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Thread: cheap GMT watches?

  1. #1
    Master yonsson's Avatar
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    cheap GMT watches?

    Hi, I know this is a stupid question since the movements are more elaborate and expensive than a regular automatic, but indulge me. :lol:

    Are there any "cheap" automatic GMT watches out there?
    It would be a nice touch when traveling, but it needs to be an automatic or in worst case scenarios, a quartz. Not a digital like for example a G-shock.

  2. #2
    Master raysablade's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    These Golanas are cheap

  3. #3
    Master yonsson's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    That one was actually pretty sweet! Never even heard of the brand though.

  4. #4
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Whadya mean by cheap? Hamilton GMT is good value - there is a BNIB example for sale in the sales corner at 445 quids.

  5. #5

    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by raysablade
    These Golanas are cheap
    Quartz though?
    It's just a matter of time...

  6. #6
    Master yonsson's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by SimonK
    Whadya mean by cheap? Hamilton GMT is good value - there is a BNIB example for sale in the sales corner at 445 quids.
    Dare I say under £150 ? This watch would be worn only while traveling.

  7. #7
    Craftsman
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Dare I suggest one of these....


  8. #8
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    There's a nice Chronotac Explorer on Sales Corner. :) :bom:

  9. #9
    Master raysablade's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by Omegamanic
    Quote Originally Posted by raysablade
    These Golanas are cheap
    Quartz though?

    Ok if we must have an Auto :wink:

  10. #10

    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    This one blows the budget of £150 but is a good looking auto example in my humble opinion and a second hand buy should be closer to your target:

    http://www.christopherward.co.uk/view-a ... -skws.html

  11. #11
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Very few cheap GMT watches are any use whilst travelling - most have quickset GMT hands, rather than quickset hour hands. This means that when you fly to, say, HK, and want reset your watch to local time, you need to stop the movement, reset the hour hand, reset the second hand to the correct time (or accept that you may be a little out), then adjust the GMT hand (which moved when you adjusted the hour hand) to show the correct reference time.

    Ideally you want a GMT hand that doesn't move when you adjust the quickset hour hand, because GMT doesn't change just because you've changed your location. That means Rolex, Omega or IWC (for autos); or Seiko or Citizen for quartz. I had a Citizen Nighthawk, but couldn't get on with the quick-set mechanism, which reset the date one way and the hour hand the other, so it was great for going west-east but not east-west (or was it the other way around).

    I'd suggest a Seiko GMT with the 8F56 movement - perpetual calendar, very accurate, GMT hand and quickset hour hand, under $300. Quite a few to choose from - I quite like the look of this one:

    Alternatively, if you can manage without the GMT hand, get a quartz chrono with the ETA 251.262 movement, like one of Eddie's PRS-17Cs, or the Revue Thommen Airspeed chrono below - I've had several of these (I currently have two, for some reason) and they have a superb movement, very accurate, centre-sweep minute hand and quick-set hour hand - my ideal all round travel/business/sports watch:


  12. #12
    Grand Master SimonK's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    For less than half your budget you could have an Alpha GMT or Explorer - automatic, accurate, reliable. Just google Alpha Watch for a looksee.

  13. #13
    Grand Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    i keep trying to avoid looking at that chronotec - it's very nice!
    ktmog6uk
    marchingontogether!



  14. #14

    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    FWIW not automatic but a Citizen Eco-Drive comes in under your budget.
    Try searching for B876 as a movement number.

    See this thread from watchuseek.


    Hope this helps, Alex

  15. #15
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    How about a used Steinhart GMT for around £225 on SC?

  16. #16
    Craftsman
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Got this Steinhart.
    "Good value for the money "is the classic comment on such a watch.
    I must admit it's a justfied comment...



    Really like mine.

    Cheers,

    laurent

  17. #17
    Grand Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by HappyJack
    Very few cheap GMT watches are any use whilst travelling - most have quickset GMT hands, rather than quickset hour hands.
    That's true - unless you use the GMT hand to show the local, temporary timezone and the main hands to show the timezone back home. This was fine for me unless I stayed away for long periods. I guess it depends on your needs.

    Most analogue GMTs, regardless of which hand was quickset, I found completely useless on several occasions when travelling around Australia and visiting India. For places like those, nothing less than an ana-digi will do unless you want a little mental puzzle whenever you want to know the time!
    ...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!

  18. #18
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by andrew
    ...unless you use the GMT hand to show the local, temporary timezone and the main hands to show the timezone back home.
    That's how I always use them. :)

  19. #19
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by andrew
    Quote Originally Posted by HappyJack
    Very few cheap GMT watches are any use whilst travelling - most have quickset GMT hands, rather than quickset hour hands.
    That's true - unless you use the GMT hand to show the local, temporary timezone and the main hands to show the timezone back home. This was fine for me unless I stayed away for long periods. I guess it depends on your needs.

    Most analogue GMTs, regardless of which hand was quickset, I found completely useless on several occasions when travelling around Australia and visiting India. For places like those, nothing less than an ana-digi will do unless you want a little mental puzzle whenever you want to know the time!
    I went to give a presentation in Adelaide once, and was still setting up the venue, having gone straight there from the airport, when people started arriving. I was quite impressed how early they arrived - probably 45 minutes early.

    It was only when they started looking at their watches that I discovered that there was a 30 minute, not a 1 hour offset from AEST ie, Sydney, time.

    Last time I went there I took two watches, and swapped over at the airport. Next time, I'll take my Casio GW-2500 ana-digital, which can cope with all the odd 15/30/45 minute offsets.

  20. #20
    Master .olli.'s Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Really like the Ocean7 G1, 549 dollars, obviously above budget, but i find Ocean7 are good value for money
    http://www.ocean7watchco.com/cs2/ind...product_id=123

  21. #21
    Craftsman
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    Steinhart

    They rule among cheapies.

  22. #22
    Craftsman
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Yep Steinhart would be a very good bet too :D


  23. #23
    Grand Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    i haven't any pics as i got rid quite a while bacl but tauchmeister do a fun pepsi gmt for about thruppence....
    ktmog6uk
    marchingontogether!



  24. #24
    Grand Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    hmmm..this thread got me looking and i like this!
    http://www.grovana.ch/Buch.html
    ktmog6uk
    marchingontogether!



  25. #25
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by yonsson
    Are there any "cheap" automatic GMT watches out there?
    The Alpha Explorer GMT would be suitable.

    (Like the one I'll soon be posting in SC).

  26. #26
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon
    Quote Originally Posted by yonsson
    Are there any "cheap" automatic GMT watches out there?
    The Alpha Explorer GMT would be suitable.

    (Like the one I'll soon be posting in SC).
    Given your signature, the Seiko Milemaster, with that great HEQ 8F56 GMT movement, would probably be a good bet, too...

  27. #27
    Master yonsson's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Thanks for all the tips, and if you got em,please keep em coming.
    I'm not really looking for a quick buy. I want to see whats out there first.
    My thought about an automatic was that this would be a watch mostly kept in the drawer, so this way it will always be ready and I don't have to worry about batteries for a watch I seldom use. Plus of course, I love autos.

    So far I've got to say I like the Grovana sports GMT with orange or yellow dial and the Citizen.
    Can't post a pic of the Grovana for some strange reason.

    Were can I find the Seiko Milemaster? Google isn't helping me.

  28. #28
    Master JDB's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by yonsson
    Were can I find the Seiko Milemaster? Google isn't helping me.
    Let me be the first to say:Here

  29. #29
    Master yonsson's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Thanks. But I can't get over the humongous crown on the left side.

  30. #30
    Master JDB's Avatar
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    Quote Originally Posted by yonsson
    Thanks. But I can't get over the humongous crown on the left side.
    I have the same problem. Otherwise I would have had one ages ago.

    On the other hand, the price is very attractive. You often see them advertised for much more.

  31. #31
    Master
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    Re: cheap GMT watches?

    IIRC, the Seiko 8F56 movement has an 8-10 year battery life so you needn't worry about the battery being dead when you need it. And with the perpetual calendar you won't even need to reset the date for 28/29/30 day months. Perfect for grab and go!

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