapped and held in a closed room.

You've been kidnapped and they didn't take your Explorer!!? Amateurs.
 
fujone
Posts
4
Likes
0
Guys,

I want to thank you all for your well thought out and helpful replies. I will have reports in a different time zones so I’m leaning to getting a gmt. Then customers when traveling so I’ll see what I decide. I do have a JLC dealer about 30 mins from me so I’m headed there soon.

I’ll keep you posted, Thank you again.

Joe
 
MTROIS
Posts
2,037
Likes
7,169
I certainly find my GMT watch useful for keeping track of several time zones at a time but the best feature to me, is actually to be able to go/forward by hour increments without hacking the movement and stopping the time when travelling so that I can easily display the local time and date.
On this note, I actually only recently discovered that this very feature is available on the Aqua Terra line. Who knew?? 😎
OP (Joe), you should consider this feature if you really travel often.
 
P
Posts
2,326
Likes
7,547
MTROIS MTROIS
I certainly find my GMT watch useful for keeping track of several time zones at a time but the best feature to me, is actually to be able to go/forward by hour increments without hacking the movement and stopping the time when travelling so that I can easily display the local time and date.
On this note, I actually only recently discovered that this very feature is available on the Aqua Terra line. Who knew?? 😎
OP (Joe), you should consider this feature if you really travel often.

Modern Rolex and Grand Seiko GMT watches (at least the two in my stash) have this same independent hour adjustment.
 
MTROIS
Posts
2,037
Likes
7,169
P pongster
Modern Rolex and Grand Seiko GMT watches (at least the two in my stash) have this same independent hour adjustment.
What I also meant is that the non-GMT AT also have this quick set feature. Same for the other brands, say a Date Just?
 
P
Posts
2,326
Likes
7,547
MTROIS MTROIS
What I also meant is that the non-GMT AT also have this quick set feature. Same for the other brands, say a Date Just?

Ah ok. The big Omega Speedmaster Racing also has that independent hour hand feature. Takes a bit longer to adjust the date.

For the DJ, i have yet to see and handle one with this independent hour feature. But i dont see and handle much. Just the ones owned by family.
 
24 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

Hands90

Councilwatches.com - Anyone use them?

Hands90 Open Discussion
Togri v. 2.0
Togri v. 2.0
Posts
2
Views
686
cvalue13

3 Minute Marks on Pilot’s Chronographs: (Partially) Debunking Myths and (Some) Dead Reckoning

cvalue13 Open Discussion
Ron_W
Ron_W
Posts
162
Views
33K
al128

How to. ... GMT function and travel

al128 Open Discussion
obstando
obstando
Posts
6
Views
1K
Longbow

Pandora's Box...C65 Trident GMT Review

Longbow Other Watch Brands Forum
Jayrock26v2
Jayrock26v2
Posts
68
Views
30K
Emeister

45 Years Ago Today - Speedmaster At The North Pole

Emeister Vintage Omega Watches Help, Discussion and Advice
SpeedyPhill
SpeedyPhill
Posts
9
Views
12K