Affordable automatic GMT watch: how to choose one (second time zone, true vs fake GMT, prices)
A GMT watch shows two time zones at once thanks to a fourth hand that travels around the dial in 24 hours. It is the most useful complication in everyday life, and you no longer need to spend several thousand francs to wear one: an affordable automatic GMT watch can now be found between 300 and 400 CHF. You just need to know how to tell a true GMT from a fake one.
What is a GMT watch for?
GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, the world’s reference time. The complication was born in the 1950s for airline pilots, who had to keep track of the time at their home base while living on the time of their stopover. The principle has not changed: a fourth hand, often tipped with a coloured arrow, makes a single turn per day instead of two. It is read against a 24-hour scale, engraved on the bezel or printed around the dial.
The benefit is immediate: you know what time it is elsewhere without doing the maths and without taking out your phone. And because the scale has 24 hours, you also know whether it is day or night there. That is the whole point of two-colour bezels: the light half stands for daytime hours, the dark half for night-time hours.
How to read the second time zone
The regular hands give local time, as on any watch. The GMT hand points to a number on the 24-hour scale: that is the time in the second zone. Example: you live in Lausanne and your daughter is studying in Montreal, which is six hours behind. When your hands show 3 pm, the GMT hand points to 9: it is 9 in the morning over there, she is awake, you can call.
True GMT or fake GMT: the three cases to know
The traveller’s GMT. The local hour hand moves in one-hour jumps, forwards or backwards, without stopping the watch. On landing, you change the time in three seconds. It is the most comfortable system for frequent flyers, and it is mostly found on considerably more expensive watches.
The office GMT. Here it is the 24-hour hand that is set separately, while the main hands are set as usual. This is the system used by most affordable automatic GMT watches, and it is ideal for following a distant time zone from home. When travelling, it simply takes one more adjustment on arrival. It is not a fake GMT: the two time zones really can be set separately.
The fake GMT. Either the fourth hand is tied to the main time and cannot be set separately: it is nothing more than a day and night indicator. Or there is no fourth hand at all, just a 24-hour bezel placed on a three-hand watch for the look. The test comes down to one question for the seller: can the 24-hour hand be set independently of the hour hand? If the answer is vague, walk away.
Who really benefits from a GMT watch?
Travellers, obviously. Keeping home time on your wrist saves you from calling in the middle of the night.
People who work with other countries. In Switzerland, many employees and cross-border commuters work for international companies in Geneva, Basel or Zurich, with colleagues in New York, Dubai or Singapore. The commuter does not change time zone when crossing the border; the meetings do.
People with family far away. A child on an exchange in Canada, a brother settled in Asia, grandparents in South America. One glance, and you know whether it is a good moment to call.
How much does an automatic GMT watch cost?
Under 150 CHF you will find almost only quartz watches or fake GMTs. Between 250 and 500 CHF the affordable automatic GMT watch begins: Japanese automatic movement, sapphire crystal, stainless steel. From 500 to 1,500 CHF you mostly pay for the brand and the network of shops. Beyond that, you enter the big watchmaking houses, where a mechanical GMT costs several thousand francs. For everyday use, the 300 to 400 CHF bracket offers the best value for money.
What to check before buying
The movement first: an automatic GMT movement from a known manufacturer, with a 24-hour hand that can be set separately. Then legibility: a GMT hand in a contrasting colour and a crisp 24-hour scale. The crystal must be sapphire, the only one that truly resists scratches, and the case 316L stainless steel. For a watch that goes on holiday, aim for 10 ATM water resistance.
That leaves size. A GMT usually measures 40 mm, which suits most wrists from 16 cm upwards. Finally, check the guarantees: two years at least and a clear return period.
Modora automatic GMT watches under 400 CHF
Modora is a brand of automatic watches inspired by the great classics. The models below are fitted with a Seiko automatic GMT movement with a dedicated GMT hand, an anti-reflective sapphire crystal and a 40 mm case in 316L stainless steel.
Gmteiko Black, 329 CHF: the most understated, with a black ceramic bezel and 10 ATM water resistance.
Gmteiko Blue Black, 329 CHF: two-colour black and blue ceramic bezel, water resistant to 10 ATM.
Gmteiko Red Blue, 329 CHF: the red and blue ceramic bezel, the historic colour code of travellers’ watches, water resistant to 10 ATM.
Gmteiko Grey Black, 329 CHF: rotating 24-hour GMT bezel, green GMT hand, domed sapphire crystal and Jubilee bracelet.
Gmteiko Gold, 329 CHF: 316L steel case with gold finish, rotating 24-hour GMT bezel and Jubilee bracelet.
Gmteiko Batgirl Special Edition, 379 CHF: special edition “space and earth” dial, rotating 24-hour GMT bezel and Jubilee bracelet.
Prices are displayed in Swiss francs, shipping is free, every watch comes with its bracelet adjustment kit, and the warranty is two years with returns within 30 days.
Read next: all our automatic GMT watches, our men’s watches under 300 CHF, the guide which watch size to choose and how to use an automatic watch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a true GMT and a fake GMT?
On a true GMT, the 24-hour hand and the hour hand can be set independently of each other, which makes it possible to display two different time zones. On a fake GMT, the fourth hand simply follows the main time, or the 24-hour bezel is only decoration on a three-hand watch.
Can you find a good automatic GMT watch under 400 CHF?
Yes. At this price you can demand a Japanese automatic GMT movement, a sapphire crystal and a 316L steel case. At Modora, automatic GMT watches cost between 329 and 379 CHF, with a two-year warranty and 30 days to change your mind.
How do you set a GMT watch?
You first set the 24-hour hand to the reference time zone then the hour and minute hands to local time. The rotating bezel also lets you track a third time zone if needed.
Is a GMT watch useful if I do not travel?
Yes, if you have family, colleagues or clients in another time zone: you know at a glance whether it is a good moment to call. Otherwise, the 24-hour bezel is mainly a very recognisable style feature.
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