Reply With QuoteHow about something a bit different:
Vulcain Aviator Dual time with mechanical alarm. While there is no timer there is an alarm which is very handy when travelling
available in many different dial combinations:
Thinking of "upgrading" my Seamaster GMT black face travel watch.. The main thing I'm missing from the SM is a timing function, either elapsed time bezel or chrono that is. But I do like the bezel in the SM for following another TZ easily.
Some specs..
- Should be on a bracelet as I travel to hot & humid countries
- "Travel GMT" as in can set the main hour hand to a new timezone without disturbing the GMT hours + minutes hands
- Easy to read dial with decent size lumed indices / numerals
- Steel or titanium, well at least no yellow gold
Any ideas?
How about something a bit different:
Vulcain Aviator Dual time with mechanical alarm. While there is no timer there is an alarm which is very handy when travelling
available in many different dial combinations:
Hi
I really have a soft spot (but my wallet doesn't) for the Omega Solar Impulse.
It really is the closest to the "one watch fits all":
Chrono
Taci bezel
Date
GMT hand
..oh and the time.
Only thing it lacks is a divers bezel.!
Thanks
deano
Not sure, but would an Aerospace have all the features your after?
You could order a Mk. II LRRP with 24 hour hand and hybrid GMT/diver's elapsed time bezel, or the Milsub version with the 24 hour markings on the dial and a standard diver's bezel. $1150 on a strap.
Now there's a brand I've never seen before. Exactly why I joined this forum in the first place. I'm really loving the last watch with the orange accents. Is it pricey?Originally Posted by Dibetu
How about something a bit different:
Vulcain Aviator Dual time with mechanical alarm. While there is no timer there is an alarm which is very handy when travelling
available in many different dial combinations:
They are "very expensive" but then I would say the same about Omega and Rolex too; at list price. with Vulcain you get a very limited production hand assembled 100% Swiss Made watch and for what you get the 2-4K GBP is OK value. As production is very limited they don't ever show up on the bay, grey market or very rarely second hand which keeps prices close to list even for mint second hand.
The "travel GMT" part limits you, although Omega do a number of chrono/GMT watches.
Would you be OK with quartz? If so, Aerospace or B-1. At a pinch a PRS-17C on lumpy gives chrono + quickset hour hand [but no 2nd timezone].
I'd be surprised if the Omega (pretty as it is) has an independent 'traveller's GMT' hand. It is nice, though.
How about this?
I've been suprised at how much better the tritium hands and triangle are than the other indices. It's a good watch, and not too large, so it might fit your criteria.
Thanks for the suggestions.. The Vulcains look interesting but that's a 12h GMT right? Alarms in wrist watches pretty much fail to wake up btw :) But I'll have a closer look at the brand for sure.
The Solar Impulse while very nice.. carbon dial ruins it for me. And the dial is a bit crowded to say the least.
I actually have an Aerospace.. it's not a bad watch at all to be honest, but I feel a mechanical itch :) Or maybe I should plonk for the X-33 on SC for a change.. I've heard it has an alarm that WILL wake anyone up.
I know Omega has the Aqua Terra GMT with "deck plank" dial and co-axial movement. I haven't seen that in the metal so far, but have my doubts as I have little or no love for the new Tag-Heur designs or the Omega Broad Arrow GMT either. Should check it out though for sure.
The IWC UTC.. almost picked one up on 2 separate occasions.. but it doesn't have a timing mechanism. Maybe I'm asking too much here! Oh and the Omega SMP GMT at least has a jumping local time hour hand which leaves the GMT hand and minutes undisturbed. You lose the quick-set date for that though.
:mrgreen:
Buy a timing bezel from a regular Seamaster and fit it. It'll make reading the second time zone difficult because the hand won't be pointing at any kind of scale, just kind of floating around. (Might be easier just to buy a chrono and remember the time difference :))
I think one of the co-axial "Bond" Seamasters came in a GMT version but I don't know if it's still available.
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
As you completely ignored my first suggestion, what about a Bell & Ross Space 3 GMT?
Does the blue seamaster GMT offer the travel GMT function? It has the 24 hr scale on the dial and a timing bezel, so seems to tick all the boxes.
Sorry about that.. I tried to answer everyone but was too hasty :| I like Bill's watches, have to check out those combinations as well.. though right now it's looking like I'd prefer a chrono on there so the Space 3 is a nice suggestion. Not sure about how the GMT/main hour setting works on that.
And yes the blue "bond" seamaster GMT does pretty much do what I want.. Not sure how I missed that so completelyIt's not quite the look I want but a big part of that could be the bracelet, which looks kind of 80's to me :roll: Not going to franken my SM GMT with an elapsed time bezel sorry :shock: And yes a GMT-IIc is always tempting but not in bimetal, gold looks WRONG on me..
Considered a Flightmaster also but maybe vintage is not the ideal heavy-duty travel watch.
I'll have to munch over these options and let's see where I end up.. probably somewhere completely off my specs as usual :D
The MkII will have quickset GMT, not main hour hand.
If you want an analogue only display with the travel-style, quickset hour hand (GMT stays undisturbed) then your options are fairly limited. Bill Yao's Mk II watches are all "office" GMTs. The SMP GMT Bond is one; the Solar Impulse another (I actually don't mind it and if does meet all MY requirements, apart from the fact that it doesn't have a centre sweep minute hand.
There's the Benarus Worldiver GMT quartz in PVD or brushed S/S - which offer exactly what you but aren't autos.
Then there are a couple of Fortis models - the GMT Cosmonaut chronos with the 24 hr register at 3 - in either B-42 or 39mm sizes. They have a quickset hour hand.
Personally, I'm tempted by an X-33 - one of the few that can handle 30 minute timezone offsets.
John
I agree that an ana-digi of that kind is the only proper way to track part-hour differences. You need something with a continuously-rotating 24h bezel if it must be an analogue watch and you want the 24h hand to point at something "off the hour".
This Tissot T-Navigator does all time zones including the offset ones (it's pre-programmed with every one) and is available for a great deal less than its £380 list price. Backlit, too, with chrono, countdown timer and alarm:
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
You actually can use the bezel as a elapsed or countdown timer on the Seamaster GMT (and a GMT Master, for that matter).
For elapsed time, just rotate the 00 arrow on the bezel to the minute hand, wait, then read the minutes between the hand and the pointer. For countdown, just place the 00 arrow the appropriate number of minutes ahead and watch the minute hand as it counts down the minutes.
Of, course, if you want to do this at night, not having a luminous pip will make things difficult...
For me it would have to be Rolex GMT>
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