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Hitting the Road: A Test of the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time

The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is designed to be the ideal travelers’ companion. Can this new model – inspired by lesser-known Patek Philippe pilot watches – meet the claim? We explore the watch in this in-depth test from the WatchTime Archives. Original photos are by Patrick Mokesch.

Patek Philippe has reinvented an aspect of itself with the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. When the Geneva-based company introduced the first model in white gold in 2015, it was met with great excitement. As a unique specimen that differs from the highly desirable sporty models in its Nautilus and Aquanaut collections, Patek is known primarily for its classical designs. Now a traditional brand like Patek Philippe can find inspiration from its own rich history without creating something entirely new. The Calatrava Pilot Travel Time traces its origins from a lesser-known part of the company’s history – its own pilots’ watches. The Ref. 5524R recalls the design of vintage Patek Philippe pilots’ watches from the 1930s with its bold luminescent numerals and hands.

Unlike the white-gold version with its matte blue dial and light-colored case, which gives the watch a decidedly sporty look, the 2018 rose-gold model emphasizes elegance – supported by the warm tone of the case, the sunburst finish on the dial and its gradual tonal change from brown to black, plus other details like applied rose-gold numerals with luminescent coating and a rose-gold prong buckle. In combination, these features present a unique and elegant pilots’ watch. Vintage-inspired numerals and two crown-like pushers on the left side provide added character and show that this timepiece offers an extra function – in this case, an easy-to-use second time zone.

This so-called “GMT” function is very often found in watches, usually with a dedicated 24-hour hand that is adjusted in hourly increments via the crown. If you can adjust a 12-hour hand independently, it proves to be more practical for travel. But this means pulling the crown out to the appropriate position, which isn’t always so easy. If you pull the crown out to the wrong position, you may end up changing the minute hand by mistake and losing the correct time. And, the hand for the second time zone may often only be able to be adjusted forward. If, for example, you are traveling to the next time zone to the west, you would have to move the hour hand 23 hours ahead, which would cause the date to advance, which must then also be corrected by advancing it 30 days.

Time Zone Setting Patek Philippe has found a solution to these problems. Essentially, this involves the Travel Time’s two pushers, which allow the local time to be adjusted in two directions, and the two day/night indicators on the dial that enable both times to be read intuitively in a 12-hour format. Also, the date advances in both directions when the local time is set so that no correction is needed here either. Again, like our example above, if traveling to the next time zone to the west, pressing the upper pusher once will show both times correctly as well as the date. In contrast to a 24-hour hand for the home time, Patek Philippe uses two 12-hour hands, with the advantage of being able to “hide” the second hand when not traveling, thus making the dial tidier and even easier to read.

This isn’t the first time this movement has been used with this function – it has powered classic Calatrava models and been used in the Aquanaut and in the Nautilus in combination with a chronograph. Now for the first time, Patek Philippe has equipped the Calatrava Pilot with a system designed to prevent accidental adjustment of the time zone. The corrective pushers can be locked in position by turning them one-quarter clockwise. A one-quarter counterclockwise turn releases them for use – a cool feature that bestows the pushers with their mysterious aura. There’s a low risk of activating the pushers in an unlocked position, especially since a gold watch is not generally subjected to hard use. If the quarter-turn is too complicated, it is also entirely possible to leave the pushers in the unlocked position.

But pressing the pushers and the bayonet-type lock has a pleasant feel and can hardly be seen as uncomfortable or difficult. Both are easy to use and work smoothly. The pushers have a good pressure point so it is easy to tell when the hand has advanced, even without looking at the dial. Patek Philippe supplies a special stylus for adjusting the date at a recessed button. We find it better to set the date using the pusher for the local time. This may take longer but eliminates the risk of scratching the gold case with the stylus.

The crown simplifies the operation by having only one pulled position. Unfortunately, the Travel Time does not have a hack mechanism for more accurate setting of the time. Patek Philippe has added this practical function to its newer movements – it’s too bad there’s not one here since the hands that indicate the time are so easy to read. High contrast and a generous amount of luminescent coating on the hour and minutes hands and the numerical hour markers ensure optimal legibility. Both day/night indicators are clearly labeled and are easy to recognize by color: dark blue for night and white for day.

Movement View There’s also plenty to see on the back, thanks to the transparent sapphire caseback. The in-house movement 324 S C FUS with self-winding mechanism sports a gold oscillating weight with circular graining. The bridges are decorated with a côtes de Genève finish and beveled and polished edges. The screw heads are carefully polished in-house by Patek Philippe. This is yet another indication of why Patek Philippe watches demand such high prices – there’s an impressive degree of handcrafting and manual finishing in each timepiece.

Here are some highlights and innovations: the Spiromax hairspring is made of Silinvar, which is derived from temperature-resistant silicon with an oxidized outer layer. This allows the hairspring to remain virtually impervious to temperatures between -10 and +60° Celsius, produced using a photolithographic process on wafer-like integrated circuitry. We were given the opportunity to test this extremely sturdy spring. Unlike a metal spring, it can be pulled far out of its original shape, but still consistently return to its original form. Impacts also have little effect. Only by pulling the spring almost completely straight with tweezers did it finally break into many pieces.

That the base movement itself is from an earlier generation can be seen from the relatively low power reserve of 35 to 45 hours. For some time now, Patek Philippe has relied on the Gyromax balance and fine regulation via poising weights, which allows the hairspring to expand and contract freely for improved results. The Patek Philippe Seal sets standards for decoration as well as strict specifications for rate accuracy. These watches must show average rate results of -3 to +2 seconds per day. Their watchmakers adjust the watches in all six positions, which is rare in the industry. On the timing machine, the Calatrava Pilot showed a superior average rate of +1.5 seconds per day. The maximum deviation between the various positions, at 8 seconds, is only average.

But the quality of finishing of the case, dial, hands and strap is exceptional in every way. Close inspection, even when using a watchmaker’s loupe, reveals flawlessly polished surfaces on the case, a fine sunburst finish on the dial and a perfectly stitched calfskin strap that wraps around the wrist very comfortably. Although at 42 mm, the diameter of the case is large for Patek Philippe, it sits nicely on the wrist. The prong buckle matches the pilots’ watch scheme, is nice and flat when fastened, and is easy to use. Generally, we prefer a prong buckle of this type to most folding clasps, which often either press into the arm or are difficult to operate.

A less exciting feature of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is its price of $49,560, but this is still within the normal range for a gold Patek Philippe watch with complications. For this price, the buyer can be assured of superior finishing and excellent value. Even though the Calatrava Pilot does not achieve the same aftermarket prices as the steel Aquanaut Travel Time (which can reach almost double the new purchase price), there is no immediate 30-percent depreciation that one may see with other brands.

Our test watch convinced us in every way – with its attractive, easily recognizable and slightly sporty design, the practical and easy-to-use second time zone with ingenious lock-down pushers, plus its superb execution and finishing in every last detail. There are no notable weaknesses, and for travel, it proves itself to be simple to use and easy to read. The price is appropriate and is justified by retaining its high value. The Calatrava Pilot Travel Time can be recommended as an excellent travel watch, and not just for air travel alone.

SPECS: Manufacturer: Patek Philippe SA, Chemin du Pont-du-Centenaire 141, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland Reference number: 5524R Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, day/night display for home and local time, pointer date Movement: In-house movement 324 S C FUS, automatic, 28,800 vph, 29 jewels, quick-set date via recessed push button, poising weights on Gyromax balance wheel, Spiromax hairspring (Silinvar), Incabloc shock absorber, column wheel, diameter = 31 mm, height = 4.9 mm, 35-to-45-hour power reserve Case: Rose gold, flat sapphire crystal without anti-glare treatment, fully threaded caseback with sapphire crystal viewing window, water resistant to 60 meters Strap and cla­­sp: Calfskin strap with rose-gold prong buckle Rate results (Deviation in seconds per 24 hours): Dial up +6 Dial down +2 Crown up 0 Crown down +1 Crown left +2 Crown right -2 Greatest deviation 8 Average deviation +1.5 Average amplitude: Flat positions 276° Hanging positions 249° Dimensions: Diameter = 42 mm, height = 10.8 mm, weight = 152 g Price: $49,560

SCORES: Strap and clasp (max. 10 points): Beautifully stitched calfskin strap with high-quality pronged buckle 9 ­­­ Operation (5):  The crown and pushers are easy to use. A stylus is provided for the recessed date pusher. 4 Case (10):  Flawlessly polished surfaces and cleanly locking pushers 9 Design (15):  Patek Philippe is forging a new path with this sporty pilots’ watch design. 14 Legibility (5): Easy to read thanks to good contrast and generous luminescent coating. 5 Wearing comfort (10):  Case, strap and buckle all fit very comfortably on the wrist. 10 Movement (20):  Excellent decorations, fine regulator and patented silicon hairspring, but no hack mechanism. 18 Rate results (10): Adjusted in six positions, low deviation in plus range, but notable difference between the various positions. 7 Overall value (15):  Expensive, but offers a lot for the price. Excellent value retention. 13 Total: 89 POINTS

No anti-glare treatment on the crystal, I wonder why that decision was made. Beautiful watch though.

A GMT watch, needs a 24 hour dial, that’s what it’s all about – essential.

Have the original 5164a…wish it had the pushers with the screw down/lock feature…the pushers on that model do not lock and are easily activated simply through daily wear… Not good when you go to check the time and find it has inadvertently jumped on you.

i recently purchased this watch, i love it. i have 6 Pateks, this is my new favorite!! love the size and ease of where

Beautiful, very interesting machine. Where I can buy one? Thanks.

I love this piece, however not my wallet…

Inspiring time piece.

The most beautiful, timeless, adventure travel watch I have ever seen, especially in Red Gold totally exquisite. I’d pay over a 100k come the day for this Patek Philippe – Superlative class.

Glad they put screw down pushers on the time zone adjustment…love my aquanaut but too easy to inadvertently activate butter smooth pushers and flip time zones all over the place. This has happened to me on numerous occasions and resulted in some double takes until I figured out what had happened. One of the better/easier to use and read “haute” dual time zoners out there….

I must have one !

Amazing watch. I like it

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The Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R

Elegant yet modern, original yet classic....

While chronographs and complex calendars are often seen as the classics of Patek Philippe – and sometimes both combined – traveller’s watches of all kinds have long been present within the brand’s collections. Remember that Patek, together with Louis Cottier, pioneered the concept of the world time watch . There are more travel watches and complications for everyday use available, and the Travel Time dual time zone function is known as Patek’s vision of this multi-time-zone concept. This year, the brand presents a watch that combines elegance, classism and practicality, yet with a slight dosage of originality and casualness; the Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R.

Among the numerous complications available in Patek Philippe’s collections, the Travel Time system for the display of a second time zone (with two centre hour hands, one of which can be adjusted backwards or forwards in one-hour steps) has become a classic, with proven practicality when travelling. Paired with pushers to adjust the additional time zone, and most of the time with two day-night indicators, it has been seen in multiple watches; the best-known model probably being the Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A . Of course, it has later been used in the singular Calatrava Pilot 5524 , in the technically-advanced Aquanaut Advanced Research 5650 , or combined with various complications, such as a chronograph in the Nautilus 5990 or the brand new Calatrava Pilot 5924 , or with an annual calendar in the 5326 or even a complex alarm in the 5520 .

However, how good the system is – those two + and – pushers on the left side are very practical indeed when you need to adjust the local time – they also make these watches sporty, quite unusual on the wrist and this Travel Time system isn’t particularly suited for an elegant watch. And also, the dial that requires two independent day-and-night indicators (one for the local time, one for home time) necessarily loses some sleekness.

Enters the Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time or reference 5224R. The idea behind this watch was simple; offering a traveller’s model within the elegant case of a Calatrava, with a clean display – meaning, no additional function visible, no holes or apertures… Just the sleek, elegant look that will always be associated with a Calatrava. Visually speaking, the mission has been achieved. The 5224R could almost be seen as a time-only watch with a small second sub-dial, save for the additional centre hand. And as you’ve noticed probably there are no pushers on the side, and no recessed correctors in the caseband.

So, how did Patek got rid of the pushers and the small day-night windows… The answer lies in an original display, with all the hours of the day and night displayed at once on the dial. While it is fairly common to have the additional time zone (a.k.a home time) displayed on a 24h scale, here both hour hands rotate around the dial in this daily manner. It indeed means a display of local time and home time by two centre hands turning on a 24-hour circle, and thus no need anymore for the busy windows for day-night indication. The result is, however, a watch with an unconventional display that will, without a doubt, require some adaptation.

The design of this Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time is directly inspired by another original watch in the collection, the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A – an elegant yet casual watch that I’ve always loved… We have here the same overall design for the case, with a thin bezel, sharp angles, elongated, tapered lugs with a stepped profile (called curved two-tier lugs by Patek) and a thin profile – 10.2mm in height. However, the new Travel Time 5224R is larger at 42mm in diameter and made of 18k pink gold, giving it more presence and demonstrativeness on the wrist. Nothing shouting or loud, but a bit of the same feeling as when the Chronograph 5070 was launched.

The dial of this new model is clean and simple in terms of display, but not in terms of execution. The base is navy blue-coloured, with a double railway-track scale for the hours and minutes. Multiple textures are used in order to enhance legibility; a circular striated centre, a circular satin-finished hour circle and a snailed small-seconds counter with a rose-gilt outline. What strikes me most about this dial is the number of appliques… 44 different applied markers and numerals are used, alternating Arabic numerals and hour markers and its cabochon 5-minute markers. Surely, it does make an impact but feels more coherent on the wrist and from a slight distance than in our close-up photos – plus, it has a bit of that beloved vintage Roulette style. The hands are also using a syringe shape, either full and luminous, or openworked – a style that has become a classic on Patek’s modern watches.

As for the mechanics, the Calatrava 5224R relies on one of the brand’s best base calibres, the 31-260. Initially developed for the 2011 Annual Calendar Regulator Reference 5235  (also in rose gold here ), it was later entirely reworked in 2021 for the In-Line Perpetual Calendar Reference 5236P . Patek gave this base movement a 4hz frequency, 20% more barrel-spring torque, a micro-rotor in platinum that is heavier than gold and thus brings better winding power and a reduction wheel that uncouples the self-winding mechanism when the watch is being manually wound and thus reduces wear. Additionally, the shape of the bridges was also reworked with a desirable series of retro-styled finger bridges .

Last year, with the launch of the Annual Calendar Travel Time 5326G , Patek once again worked on this movement and developed several innovations, leading to eight patent applications. Three of them are used in the Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R. Visible through the sapphire caseback, the movement retains its handsome architecture with finger bridges (one for each of the wheels of the gear train) and the platinum micro-rotor. Relatively thin at 3.7mm, it allows for the 5224R to be a proper Calatrava with a slender case. Most of the work has been done on the correction of the time zone, as Patek replaced the traditional correction pushers for local time on the left-hand flank of the case with a patented correction system using the crown pulled out to the intermediate position (backwards and forwards adjustment in one-hour steps), a system already used on the 5326G . The other modification concerns the gears for the central local hours, which are now displayed on a 24-hour base.

Availability & Price

Worn on a casual and supple blue calfskin strap with a nubuck finish, the Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Reference 5224R-001 will be part of the permanent collection. It is priced at EUR 56,900 . For more details, please visit  www.patek.com .

Technical specifications – Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time Reference 5224R-001

4 responses.

Nice. A center seconds would have been better to prevent the cutting of the 24 at the bottom – would have made the dial look more symmetrical.

must… have… so… sooo many bridges! kidding aside, I love to see bridges coming back. I never liked the trend towards fusing them, and especially the 3/4 plate… ugh.

If this had been a 40mm, or better yet 38-39mm, I would be auction off pieces from current collection as we speak.

I saw this watch at W&W and instantly was smitten with it. The 24 hour scale dual time zone complication is just a perfect way to create a sporty travel watch. At 42mm, it did look very large in the case. I’d love the opportunity to try it on. I’m sure I could get used to the size if given the opportunity.

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Seven of the Best World Time Watches for 2021

Visually alluring, the best world time watches offer the time in all 24 zones.

By Roberta Naas

Pre-pandemic, we were exploring all corners of the globe for both business and pleasure. This trend will go on after Covid-19, as we are all adventure seekers at heart. And to help us on our way, the luxury watch world has created world time watches that make travel easier. Visually alluring, they offer the time in the world’s 24 zones — some via a chapter ring with the cities listed on it; others use maps or three-dimensional world globes, or combinations thereof. The mechanical movements inside these world time watches are complex works of horology, often featuring 24-hour time and am/pm indicators. They’re clad in the noble metals or sporty stainless steel cases. Either way, these world timers help you view time anywhere on the globe at a glance.

A. Lange & Söhne, Lange 1 Time Zone

The watch collector’s dream, this Lange 1 Time Zone is a special, boutique-only limited edition of 100 pieces in this color of gold with a champagne dial. The dial is crafted from solid silver and features solid-gold hour markers and appliqués. The watch offers day/night indication via a blue arc in the center of the two dials, one each for home time (on the larger dial at 9 o’clock) and for the other zone times. The 41.9mm watch also offers the information that a city may be in daylight savings time thanks to the small red block in the pointer arrow of the small dial at 5 o’clock. The self-winding manufacture caliber L141.1 consists of an incredible 448 parts and 38 rubies, and offers 72 hours of power reserve.

$56,100 in 18K yellow gold, A. Lange & Söhne in New York, +1 646 828 3150, alange-soehne.com

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Patek Philippe Ref. 5231J

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Easily one of the most beautiful world time watches on the market today comes from Patek Philippe. The brand offers several complex world time watches, but the Ref. 5231J is particularly alluring thanks to the cloisonné enamel dial that is hand-painted and showcases Europe, Asia and the Americas. The hands offer local time, but the inner chapter ring also offers day/night and 24-hour indication for the 24 time zones. Setting of the zones is done using the pusher at 10 o’clock on the 38.5mm case. The brand’s in-house-made, self-winding mechanical movement, Caliber 240HU, powers the watch.

$73,710 in 18K yellow gold, Wempe Jewelers in New York, +1 212 397 9000, patek.com

Montblanc Star Legacy Orbis Terrarum

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Born of the desire to create an easy-to-use world time feature, the Montblanc Orbis Terrarum is a special 500-piece edition with a rose-gold-colored map of the Northern Hemisphere as seen from the North Pole, with meridian lines on it. The brown and copper colorway offers a balanced, harmonious appeal. The world time indication is set using a single pusher at 8 o’clock on the case and is read by the city indications and the 24-hour ring that indicates day and night in the 24 zones. The dial is actually two layers that rotate, and the raised continents offer depth and detail. The watch is powered by the Montblanc MB M29.20 automatic movement, with 42 hours of power reserve.

$20,800 in 18K rose gold, Montblanc in New York, +1 212 223 8888, montblanc.com

[See also: Eight Luxury Deep Dive Watches for Men]

Arnold & Son Globetrotter Night

This highly unusual three-dimensional Globetrotter Night watch takes a totally different approach to world time indication. The center of the watch is a domed rotating globe with the continents on it. Behind it is a 24-hour disc used to set the time and locations – all from the crown at 3 o’clock. To set home time, the wearer pulls the crown out to its third position and finds his general location on the 3D globe – placing it as though there were a straight line passing through the dial. He then aligns the home location on the map with the correct local time on the 24-hour scale. Local time is similarly set (using the second position of the crown) and is read off of the red lacquered hands against the outer Roman numeral ring.

$17,000 in stainless steel, Cellini Jewelers in New York, +1 212 888 0505, arnoldandson.com

Vacheron Constantin Overseas World Time

In typical Vacheron Constantin style, the venerable brand goes all-out with its Overseas World Time watch – bringing together haute horology with artistic looks and features that are perfect for world travel. The watch is powered by a manufacture self-winding movement that offers 40 hours of power reserve and displays hours, minutes and seconds in the center, as well as day/night and 24-hour indication on outer chapter rings. The map depicts the Northern Hemisphere and is surrounded by the city list. The arrow on the bezel at 6 o’clock is the reference time-zone index. The 43.5mm watch is anti-magnetic and water-resistant to 150 meters. A transparent sapphire caseback allows you to view the 255-part movement.

$34,500 in stainless steel, Vacheron Constantin in New York, +1 212 317 8964, vacheron-constantin.com

Breitling Aviator 8 B35

Breitling has long been associated with the world of aviation, creating pilot watches and cockpit instruments in the mid- 20 th century. It continues this tradition but in a highly updated style. This Aviator 8 B35 Unitime watch offers world time via an independent hour hand that can be adjusted by the crown. The inner 24-hour ring indicates if it is day or night in the city of choice. The mechanical, automatic-caliber B35 is equipped with two spring barrels, so it offers more than 70 hours of power reserve. The dial is sunray silver, and the caseback is transparent sapphire for viewing of the movement.

$8,140 in stainless steel with leather strap, Breitling in New York, +1 855 999 1884, breitling.com

Frederique Constant Classic Worldtimer Manufacture

Frederique Constant’s Classic Worldtimer watch is a favorite among collectors. This newest version brings together great tones of blue, gray and white with bright red accents for a pop of color. The 42mm watch houses the brand’s manufacture Caliber FC-718 automatic movement, with 38 hours of power reserve. The navy blue dial features the world map in the center in gray, and the 24-hour disk for day/night indication is in gray and red. The small subsidiary dial at 6 o’clock gives the added feature of the date display. It is water resistant to 30 meters and features a see-through sapphire crystal caseback to view the movement. Just 88 pieces will be made.

$15,995 in 18K rose gold, Razny Jewelers in Chicago, +1 312 663 8500, https://frederiqueconstant.com

Roberta Naas

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Watches With Two Timezones: 24 Best Travel Watches from Entry-Level to Luxury

Aimed at frequent travelers, watches with two timezones are among the most practical of complicated timepieces. Even in an era in which it's easier than ever to check one's current time on any mobile device, being able to read two distinct times more or less simultaneously with a simple glance at one's wrist is still a compelling argument to recommend such a watch to anyone whose work or leisure takes them far from home on a regular basis. In this article we take a look at a range of dual-time watches (also called "GMT" watches, named for the calculation of "Greenwich Mean Time," or the worldwide 24-hour timekeeping system based upon the Greenwich Meridian in London), priced from entry-level to high luxury, from a variety of watchmakers large and small. 

Citizen Promaster Nighthawk

Price: $391, Case: 42mm, Lug Width: 26mm, Crystal: Mineral, Water-Resistance: 200m, Movement: Quartz Eco-Drive, Water-Resistance: 200m

The Citizen Promaster Nighthawk Black PVD sports a highly technical dial that takes its cues from instruments in the cockpits of U.S. military helicopters. The watch’s 42-mm case is made of black PVD-coated stainless steel and its black dial is packed with scales in contrasting white type that are of particular use to aviators and navigators, including the circular slide rule printed on the ion-plated rotating bezel. Two luminous central hands display the current time, while an airplane-tipped smaller hand shows the time in another time zone on a 24-hour scale; the date appears in a rectangular window at 3 o’clock. The movement inside the stealth-look case, Citizen’s quartz-powered Caliber B877, runs on the Japanese brand’s proprietary Eco-Drive technology, enabling constant recharging of power via any light source. 

Seiko 5 Sports GMT

Price: $475, Case Size: 42.5mm, Thickness: 13.4mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Crystal: Hardlex, Water Resistance: 100 m, Movement: Automatic Seiko 4R34

Seiko introduced the first GMT complication to its entry-level, automatic Seiko 5 sports line in 2022, equipping the watches with the automatic Caliber 4R34. Available in three colorways for the dial and bezel — blue, orange, and the black version featured here — the watches have a central GMT hand in a contrasting color, used in coordination with the bicolor day/night bezels (here in black and gray), with rings made of Hardlex glass like the crystal, to indicate a second time zone. The GMT hand is coated in Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite for nighttime legibility. Based on the design of the much-beloved SKX series of Seiko sports watches, the model has a five-link bracelet with polished middle rows.

Bulova Wilton GMT

Price: $595, Case Size: 43mm, Thickness: 12.7mm, Lug to Lug: 49.5mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 30m, Movement: Automatic Miyota 9075

Over its long history, Bulova has become well-known for offering mechanical complications at very accessible prices, and the timepiece that joined its Classic collection in 2022 is no exception. At just under $600 in our shop, the Wilton GMT is the rare example of a “true” GMT — i.e., one with an independently adjustable local hour hand — that just about any enthusiast can afford. The watch has a brushed steel case at 43mm; a dial in either white or blue, with applied Roman numerals matching the case tone, a date window at 3 o’clock, and a world-map textured pattern on its surface that adds to its value proposition. The central arrow-pointed GMT hand indicates a second time zone on the bicolor 24-hour scale on the dial’s flange. The Japanese Miyota movement inside is self-winding and stores a 42-hour power reserve.

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf GMT Automatic

Price: $1,695, Case Size: 40mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Automatic Soprod C-125

Channeling the vintage spirit of Zodiac’s fondly remembered Aerospace model from the 1960s, the Super Sea Wolf GMT Automatic replaces the usual 60-minute dive-scale bezel of the Sea Wolf family with a bicolor 24-hour bezel in bright, eye-catching color combos such as the fan-favorite orange-and-cream “Sherbet” edition and the Neon Edition pictured above. The regular-production models introduced in 2020  (which followed up the preceding, sold-out  limited editions) offer either a steel or gold-tone bezel with a semi-gloss black dial, rectangular hour and minute hands that further distinguish the GMT models from the Super Sea Wolf divers’ editions, and a white-tipped, bright red GMT hand. Zodiac equips the Super Sea Wolf GMT Automatic with an outsourced but proven engine, the Swiss Soprod C-125, which replaces the increasingly hard-to-get ETA 2893-2 that powered the limited editions.

Baltic Aquascaphe GMT

Price: 920 Euros, Reference:  N/A,  Case Size: 39mm Case Height: 12mm, Lug to Lug: 47mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic  Soprod C125

Founded in France in 2017, Baltic has swiftly staked out its spot on the independent microbrand scene with its vintage-influenced collection, particularly the Aquascaphe, a retro divers’ watch heavily influenced by midcentury classics like Blancpain’s Bathyscaphe models. For the GMT version of the Aquascaphe, Baltic replaced the base model’s unidirectional bezel with 60-minute dive scale with a more travel-friendly, bidirectional (and bicolor) 24-hour bezel, which can be used in conjunction with a central arrow-tipped hand to read the time in a second time zone. The dive-watch DNA of the Aquascaphe series is clearly present, with the dial sporting geometric hour markers, plentiful lume on the markers and hands, and a 100-meter water resistance (half of the diving model’s 200-meter rating, but still substantial). Adding to the value proposition is Baltic’s use of a self-winding Soprod movement inside the brushed steel case.

Mido Ocean Star GMT

Price: $1,250, Reference: M0266291105101, Case Size: 44mm Case Height: 13.28mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Automatic Mido 80 (ETA C07.661 base)

Wildly popular in Latin America but only vaguely familiar to many watch aficionados in the U.S., Mido has been making watches since 1918 and its nautically inspired Ocean Star line has been around since the 1940s, even before the era of the modern diver’s watch. The Ocean Star GMT, launched in 2020, is the collection’s first dual-time-zone watch, with a sturdy steel case and ceramic divers’ bezel. The 24-hour scale that you might expect to find on the bezel is instead printed on the dial’s flange. A long, arrow-tipped hand points to the scale, enabling the wearer to read the time in additional time zones while the two main hands display the local time. The Powermatic 80 caliber inside the 44mm steel case (the “80” denotes how many hours of power reserve it stores) has been equipped with a specially made module for the GMT functionality.

Longines Spirit Zulu Time

Price: $2,950, Reference: L3.812.4.93.2, Case Size: 42mm, Case Height: 13.9mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber L844

Longines, a watch brand that has supplied aviation pioneers like Hugh Herndon, Clyde Pangborn and Amy Johnson with watches and onboard clocks, stylishly revisits its history of developing dual-time instruments with the Zulu Time model, which joined the brand’s aviation-inspired Spirit series in 2022. (“Zulu Time” is the military radio jargon for the “zero” time at the Greenwich Meridian, aka GMT.) The watch’s 42-mm steel case houses a proprietary automatic movement that allows independent adjustment of both the traditional hour hand and the GMT hand that indicates an additional time zone on the 24-hour bezel, with lacquered engraved numerals on its colorful ceramic bezel insert. For lots more on the history of the Longines Zulu Time and details on the modern watch, read our review here.

Oris Whale Shark Limited Edition

Price: $3,200, Case Size: 43.5mm, Lug Width: 24mm, Water Resistance: 300m, Crystal: Sapphire, Movement: Automatic Oris Caliber 798 (Sellita SW 330-1 base)

Oris has released a number of special editions devoted to supporting environmental charities, specifically those with a mission of preserving endangered marine wildlife. Among the most notable is 2021’s Whale Shark Limited Edition, which features a multi-part stainless steel case measuring 43.5 mm in diameter and a robust 300-meter water resistance thanks to its securely screwed crown. The bezel, with an inlaid blue ceramic insert to match the dial, rotates in both directions and is etched with a 24-hour GMT scale that reveals a second time zone with the aid of an orange-tipped hand — meaning it’s more of a watch for traveling than actual diving. The bezel’s gradation bleeds from black, for nighttime hours, to blue, for daytime, while the dial has both a similar light-to-dark motif and a sharkskin-textured, engraved  texture that evokes the watch’s marine predator namesake; the solid steel caseback also depicts a relief illustration of a whale shark. The movement inside is the automatic Oris Caliber 798, based on the Sellita SW330-1, with a power reserve of 42 hours.

Ball Watch Hydrocarbon AeroGMT

Price: $3,499, Case Size: 42mm Case Height: 13.85, mm Lug to Lug: 54mm, Lug Width: 21mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic BALL RR1201-C

Ball Watch’s Hydrocarbon AeroGMT is not the first homage to the trendsetting “Pepsi” Rolex GMT-Master model of the 1950s, but it is one of the most solidly built, with a rugged, 42mm steel case whose bicolor, bidirectional GMT bezel is made of scratch-resistant sapphire. The dial has a 24-hour scale rather than a traditional 12-hour layout, with 12 corresponding hour markers instead placed on an inside flange. Using the red-tipped GMT hand along with both scales, the wearer can potentially read three time zones at once. Like all watches from Ball, the dial uses tritium-filled micro-gas tubes for its luminous elements rather than the more common Super-LumiNova; the former glows brighter and longer than the latter and requires no outside light source to activate. Beating inside is an ETA-based, COSC-certified, self-winding movement, protected from magnetic fields up to 4,800 A/m and impacts up to 7,500 Gs.

Bell & Ross BR V2-93 GMT Blue

Price: $3,500, Reference:  BRV293-BLU-ST,  Case Size: 41mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber BR-CAL.303

Bell & Ross veers away from its square-cased “Instrument” look with this model from its BR V2 series of round-cased timepieces (the “V” in this instance referencing the “vintage” influence). The sunburst blue dial hosts large Arabic numerals and intermittent indices along with a prominent red-hued arrow-tipped hand to point out the second time zone on a 24-hour bezel that has been subdivided into gray and blue sectors (for daytime and nighttime hours, respectively). The date appears discreetly in a round window at 4:30, and the seconds hand’s airplane-shaped counterweight subtly references the brand’s devotion to aviation-inspired design. Bell & Ross’s ETA-based, automatic Caliber BR-CAL.303 ticks inside, offering a power reserve of 42 hours.

Tudor Black Bay GMT

Price: $3,850 - $5,550, Case Size: 41mm, Case Thickness: 15mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 200 meters, Movement: Automatic Tudor Caliber MT5652

The Tudor Black Bay GMT takes the classical design of the GMT-Master from parent brand Rolex and gives it a very contemporary spin that is distinctly 21st-Century Tudor.  Like its iconic predecessor, its bezel sports a bicolor 24-hour ring on which the wearer can read a second time zone thanks to the dial’s GMT hand; on the Tudor model, the famous bright red-and-blue “Pepsi” colorway of the bezel is slightly modified to a more muted indigo-and-burgundy combo that speaks to the design language of the Black Bay. The newest version features an opaline white dial with a galvanic finish that imparts to it a silvery-grained texture. The outlines of the dial’s hour indexes have been darkened to stand out more boldly. The 41mm steel case holds Tudor’s self-winding,  manufacture Caliber MT5652, which boasts an antimagnetic silicon balance spring and a “weekend-proof” 70-hour power reserve. Like all Tudor in-house movements, it carries a chronometer certification by the Swiss testing agency COSC .

Bulgari Aluminium Amerigo Vespucci Edition

Price: $3,950, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 9.70mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber B192

In the late 1990s, Bulgari became the first watchmaker to pair a case made of aluminum with a sporty rubber strap. The Italian jewelry-and-watch brand resurrected the Aluminium model (its preferred spelling in Europe) in 2020 and added a handsome GMT-equipped model a year later, targeted at travelers eager to emerge from lockdowns. This 1,000-piece limited edition released in Summer ‘22 pays tribute to the 15th-Century Italian explorer for whom the Americas are named, and the Italian naval vessel named for him. Its 40-mm aluminum case features a black rubber bezel engraved with the double “BVLGARI” in Roman-style letters; inside its border, surrounding the black dial is a two-tone 24-hour scale in yellow and black that is used in concert with the central yellow-tipped GMT hand to set the time in the wearer’s home city or any other chosen time zone. Exclusive to this special edition is the tricolored strip above 6 o’clock representing Italy’s flag. The stylish strap is made of the same rubber as the bezel, the exhibition caseback is titanium, and the self-winding movement on display behind that caseback stores a power reserve of 42 hours.

Grand Seiko Sport Collection Spring Drive GMT Triple Time Zone “Mount Hotaka Peaks” SBGE295

The green dial of Grand Seiko’s newest GMT-equipped watch takes its eye-catching texture from the summertime vegetation on the peaks of Mount Hotaka in Japan’s Nagano prefecture, which loom over the skyline of the city of Shinshu and are visible through the windows of Grand Seiko’s watchmaking studio there. The stainless steel case is 44mm in diameter, with a 24-hour bicolor GMT bezel whose durable ring is made of sapphire and underpinned by a generous coating of Grand Seiko’s proprietary LumiBrite luminous material. The dial has large indexes and hands, also LumiBrite-coated, and a 24-hour chapter ring on the flange that can be used to track a third time zone, The movement inside is Caliber 9R66, a descendant of the original Caliber 9R65 from the first generation of Grand Seiko Spring Drive timepieces, with a three-day power reserve and an added hour hand that can be adjusted to the local time without stopping the movement.

Montblanc Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygene

Price: $8,600, Case Size: 44mm, Case Height: 17.10mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber MB 29.27

Montblanc takes its mountain-exploration theme to a new height — or perhaps, a new summit — with the 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygene, introduced in 2022. As its name implies, it is the world’s first “zero oxygen” timepiece, meaning it has been constructed to be utterly devoid of oxygen inside the case, which eliminates fogging and oxidation that might otherwise occur when using the watch at the high altitudes and freezing temperatures that one would encounter on a mountaineering expedition. As part of the Geosphere series, the watch features a unique dual-time display via two turning globes on the dial, one for each hemisphere, along with a 24-hour scale, a day-night indicator, and a date disk. This model — which Montblanc says has actually been tested on an expedition up Mount Everest — also features an integrated chronograph. The oxygen-free automatic movement is ensconced inside a titanium case, between the “glacial blue” dial and the solid caseback with a laser-engraved, photorealistic rendering of Everest.

Panerai Luminor BiTempo

Price: $10,600, Case Size: 44mm, Lug Width: 24mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 300 meters, Movement: Automatic Panerai Caliber P.9012

Panerai continues to build on its now-famous heritage as the purveyor of robustly engineered and boldly designed dive watches for the Italian Navy in the 1940s with its modern Luminor collection, which welcomed the dual-time BiTempo model to the family in 2022. The 44mm steel watch depicts two distinct time zones on its sandwich-style dial, in either sunbrushed blue or matte black, both with a central arrow-pointed hand in bright Cerulean blue that points to the hour in a traveler’s home time zone. Running seconds are displayed on a subdial at 9 o’clock, while the date appears at 3 o’clock and an additional subdial at 5 o’clock uses another, smaller bright blue hand to indicate the state of the movement’s 72-hour power reserve (with the Italian word “Ore” for “hours” serving as a reminder of Panerai’s Florentine origins). The case features the brand’s patented, bridge-style crown protection device on the right side and contains the self-winding in-house Caliber P.9012, on display behind a sapphire caseback.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M GMT Big Blue

Price: $11,700, Case Size: 45.5mm, Lug width: 22mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 600 meters, Movement: Automatic Omega Caliber 8906

Omega offers a handful of GMT options in its Seamaster Planet Ocean line, the most noteworthy of which is the Deep Blue edition, the successor to the Deep Black models, which is the first Omega watch with a case made entirely from a monobloc of blue ceramic. Orange and blue are the signature colors of the Planet Ocean series, so orange highlights abound throughout the design, including in the 24-hour GMT scale surrounding the dial and the first 15-minute-sector of the bezel’s 60-minute diving scale, which combines orange rubber and ceramic. Inside the stately 45.5mm case is an in-house movement, Omega’s Master Chronometer Caliber 8906, with a 60-hour power reserve and an industry-leading 15,000 Gauss magnetic field resistance.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface

Price: $11,700, Case Size: 47mm x 28.3mm, Thickness: 10.3mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Manually Wound Caliber 854A

Jaeger-LeCoultre’s signature dress watch, the Reverso, was originally designed as a sports watch, its reversible swiveling case making it a practical timekeeper for polo players who wore it during a match to protect the crystal from being struck by errant mallets and balls. In production since 1931, the Reverso is now available in numerous variations, including the Duoface models, which feature two different time zones depicted on both sides of the reversible dial. The watch features the clean, angular Art Deco-era styling that has become emblematic of all Reverso watches, including the gadroons at the top and bottom. Its main, front dial has a sleek sunburst finish while the back dial hosts a figure eight of overlapping opaline subdials framed by a clous de Paris guilloché background; the larger subdial shows the time in a second time zone, while the smaller one displays the time in 24-hour format along with a day-night display. The Reverso Duoface houses the manually wound Jaeger-LeCoultre Caliber 854A/2, an in-house movement with a 42-hour power reserve.

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Dual Time

Price: $12,000, Case Size: 44mm, Thickness: 11.4mm, Lug Width: 20mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 50 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber UN-334

To many, Ulysse Nardin’s most iconic watch is the disruptive, idiosyncratic Freak, which the maison introduced in 2001 and has been refining ever since. However, more classical in its design and more evocative of Ulysse Nardin’s origins as a provider of chronometers to navies in the 19th and 20th centuries, is the Marine Torpilleur, which takes its name from a historical type of torpedo on battleships. The steel case and marine-blue dial take inspiration from a vintage sea captain’s chronometer, with Roman numerals, ornate hands, and a stacked subdial arrangement. The Dual Time variant features on its dial a large date in a double window at 2 o’clock, a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock, and an indicator for its traveling wearer’s home time (in 24-hour format) in a round window at 9 o’clock. User-friendly “+” and “-” pushers on the side of the polished steel caseadjust the hour hand forward or backward to quickly change the local time on the hands. Ticking inside is the automatic Caliber UN-24, with a decorated gold rotor and a power reserve of 42 hours.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II

Price: $15,200, Case Size: 40mm, Case Height: 12.5mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber 3285

The original Rolex GMT-Master, released in 1954, was a trend-setter for many travel watches to follow: it was the first watch capable of displaying the time in two separate time zones via a fourth, central 24-hour hand and a bidirectional rotating 24-hour bezel. Its dual-time functionality — and its now-iconic red-and-blue bicolor 24-hour bezel — are the products of Rolex’s collaboration with Pan Am Airlines pilots to develop the model, which was intended to allow pilots to track time simultaneously at their home and destination cities. The rest, as they say, is history, as the GMT-Master and its successor, the GMT-Master II, which added an independently adjustable GMT hand, has gone on to become one of Rolex’s, and the world’s, most storied and coveted luxury sports watches. The modern models are 40mm in diameter and are powered by in-house, chronometer-certified automatic movements that achieve a power reserve of 70 hours.

Hublot Big Bang Unico GMT

Price: $24,100, Reference:  471.QL.7127.RX,  Case Size: 45mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber HUB1251 Unico

Hublot’s Big Bang is not a watch one usually thinks of when looking for a utilitarian travel watch, but the Big Bang Unico GMT, which eschews the usual chronograph function, is one of the most user-friendly models to be found. The chronograph-style push-buttons advance the hour hand forward or backward in hourly increments to set the local time independently of the other hands, including the GMT pointer, and a safety mechanism prevents both pushers from being accidentally operated at once. The skeletonized dial, a hallmark of the Big Bang series, is designed to display two time zones at once, both on 12-hour scales, and features a day-night ring for an easy reading of the home time in AM/PM format. Hublot’s Unico HUB1251 caliber can be viewed through both the front and back of the 45mm case through sapphire crystals. 

Vacheron Constantin Overseas Dual Time

Price: $27,100, Reference: 7900V/110A-B546, Case Size: 41mm, Case Height: 12.8mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 100 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber 5110 DT

Vacheron Constantin has been making watches since 1755 but it waited until 2018 to install a dual-time complication in its sport-luxury Overseas collection. The 41mm case’s distinctive six-sided bezel, inspired by the maison’s Maltese Cross emblem, frames a lacquered black dial with a velvet-textured flange. The red-tipped GMT hand indicates the home or reference time on the same ring of 12-hour indexes as the hour and minute hand for the local time and is linked to the AM/PM indicator at 9 o’clock. With an additional, sophisticated hand-type date display on the subdial at 6 o’clock, which is linked to the local time, the Overseas Dual Time offers additional everyday functionality for the wearer while at home or abroad. Vacheron’s self-winding manufacture Caliber 5110 DT beats inside, behind a sapphire caseback, distinguished by a gold rotor with an engraved wind rose emblem. 

Parmigiani Fleurier GMT Rattrapante

Price: $28,700, Case Size: 40mm, Thickness: 10.7mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 60 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber PF051

With the introduction of the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante in 2022, Parmigiani Fleurier created a world-first complication: a practical “jumping” GMT hand to quickly and easily shift between two time zones. Here’s how it works: the dial hosts two superimposed hour hands, both in the brand’s familiar Delta shape: one in rhodium-plated gold to display the local time, the other in rose gold for the home time. Pressing the pusher at 8 o’clock moves the former hand forward in one-hour increments to change the local time when the wearer travels abroad. Pushing the rose-gold button integrated in the crown snaps this local-time hand backward, in the same manner as a split-seconds chronograph hand, to its original position aligned with the home-time hand when the traveler returns home. This useful functionality comes in Parmigiani’s typically elegant package: the watch’s Milano blue dial is enhanced with the barleycorn guilloché motif that distinguishes the Tonda PF collection, and the platinum bezel on the 40mm polished steel case has been finely knurled. The same nature-inspired guilloché pattern adorns the gold micro-rotor of the all-new manufacture Caliber PF051, along with an array of other haute horologerie finishes.

Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Display Travel Time

Price: $57,370, Case Size: 42mm, Thickness: 9.85mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Automatic Caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H

Patek Philippe’s 2023 headliner at Watches & Wonders Geneva was the Calatrava 24 Hour Display Travel Time, which features a rare 24-hour dial with a hand that makes one full rotation (rather than the traditional two) around it per day. This unconventional timekeeping display is paired with Patek’s now-familiar Travel Time complication, which indicates two time zones via a patented system in which the local-time hour hand can be easily moved in  both directions by a press of the crown. The elegant simplicity of the dial, with noon represented at 12 o’clock with a “12,” and midnight at 6 o’clock with a “24,” allows Patek Philippe to dispense with the usual day-night or AM-PM indicator that one often finds on a dual-time dial. The classical, round Calatrava case measures 42mm in diameter and just under 10mm thick; beating inside it is the in-house automatic Caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H, with a 48-hour power reserve. The navy blue dial has a variety of contrasting elegant finishes, a railway style minute track, and applied Arabic numerals and baton markers in rose gold to echo the case. The hands, including both “local” and “home” hour hands, are in the vintage syringe style emblematic of Patek’s Pilot collection and made of rose gold, except for the contrasting sword-shaped seconds hand, which is in white gold.

A. Lange & Söhne Lange 1 Time Zone

Price: $57,800+, Case size: 41.9mm, Thickness: 10.9mm, Lug Width: 22mm, Crystal: Sapphire, Water Resistance: 30 meters, Movement: Manually Wound L141.1

The now-iconic Lange 1 has been the modern flagship of the reconstituted A. Lange & Söhne brand since its introduction in 1994 and the Lange 1 Time Zone was Lange’s first watch with a dual time-zone indication when it debuted in 2005. In a clever tweaking of the original, asymmetrical Lange 1 dial ensemble, the main (i.e. local) time display remains on the large subdial at 9 o’clock, and the large “outsize” date stands in its usual position, while the smaller 5 o’clock subdial, rather than hosting the decentralized running seconds, displays a second time zone on two hands in a 12-hour format. The “Auf/Ab” power-reserve indicator occupies the spot between the latter two elements, and a switchable city ring occupies the dial’s periphery. The watch’s synchronization mechanism enables the wearer to “swap” between the time zone indicated on the two subdials. In 2020, A. Lange & Söhne upgraded the Lange 1 Time Zone to the manually wound L121.3 caliber, which achieves the same 72-hour power reserve as its predecessor but stores it in a single barrel rather than two, and added day-night indicators for both the home time and local time to the dial.

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10 Best Affordable World Time Watches [List & Guide]

10 Best Affordable World Time Watches [List & Guide]

When it comes to functions in watches, there is an endless number of different functions and features to choose from. Chronograph function, an annual calendar, a perpetual calendar, a Date indicator, a day indicator, a power reserve, and much, much more.

Some functions are mostly a testament to complicated craftsmanship and watchmaking, whilst others are highly useful in practice. The good news is that depending on your needs and wants in terms of functions, there are a lot to choose from.

One function that can be truly useful is the world time function. In this article, we will look closer at what a world time watch is, and also look closer at some of the most popular affordable world time watches on the market.

What is a world time watch?

A world-time watch is, as the name suggests, a watch that indicates the time in different parts of the world. Unlike a regular watch which can only display one timezone, a world time watch can indicate the time in several different timezones. When talking about watches that can show the time in different timezones, most people think about the GMT watch. But a GMT watch can only show two or three different timezones. A world time watch shows the time in at least 24 different time zones all at once.  

Of course, there are several great benefits of this. If you are curious to know what the time is around the world at the glance of your wrist, travel frequently, or do business with a lot of different countries, a world time watch can be extremely useful.

The core function of an analog world time watch is that it is equipped with an internal bezel that (normally) shows the names of key cities around the world. In turn, the watch has a 24-hour ring or hand that rotates one full rotation per day. A world time watch is set according to your home Time zone with a rotating inner bezel. The inner ring then rotates as time passes and continues to indicate the correct time in all of these time zones.

There are world-time watches in all kinds of different price ranges. World time watches are often associated with high price tags from brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet, but the good news is that a world time watch does not have to break the bank. In general, if a world time watch is executed with a mechanical movement, the mechanism is rather complex, and therefore, you’ll almost exclusively find mechanical world time watches in luxury watches.

But the world time watch function is also available at a much more affordable price tag, and these watches are usually quartz or digital, as the manufacturing process becomes much easier and much less complicated.

Best Affordable world time watches

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Below, we’ll have a look at the most popular affordable world time watches for the jet-setter, international businessman, or for those who just want to be able to know what the local time is around the world at the glance of their wrist. We will focus on analog world time watches, but also look at a few digital world time watches as well.  

G-Shock Mudman Compass G9300

Starting off this list, we have the Casio G-Shock Mudman Compass 69300. This watch offers everything we have come to love and expect from a G-Shock, but it also incorporates a world-time function. In addition to this, it is also packed with a number of different functions.

First and foremost, this watch is tough, durable, and robust. It is built to last and to handle all kinds of different hardships. G-Shock watches are greatly appreciated for tough conditions and outdoor use, and this watch will be able to stand up to the most extreme conditions. It has a large and robust black resin case, but most importantly, it incorporates a number of useful functions. It is powered by a quartz solar movement that gets energy from solar and ambient light, and has a thermometer, a moon graph, and a digital compass. In addition to this, it also has all the usual functions that you expect in a G-Shock. But most importantly, it has a world time function, allowing you to quickly see the time in different timezones around the world.

This watch may not be the most ideal for formal occasions, but it will work exceptionally well as a functional tool watch.

Specifications

• Crystal : Mineral glass
• Dimensions : 53,0mm x 50,8mm x 18,2mm
• Weight : 68,5 grams

Casio AE-1200WHD-1AVCF

The Casio AE-1200WHD-1AVCF is a cool and funky digital watch with a unique design and appearance.

The watch has a square/rectangular case with two push buttons on each side. It is presented with several different LCD screens which all indicate different information. One of those screens shows a map of the world, and this is of course used for the world time function.

The watch is powered by a Japanese quartz movement and has a case in plastic and a bracelet in stainless steel. For improved legibility, it has an LED light with after-glow. It also has a countdown timer, 12/24 hour formats, and a number of additional features that can come in handy for everyday wear.

The water resistance of 100m/330 feet is also quite good for this type of watch.

For those who are looking for a funky and unique digital watch and also want a world time function, this is certainly a good (and extremely affordable) choice.

• Diameter : 39.5mm
• Movement : Japanese quartz
• Water resistance : 100m/330 feet
• Battery life : 10 years
• Case dimensions : 45×42.1×12.5mm

Citizen JY8078-01L Promaster Skyhawk A-T

The Citizen Promaster Skyhawk A-T Y8078-01L is a robust, sporty, and functional pilot’s watch made for those who want a sporty, cool, and functional timepiece.

The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 45mm and a thickness of 14mm which makes it rather large. This watch offers a lot of different functions and has both digital and analog displays.   On top of the case, it has an anti-reflective sapphire crystal.

Of course, it incorporates a world time function with precise atomic timekeeping in 43 cities. It also has a chronograph function, a perpetual calendar, alarms, a countdown timer, and a dual time. In addition to this, it has numerous calculation functions that can be used by pilots. It is designed with a rotating slide rule bezel with which the different key information is calculated.

In terms of design and attention to detail, Citizen has done a great job with this watch. It has a blue background with two LCD screens and several analog sub-dials which display key information. The sword-shaped hands are large and have applied luminova which ensures excellent legibility.

The watch is powered by the quartz solar caliber U680. This means that the movement gets its energy from solar and ambient light, thus eliminating the need for replacing its batteries.

It is also water-resistant to 200m/330 feet and built to handle harsh conditions.

All in all, this is a great sporty world time watch that works for men who want a large and sporty timepiece that is packed with functions but doesn’t compromise on the design.

• Crystal : anti-reflective sapphire
• Water resistance : 300m/660 feet
• Diameter : 45mm
• Thickness : 14mm
• Movement : Eco-Drive quartz

Casio EQS500DB-1A1 Edifice Tough Solar

The Casio Edifice Tough Solar EQS500DB-1A1 is a sporty yet versatile timepiece that works well on many different occasions.

It has a stainless steel case and is presented on a stainless steel bracelet for a sporty look. It is completely analog and is powered by a quartz Solar movement which also offers a number of useful functions. The movement has a power reserve of 5 months on a full charge. On top of the case, it has mineral glass.

For a sporty look, it is equipped with a fixed black bezel. To match the bezel, it has a black dial with a lot of different functions which, to some, may make it a bit busy. But all of the functions presented on the dial are such that may be truly useful. The watch has applied metal hour markers and sword-shaped hands with a red seconds hand for contrast.

It has a world time function that displays the time in 29 cities+ UTC. It has a city code display on the dial which is seamlessly integrated around the rehaut. Between 4 and 5 o’clock, it has a sleek date window integrated.

In addition to the world time function, it has daylight saving on/off, a beeper alarm, a 1/100 second chronograph, day & date Display, as well as a full auto-calendar. It can indicate the time in 12/24 hour formats.

Powering all of this is module 5123 solar quartz movement.

This watch is built to be tough and work well for everyday wear, and this is also why the water resistance of 100m/330 feet is quite practical to have as well.

• Movement : solar quartz

Citizen Eco-Drive World Chronograph A-T AT8020-54L

Next up, we have this highly popular pilot’s watch from Citizenships which has a sporty yet versatile design that works well for everyday wear.

It has a 43mm stainless steel case with a diameter of 43mm and an anti-reflective sapphire crystal on top. The watch has a thin fixed blue bezel with a polished finish that goes well with the blue theme of this watch. In addition, the thin bezel allows for a large dial and excellent legibility.

For added sportiness, it is presented on a stainless steel bracelet with a satin finish. The crown is positioned at 3 o’clock and sits protected between crown guards. On each side of the crown guard, you can find chronograph push buttons.

The main theme of this watch is blue, and the dial has a matte/sunburst finish to it, but it is complemented by yellow accents which are subtle yet very important for the overall design of this watch. The dial has applied metal hour markers with luminescence applied to them. The hands follow the same theme and have a sword shape. The seconds hand is colored yellow.

Moving on to the functions, this is where the watch really shows what it’s all about. It features automatic timekeeping in 26 world cities and three chronograph subdials. For perfect accuracy, it uses atomic timekeeping Technology with Synchronized Time Adjustment which is available in all 26 Time Zones.

Furthermore, it has a Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, a 1/20 Second Chronograph, a power reserve indicator, as well as a 12/24-Hour Time.

Powering this watch and all of its different functions is a Japanese quartz movement with Eco-Drive technology, meaning it is powered by solar and ambient light.

Last but not least, it has an impressive water resistance of 200m/660 feet which makes it suitable for swimming.

All in all, this watch is a huge value proposition from Citizen. It has tons of functions and great attention to detail. Most importantly, it has a sporty yet versatile design that makes it suitable for many different occasions and everyday wear.

• Diameter : 43mm
• Water resistance : 200m/660 feet

Citizen Eco-Drive Calendrier Quartz BU2020-02A

The Citizen Eco-Drive Calendrier BU2020-02A is designed as a sporty timepiece but with a versatile twist to it.

The watch is designed to be sporty but to work on many different occasions and even for everyday wear, but it still has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 44mm, meaning it is large and requires a relatively large wrist to pull off. Overall, the case design is quite simple and has slim lugs with a polished bezel and polished, classic lugs.

The dial is where this watch stands out, with lots of different functions and great attention to detail. It has a white/silver-tone dial with applied metal hour markers and elegant blued sword-shaped hands with luminescence applied to them. The dial background has different patterns and is designed on different levels which provides depth and makes it more interesting.

Around the outer edge of the dial, you can find the abbreviations of different cities on the world time disc. Obviously, this is used for the world time function and for keeping track of the different time zones.

In addition to the world time function, it also shows the day, the date, and a few more functions.

Powering this watch is a quartz movement using Citizen’s signature Eco-Drive technology, meaning it gets energy from solar and ambient light.

For a more versatile and elegant appearance, it is presented on a blue croci-embossed leather strap with contrast stitching. It also has a deployment buckle with double push-button closure.

Last but not least, the watch has a water resistance of 100 m (330 ft).

• Diameter : 44mm
• Movement : Japanese quartz Eco-Drive
• Crystal : mineral

Seiko SPL057 Worldtimer

The Seiko SPL057 is a popular world time watch due to its classic and elegant design. Unlike many other world time watches, it does not have a bulky, large, and sporty design. In fact, quite the opposite.

The watch has a stainless steel case with a reasonable size of 40mm and a thickness of 10mm with a lug-to-lug of 46mm. The case has a classic and unique lug design where the lugs are curved. On top of the case sits Seiko’s signature Hardlex crystal.

The dial also has a classic design but also incorporates numerous useful functions. It has three sub-dials at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock which display the local time, and alarm. The different cities can be found around the reheat of this watch in 24-hour format. The dial has a dark green color with a Sunday finish which is very vibrant but also gives a classic look. The dial has yellow gold accents with applied Roman numerals and classic designs. Positioned at 3 o’clock, it has a date window with a yellow-gold metal frame around it.

The daily alarm function can be useful for reminders or as a wake-up clock. Powering it is the Seiko Caliber 5T82 Quartz. As we can expect, the water resistance isn’t great, at only 50 meters.

All in all, if you want an affordable world-time watch without having to opt for a sporty and robust timepiece, this is probably the best choice. This watch has a sleek and elegant design that works just as great with a suit as it does for everyday wear.

• Diameter : 40mm
• Thickness : 10mm
• Lug-to-lug : 46mm
• Movement : Seiko Caliber 5T82 Quartz  
• Crystal : Curved Hardlex
• Water Resistance : 50 meters

Citizen AT8110-53E World Chronograph A-T

The Citizen World Chronograph AT8110-53E is one of our favorite affordable world-time watches due to its stylish, sporty, yet refined design.

The watch has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 43mm with a thin polished bezel design and an elegant stainless steel bracelet with a fold-over clip with a push-button release. On top of the case sits a sapphire crystal. It is also quite slim with a thickness of only 10mm.

What stands out about this watch is its beautiful grey dial with a brushed finish and subtle circular details. The dial has applied metal hour markers and sword-shaped metal hands. At 4 o’clock on the dial, you have a date window that is always practical to have, and you’ll also find sub-dials in different sizes at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock.

The watch is powered by an Eco-Drive quartz movement which is powered by solar and ambient light. This is a very convenient technology that means you will never have to replace its batteries.

The water resistance is 100m/330 feet, meaning it is suitable for swimming but not diving.

This watch also has a number of features to offer in terms of functions, including a chronograph and a world timer, which can be found on the outer edge of the dial.

• Water resistance: 100m/330 feet
• Movement : Quartz Eco-Drive

Citizen BX1000-06L Eco-Drive World Time

For those who enjoy citizen watches but found the other timepieces we looked at a little too sporty, this is a great alternative. It is designed with a simple, clean, and versatile design with a sporty touch, making it suitable for everyday wear.

It has a stainless steel case with a diameter of 40mm and a thickness of 10mm which is a very reasonable size that works for many different wrist sizes and isn’t too big, nor too small for most wrists. The case has a thin polished bezel and brushed slim lugs. The crown is also somewhat protected by the crown guards which extend from the case. It has a sapphire crystal on top.

The dial is black but has a subtle pattern that is supposed to resemble the earth’s globe. This subtle design feature obviously goes well with this watch considering it also incorporates a world time function that displays 26 time zones. The names of the cities can be found printed on the dial. The applied metal hour markers with luminescence applied to them, as well as the sword-shaped hands with luminescence really enhance this watch’s appearance and shows that Citizen has paid attention to the details. In addition, they also improve the overall impression of quality and elegance.

Positioned at 3 o’clock, you’ll also find a date window which can be useful for everyday wear.

Powering this watch is a quartz movement that uses Citizen’s signature Eco-Drive technology, meaning it is powered by light. A very practical and convenient function.

The water resistance is 50m which, in practice means that it can resist water splashes but is not suitable for swimming or diving.

All in all, if you want a watch with a world-time function that can work for everyday wear and isn’t too sporty, this is a great option. If you don’t like this particular version, the model is also available in a few different iterations.

• Water resistance : 50m
• Crystal : Sapphire

Casio PAG240T Pathfinder Triple-Sensor

Last but not least, we have the Casio Pathfinder PAG240T. This is a tough, durable, and robust timepiece made for outdoor activities. This isn’t an everyday watch or an elegant timepiece, instead, it is built to handle the harshest conditions.

The watch has a robust 51mm stainless steel case with a mineral crystal. It is designed with an integrated bracelet design which is also made of titanium and has a double-locking fold-over clasp. The watch is completely digital and has an LCD screen with backlight and afterglow. The watch also incorporates Seiko’s solar technology which generates energy for this movement.

The watch has a triple sensor which includes a barometer, thermometer, and compass. Since it has found its way into this list, it also has a world time function that displays 31 time zones in 48 cities. In addition, it has a city code display, five daily alarms, an hourly time signal, a 1/100-second stopwatch, a full auto-calendar, as well as a countdown timer.

In other words, this watch is really PACKED with functions that are useful for outdoor activities.

The water resistance is pretty good as well at 100m/330 feet.

For the active explorer and outdoor enthusiast, this is the ultimate world-time watch.

• Diameter : 51mm
• Movement : Solar quartz

How does a world time watch work?

A watch with a world time function is a watch that is built for keeping track of a large number of time zones around the world, often 24.

World time watches work differently depending on how they are designed, and in particular if they are quartz or analog. But in general, an analog world time watch has an internal bezel that displays 24 world cities where each of the cities represents a different time zone. Complementing these markers, the watch usually has a 24-hour ring or hand that makes a full rotation per day.

To use a world time function, you set the bezel that tracks the time zones to your home time zone on the 24-hour ring and as time passes, the hand or bezel ring rotates. When the 24-hour ring points at a particular city, it tells you the time in that particular time zone.

What is the difference between GMT watch, Dual-time and world-time watch?

Even if some people use the terms interchangeably, there are differences between all of these. A dual-time watch is, as the name suggests, a watch that can keep track of two time zones simultaneously. Normally, dual-time watches use two-hour hands in the form of a main hour and a sub-dial.

A GMT watch is equipped with an additional hour hand at the center and is used together with 12-hour or 24-hour additional hour markings, oftentimes on the bezel, to present additional time zones. Watches with bidirectional rotating bezels have become more common in recent years as they allow you to keep track of additional time zones.

A world timer, is the king of timekeeping in timezones, as it is made for keeping track of a large number of time zones around the world – normally 24, and not just one or two.

History of the world-time watch

The world-time function was developed by the independent watchmaker Louis Cottier in early 1930. Shortly thereafter, many watch brands found the appeal and practicality of the world time function and incorporated it into their watches, including brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe.

One of the reasons why world-time watches are so popular is obviously the practicality of being able to keep track of a wide array of time zones around the world. But another reason, in particular when it comes to mechanical watches, is the complexity of making this function that people find so interesting. But with that said, the complexity of the world timer function, at least when it comes to mechanical watches, means that they are generally quite expensive. It is a true testimony of fine watchmaking and the art of mastering difficult mechanical complications.

Buying an affordable world time watch

The good news is that a world-time watch doesn’t have to break the bank. As more affordable watch brands have released world-time watches, and as new technology has come about (including quartz and digital movements), this function is not only reserved for the fortunate few who can spend thousands and thousands on a watch.

Today, there are world-time watches in all price ranges, from Patek Philippe world time watches for 100.000 to affordable ones like the Seiko SPL057.

When buying a world-time watch, you obviously need to consider whether you want an analog or digital watch. Both of these have their pros and cons, and it all depends on your needs and preferences.

In addition to choosing the movement that powers it, you have all the usual considerations that go into buying any watch. The most important criteria are:

• Style of the watch (do you want a dress watch, sports watch, dive watch, or something else?)
• Which color on the dial do you want?
• Do you need good water resistance?
• What type of strap do you want? Metal, rubber, leather?

Keeping these criteria in mind will allow you to make a choice of the watch that suits your needs, tastes, and preferences the most.

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6 of the Best Travel Watches Around Right Now

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Rolex Explorer II Read more

Bell & Ross BR03-93 GMT Read more

Breitling Chronomat UTC Read more

Chopard L.U.C Time Traveler One Black Read more

If nothing else, the last year or so has made foreign travel an adventure again, at least for those who enjoy navigating their way through vaccination regimes and test requirements. It feels long ago when instead the burning question was whether it’s cocktail hour at the destination yet.

For the well-prepared traveler, the answer is on your wrist, as one of the few really useful complications watchmakers offer is the ability to show two or more time zones at a glance. Simply put, a “complication” in watch parlance is any function on a timepiece other than showing the time, such as a stopwatch or moon-phase display. Of course, you can do it in your head or use a world-time app on your phone, but a GMT or worldtimer saves you the bother and looks considerably more stylish. 

However, as easy as it is for you to decipher, showing multiple time zones is a significant challenge for both the watchmakers and the designer, as there’s always a tradeoff between simplicity and utility. How do you want the second time zone to be set? Should it link to the date? Do the time zones need to be named? How do you make sure the “travel” time is sufficiently distinct from the “home” time? What about places with just 30-minute differences? 

Here is our edit of some of the best mechanical worldtimers you can get right now, from entry level to high-end. All should serve you well, wherever your travels—once they begin again in earnest—may take you.

The standard approach to a GMT watch is exemplified by the Explorer II from Rolex, which has a second hour in bright orange that runs on a 24-hour cycle: set this 24-hour hand for your second time zone, then read the hour off the bezel scale, and minutes as normal. 

The design is built entirely around the presence of the extra hand and the bezel, with the contrast between hour and GMT hands being a feature rather than a hindrance (whether that’s a good thing is a straightforward matter of taste).

It’s simple, effective, and, as it’s a Rolex, bomb-proof. And even if you’re not traveling across time zones, Rolex points out that it might be useful for distinguishing day from night, should you emerge from a storm in an Arctic high summer.

This new version retains the signature 42mm sizing (want a larger case? Look to the brand's rugged 43mm Sea-Dweller and 44mm Deepsea). Inside is the in-house caliber 3285 power plant, new in the Explorer II, and the same currently found in the GMT-Master II. 

The really good news is this 3285 automatic movement—powered by the natural movement of the body as you wear it—packs in the best that Rolex currently offers: Chronergy escapement, 70 hours of power reserve, blue Parachrom balance spring and Paraflex shock absorbers. What does all this mean? A much more accurate, efficient, and robust piece that keeps running much longer after you've stopped wearing it.

There is currently no way to purchase a Rolex online. You will need to use Rolex's dealer locator that we've linked to below. This page has the model information you'll want to share with a dealer.

The same solution seen in the Rolex is behind Bell & Ross’s BR03-93 GMT, but the design makes the GMT more subservient to the watch design, obviously derived from the modular format of cockpit instruments, an aviation-inspired look that Bell & Ross has come to dominate over its 30-year history. 

One difference here is that the bezel can be turned, giving the watch more flexibility in terms of the extra time zone (the bezel is rotated however many hours difference between home time and the third zone to see the time in that destination without having to set the watch). Some will welcome that, others will see it as a complication too far, but it’s a smart watch that delivers a design presence that Rolex doesn’t look for. Speaking of which, the popular colorways of red and black—the "Coke" look as opposed to the red and blue "Pepsi" style—will justifiably draw attention.

The sturdy 42mm watch also has 100-meter water resistance, a 42-hour power reserve, curved anti-reflective sapphire crystal, and a small, subtle rounded date window towards the 4:30 position. Yes, you get a black calfskin leather strap, but we prefer this ultra-resilient synthetic fabric option.

Breitling’s Chronomat UTC offers a brutally effective, if not especially subtle, solution to the demand for worldtimer watches: fit a completely separate mini, quartz-powered watch into the strap . 

It helps that the Chronomat is a hefty piece of kit to begin with—44mm by 14.45mm, so the extra bulk shouldn’t be an issue. The mechanical movement has 70 hours of power reserve, which is the length of time it continues to tick once you have removed the Chronomat from your wrist. It's also water-resistant up to 200 meters.

The “UTC" name references Coordinated Universal Time, or UTC , the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time and is not adjusted for daylight saving, making it effectively a successor to Greenwich Mean Time, or GMT, which is where worldtimers derive their alternative moniker from.

The Chronomat was inspired by the Frecce Tricolori watch that Breitling created for the Italian Air Force’s aerobatic fleet back in 1983, and is very much an all-purpose sports watch, which explains why the second time zone function was incorporated into the strap and not the watch itself.

There’s an alternative solution that can be seen in Chopard’s latest travel watch, the L.U.C Time Traveler One Black, which is to show time everywhere in the world at once, via an arrangement of counter-rotating discs on the edge of the dial. 

Amazingly, it’s almost suspiciously easy to read—the number below the city is the time there—but it needs a sensitive designer to manage the hierarchy of information delivered. Going monotone, as Chopard’s watch shows, is a beautifully effective way of doing just that. 

It's actually based on the Time Traveler One launched back in 2016, but now with an added dose of modernity thanks to that monochrome color palette that extends to the 42mm ceramised titanium case (which has a hardness of 700 Vickers when 316L stainless steel has a hardness of 150 to 200 Vickers). On closer inspection, it's not black but myriad subtle shades of gray. This is the secret to the watch's legibility. 

One the outside of the dial is a city disc, marked with 24 locations around the globe. The crown at 4 o’clock lets the user rotate this city disc. When the chosen city for the local time is set at the 12 o’clock position, you can determine the prevailing hour in all of those 24 locations simultaneously.

Boone Ashworth

Carlton Reid

Reece Rogers

TAG Heuer has just dropped three new 2022 Autavia models comprising two new chronograph models and this, a three-hand GMT model—a first for TAG's Autavia collection to mark the line's 60th year.

Fitted with an automatic movement that will keep running up to 50 hours after you've taken the watch off, the piece focuses on simplicity and legibility: numerals and hands coated with glow-in-the-dark Super-LumiNova on an uncluttered blue dial contained in a 42mm steel case that's water-resistant to 100 meters. 

The addition of easily interchangeable straps is another boon, with traditional stainless-steel or  leather straps as well as on-trend woven NATO bands, too.

Not all globe-trotting GMT watches cost the Earth. Christopher Ward's C63 Sealander GMT has a pleasingly classic style yet costs a fraction of the other pieces here. You get a round stainless steel 39mm case secure to 150 meters, a power reserve that extends to 56 hours, and this piece is the first from the brand to use its new automatic movement that not only adds the display of a second time zone (indicated by the large orange hand), but also allows for a slightly more precise GMT setting than the previous version. 

It is available in black, white, green or blue polished lacquer dials, boasts an anti-shock system and is compatible with a range quick-change straps that includes this options made from recycled ocean plastic.

In the past, a criticism levied at Christopher Ward has been a tendency to add unnecessary information and clutter to its dials, as it did with its 2014 C900 Worldtimer, but here there are no such issues. It's smart and simple. 

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Medea Giordano

Jeremy White

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Home » Gear » best travel watch

17 Best Travel Watches for your Travel Style in 2024

If there is ever a time to have a trustworthy watch, it’s when traveling. A great travel watch can save your ass time and time again. Journeys of all kinds rely on being in the right place at the right time – to catch a flight, meet up with a guide, claim that restaurant reservation, or check in to a hotel.

Though other bits of gear, like smartphones, have usurped the role of the watch for many in everyday life, with changes in time zone and attempts to get away from the constant demands of working life, there’s still no single item more useful to the modern traveler than a good watch.

Besides, in certain places, you want to reduce how often you’re pulling out your phone. A travel watch can keep your smartphone from getting snatched in busy urban areas, where it’s all too common.

Here we bring you what we believe are the very best travel watches to keep you on schedule!

Quick Answer: The Best Travel Watches

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• Best men’s travel watch – Casio G-Shock Gravity Master
• Best women’s travel watch – Timex Women’s Ironman Transit
• Most attractive travel watch – Nordgreen Influencer
• Best watch under $500 – Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
• Best watch under $100 – SOLARMATE watch CITIZEN Q
• Best analogue travel watch – Tissot Seastar 1000
• Best digital travel watch – DIDITIME Sports and Military Watch
• Best travel watch for hikers – Samsung Galaxy Watch
• Best smart watch for staying fit while traveling – Fitbit Charge 4
• Best travel watch with GPS – Garmin Fenix Chronos

Casio G-Shock Gravity Master

• > Protective body
• > Water resistant to 200 m

Timex Women’s Ironman Transit

• > Durable on the go
• > Follows two time zones

Nordgreen Pioneer

• > Quality Build
• > Interchangeable Straps

Garmin Instinct 2 Solar

• Price > $$$
• > GPS tracking and route finding
• > Web connectivity

SOLARMATE watch CITIZEN Q

• > Large digital display
• > Metal wristband

Tissot Seastar 1000

• Price > $$$$
• > Luminous hands
• > Large face

DIDITIME Sports and Military Watch

• > Fabric strap

Samsung Galaxy Watch

• > In-built GPS
• > 4-day battery life

Fitbit Charge 4

• > Measures heart rate without chest strap
• > GPS connectivity

Garmin Fenix Chronos

• > TracBack GPS feature
• > Activity monitor

• > Great look
• > Water resistant

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The Casio G-Shock Gravity Master is a serious travel watch for serious travelers. What makes it so great? First off, the microchips and inner workings of the G-Shock Gravity Master are encased in a body that protects from sudden shocks such as dropping or knocking, centrifugal forces, and vibration. Then there’s the fact this watch is water resistant down to 200 meters, meaning evening scuba diving is an option with this watch. Finally, techies, in particular, will love the fact that the G-Shock Gravity Master will automatically synchronize to your time zone when you reach a destination – using a combination of GPS and radio waves. How cool is that!

• Protective body
• Water resistant to 200 m
• Automatic synchronization to time zone
• A little bulky for some
• Analogue-digital display
• Imported from US for UK customers
• 52 mm diameter

Is the Casio G-Shock Gravity Master for me?

If you’re a frequent traveler or you simply struggle with working out time zones when you do, the Casio G-Shock Gravity Master is definitely the travel watch for you! Not only does it use GPS technology to ensure it’s always synchronized to the correct time (even taking account of daylight saving time!), its hard protective body and impressive level of water resistance mean you’ll never find yourself without a functioning watch when away.

The Women’s Ironman Transit by Timex offers a great blend of functionality and style. The relatively large digital display makes it super easy to check the time while moving, whether you’re on a busy underground train or scaling a mountain on a rope harness. The resin case means it will resist knocks, while the strap is durable and easily cleaned. The clock itself has the option of two different time zones, so you can keep a clear idea of the time at home, and a customizable alarm, which is always a useful feature while traveling. What’s more, it’s also water resistant to a depth of 100 meters! What more could you want?

• Durable on the go
• Follows two time zones
• Water resistant
• Resin strap
• Simple buckle closure
• No automatic synchronization of time zones
• Digital display

Is the Timex Women’s Ironman Transit for me?

The answer is undoubtedly yes! Its stylish modern design of smooth lines and molded resin certainly means it looks the part, while the ability to follow two time zones, the customizable alarm, and water resistance down to 100 m also means it acts the part! It may not have some of the bells and whistles of other travel watches on our list, but we still love it!

Nordgreen Pionee r

Not every travel watch has to feature James Bond level gadgets and gizmos. The Nordgreen Pioneer is an industry leader when it comes to producing quality minimalist watch designs that are fit for your days exploring cities and nights on the town. A big selling point for this watch is that you can easily change out the bands if you are feeling like a different look/color (bands sold separately).

The combination of sleek specs like the domed Sapphire crystal face and Japanese quartz make for a watch that you will be using for many years to come. In addition to being a sexy travel watch – the Nordgreen Pioneer also is a great everyday watch. 

• Minimalist design
• Comes with Steel Case
• Water-Resistant
• Scandinavian Made
• Extra Watch band colors not included
• No smart technology
• No alarm feature

Is the Nordgreen Pioneer for me?

If you are looking for a no-frills watch that looks much more high-end then the price reflects, this is the watch for you. As mentioned, the Pioneer is not just a travel watch – and it is classy enough for use in a professional setting as well as when you are not on holiday. 

Just scrapping under the $500/£390 mark at its full recommended retail price, the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar gives the widest array of features for a travel watch under $500. Coming from a trusted brand like Garmin, you know what you are getting here! What we also love the most is that being solar powered it will basically stay charged indefinitely if you spend a few hours a day outside, pretty rad! It’s also got stealth mode to disable wireless communication if you’re going to be doing some rogue ops or just don’t want your crazy girlfriend to know your whereabouts!!

Other cool features include built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter plus multiple global navigation satellite systems meaning you can track your adventures over varied and challenging terrain. You’ll never be lost again!

If that wasn’t enough, this watch also boasts several built-in sports tracking modes like running, biking, swimming and strength training as well as tracking for things like heart rate, VO2 max and sleep!

• Tested to military standards
• GPS tracking and route finding
• Real-time weather information
• Web connectivity
• Requires USB charging
• Nylon strap
• Not touchscreen

Is the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar for me?

You don’t have to be a hardened adventure to see the benefits of the Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor Watch by Suunto. If you’ve ever got hopelessly lost in a foreign city you’ll really appreciate the real-time GPS tracking and route finding functions, while its web connectivity will ensure you can stay in contact with friends and family while away too!

Want to compare this watch to other awesome outdoor models? Check out our EPIC review of the best outdoor watches .

We think the SOLARMATE watch CITIZEN Q is simply a bargain for what it offers! Deep within the inner workings, you’ll find (if you were ever to look), a movement by Japanese watchmakers Citizen, and a battery meant to last three years. On the outside, you have a large, easy to read, digital display with a classy metal band. The watch is also waterproof so you’ll have no issues taking anywhere you end up on your travels.

• Great price
• Trustworthy internal workings
• Large digital display
• Metal wristband
• Only water resistant to 50 m
• Not great for slim wrists
• No second time zone function

Is the SOLARMATE watch CITIZEN Q for me?

You don’t have to be counting the pennies to think that the SOLARMATE watch CITIZEN Q is a great buy for what it offers. For an incredible price, you get a trustworthy brand, and an easy-to-read digital display alongside waterproofing and a nice look. Brilliant!

Although aimed at the diving market, the Swiss-engineered Tissot Seastar 1000 is just as functional as a general analogue travel watch. The large face makes it easy to read the luminous dials even in the low light of an aircraft cabin or a candle-lit restaurant, while maintaining enough style to ensure you won’t feel embarrassed at wearing it even at more formal occasions. The tough body will keep it safe from knocks, while the resin strap is comfortable and easy to keep clean. As you might expect, the Seastar 1000 also has an impressive degree of water resistance too – safe down to 300 m!

• Luminous hands
• Water resistant to 300 m
• Lacks GPS features
• Not as tough as the Casio G-Shock Gravity Master

Is the Tissot Seastar 1000 for me?

Having been making watches for more than one and a half centuries, Tissot is clearly doing something right! Their Seastar 1000 is no exception, with this analogue travel watch bringing a touch of class to the proceedings. But more than just having a pretty face (very literally) its also functional thanks to luminous hands and water resistance to 300 m.

From the best analogue travel watch to the best digital watch of our reckoning with this number from DIDITIME. It can be argued whether the best digital watch should be as simple as possible or as feature heavy as possible – we’ve sided with simple. But simplicity doesn’t mean you’re laying aside reliability – the DIDITIME is based around a Japanese-made movement and battery for precision timing. The time/date display, auto calendar, alarm, and backlight are matched nicely by the black fabric strap, and protected by the carbon fibre case.

• Japanese movement
• Fabric strap
• Lacks features of other digital watches we’ve covered
• Not suitable for submersion
• No analogue dial
• Some customers mention build issues

Is the DIDITIME Sports and Military Watch for me?

If you’re after a digital watch that can tell you exactly where you are at any given time and what the weather is likely to be in the next couple of hours, we’d recommend the Garmin Solar 2 Watch, however if you’re looking for a simple digital display with which to tell the time, this DIDITIME watch will be perfect for you!

It’s a fact of life that tech has encroached into the world of hiking as much as other sports and activities, and while a paper map and physical compass is always a good idea, a lot of the hard work of route finding can be made simple with a watch such as this Samsung Galaxy offering. As well as keeping you connected with calls and messages straight to your wrist to keep you hands-free, the Samsung Galaxy also automatically (yes, automatically) detects movement and activity and monitors it for you. This watch also has in-built GPS, so you can follow pre-planned routes or find a short cut home on the move effortlessly!

• Lets you stay connected hands-free
• Automatically detects and monitors activity
• In-built GPS
• 4-day battery life
• Requires regular charging
• Water-resistant to only 50 m
• Weighs 300 g

Is the Samsung Galaxy Watch for me?

If you’re an Apple fan, look away now…While a smart watch may not be the obvious choice for hikers, the Samsung Galaxy watch does in fact make a fine travel watch for hikers. Why? Because you can stay connected, have your activity monitored without even having to touch a screen, and have the safety and security of GPS route finding as well!

Market leaders are market leaders for a reason, and the Charge 4 by Fitbit remains to our mind the best smart watch for staying fit while traveling. The smooth lines of the Charge 4 monitor your heart rate from your wrist – meaning no unwieldy chest strap for starters. Its all-day activity tracking measures distance, steps, and calories among other metrics, and can remind you to move if you’ve remained still for longer periods. Finally, with its GPS connectivity, you can see real-time stats in addition to your current location and route!

• Stylish look
• Measures heart rate without chest strap
• All-day metric measurement
• GPS connectivity
• Requires regular charging (every 4+ days)
• Additional accessories cost extra
• Touch screen scratches quite easily
• Two-year warranty

Is the Fitbit Charge 4 for me?

Staying fit while traveling used to be difficult to monitor, what with the change in routine (and the added calories that undoubtedly come with many types of travel!). Then the Fitbit Charge 4 came along, with the possibility to record metrics from heart rate to steps taken without issue, alongside the brilliant functionality of GPS connectivity.

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You’ve got to love GPS, don’t you? Endlessly useful in your home town and abroad, its certainly saved us from all manner of potential pitfalls! The Garmin Fenix Chronos is a masterly GPS-enabled travel watch, with a tracking log for pinpoint accuracy and its ‘TracBack’ feature that helps users head back the same way you’ve come. But as well as GPS functionality the Fenix Chronos has ABC (or altitude, barometer, and compass) functions, and will record and monitor your activity levels, whatever sport or activity you’re undertaking. All this, smart phone connectivity, and a battery life of up to eight days make this the best travel watch with GPS for us!

• TracBack GPS feature
• Altitude, Barometer, and compass readings
• Activity monitor
• 8 day battery life
• Leather strap
• Water resistance to just 100 m
• Has a traditional look some users may not like

Is the Garmin Fenix Chronos for me?

If you’re regularly traveling, looking for the very best of travel watches with GPS, we think you’ve probably found it with the Garmin Fenix Chronos! The ‘TracBack’ feature will be really useful for many, while more seasoned adventures will love the ABC functionality too!

The FIZILI’s combination of ageless elegance and simple minimalist design makes their watch a hands-down winner. Their travel watch, just like the Nomatic travel bag , is extremely versatile; it can be used whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure, and when roughing it or in the highest-end resorts – without looking out of place.

There are a whole number of different colourways to choose from too, whether you want the uber cool black-on-black look or you want to throw in some red highlights or a blue face, there’s even gold, silver and blue wristbands available too.

Is the FIZILI for me?

If you’re after a pared-back but classy travel watch which you know you can rely on while on the move the FIZILI is the perfect choice for you. With a style that looks great in any situation, the quality steel mesh strap and the variety of different styles means there’s something to suit everyone and at this price you could buy them all!

Shinola Runwell

Detroit’s Shinola has a growing legion of fans on both sides of the Atlantic, and travelers old and new will be sure to fall for the Runwell too. This analogue watch has a traditional look, complete with a real leather strap, while ensuring a large face to ensure the clock face is easy to read whatever the light levels. The sapphire crystal window is scratch resistant, which is obviously ideal when traveling, and the watch is also water resistant down to 50 m – more than deep enough for a swim in the hotel pool!

• Beautifully styled traditional look
• Scratch resistant sapphire crystal window
• Water resistance to 50 m
• Imported from the US for UK customers
• Luminous hands but no backlight
• Not for budget travelers
• No GPS functionality

Is the Shinola Runwell for me?

The style-conscious traveler will be very happy to be seen wearing the Shinola Runwell, as a result of its phenomenal looks and literally crystal-clear analogue display. But this watch isn’t just style over substance, with durability built in with the leather strap, scratch resistance, and water resistance. When looking for a traditional and trustworthy watch, the Shinola Runwell is a great option!

Seiko SEIKO SRPE99 Prospex

The SEIKO SRPE99 Prospex watch comes with a stainless steel bracelet style strap that slips over the hand to close. The 21 jewels used in its analogue movement ensure accuracy, and although this is an automatic movement – rather than a battery-powered one – it has a power reserve of 40 hours, meaning you can forget to wear it for an entire day without having to manual wind the watch on to restart it. The face incorporates a very useful day and date window, that will surely stay clear as a result of the scratch resistant Hardlex crystal glass. The fact it’s a diver’s watch also means it boasts water resistance to a depth of 200 m.

• 21 jewel movement
• 40-hour power reserve
• Scratch resistant Hardlex crystal glass
• Automatic movement
• Metal bracelet style strap
• Intended as a men’s watch

Is the Seiko Divers Automatic for me?

If you’re an experienced diver you’ll be probably looking for a more sophisticated divers watch than that offered by the Seiko Divers Automatic. However, for mere mortals, this watch reaches the right balance between everyday practicality and specialization. Accurate and tough, we can’t see the Seiko Divers Automatic letting you down!

Timex Expedition Scout

The Timex Expedition Scout offers an analogue face with both twelve- and twenty-four-hour time settings, and accuracy you know you can trust. This rugged outdoor watch is protected by a durable body that is guaranteed to be water resistant down to a depth of 50 m and has the added feature of an ‘Indiglo’ light-up watch face. There’s also a quick date window on the face so you’ll never lose track of the time or date, while the classic yet contemporary look will have to check the time far more than is actually necessary!

• 12 and 24-hour dial settings
• Water resistant to 50 m
• Indiglo light-up dial
• Analogue watch
• Lacks different time zone settings
• Date but no day window on face

Is the Timex Expedition Scout for me?

Forget those tempting added features of other watches in our review, the Expedition Scout is a good ‘solid’ watch that will see you through while always looking fresh and up to the minute thanks to its classic looks.

Suunto Core

The brother of the Suunto Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor, you might consider the Core the more basic (and also cheaper) of the two watches, but that’s not to say the Core is not a fantastic travel watch in and of itself. Though it obviously doesn’t match all the Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor’s incredible functions – such as being military grade – this unisex watch still has a lot of flash features of its own! Its barometric altitude measurements, depth gauge, and weather warnings make it an ideal companion in the Alps if you’re hiking, snowshoeing, or skiing, where its tough enough to do the job thanks to a metal casing. Comprising aluminium, it keeps the watch light, while it has a battery life of up to a year, meaning you have little worry over when it’s going to need its next charge!

• Dedicated mountain watch
• Cheaper than the Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor
• Detailed altitude and depth measurements
• Lightweight
• Water resistant to just 30 m
• No GPS tracking
• Too large for some wrists
• No different time zone settings

Is the Suunto Core for me?

Avid skiers and mountaineers are the target market for the Suunto Core, and they are undoubtedly the group of people likely to get the most benefit from wearing the Core thanks to its barometric data, altitude graphics and depth gauge. The rest of us will just have to make do with having a pretty cool watch on our wrists!

North Edge Dive and Sports Watch

North Edge brings us this travel watch which is water resistant to a depth of 100 m, meaning you can check out its analogue-digital face pretty much anywhere you choose – from a city centre café to a shipwreck on a coral reef! The large backlit dial makes it easy to read the time too, while the mineral glass mirror surface is resistant to scratches and the body protective against knocks and bumps. This clever little watch is also capable of monitoring steps with its pedometer, and calculating calories burnt, as well as offering users the ABC of altimeter, barometer, and compass too!

• Trusted brand
• Analogue-digital face
• Water resistant to 100 m
• ABC functions
• Intended for men only
• No GPS tracking or route finding
• Stainless steel strap
• Not the longest battery life when heavily used

Is the North Face Dive and Sports Watch for me?

This dive and sports watch by North Edge should definitely find its way onto your shortlist for best travel watch, combining traditional analogue looks with the benefits of digital technology. It has great features for anyone who likes to get outdoors, from mountains to seabed, making it a good all-round travel watch!

Lad Weather Sensor Master III

Look at the full list of what the Lad Weather Sensor Master III can track and you’ll feel like you’ve got NASA monitoring your every move, calories, highest peaks, lap speed, total distance…. We could fill up this entire space just listing them! So this watch by Lad Weather certainly meets the need of anyone who likes (or needs) to record data while travelling. What also makes it a great travel watch is the fact it is preset with 59 city time zones, can provide a weather forecast for your location, has two daily alarms, AND is water resistant to 100 m – far deeper then you’ll ever head unless scuba diving!

• Fantastic data collection
• Preset city time zones
• Weather forecasting
• Overly complicated for some travellers
• Large dial face
• Thermometer function can be affected by body heat
• Plastic dial window

Is the Lad Weather Sensor Master III for me?

Greatly improved over the Sensor Master I, the Sensor Master III is a phenomenal travel watch by Lad Weather. Having clearly absorbed customer feedback from the previous models, this travel watch is both well protected against physical damage and packed full of very useful monitoring and forecasting data!

Luminox Navy SEAL Colormark

And finally… we bring you the Luminox Navy SEAL Colormark, and unbeatable travel watch when it comes to durability! Comprising an incredibly light carbon compound case, this analogue watch has been tested to 20 atmospheres of pressure, has a window made from tempered mineral glass, and has the added protected of a double-gasket security crown. The large numbers on the face make it easy to read in all light levels, although the in-built Luminox light technology will provide constant night lighting for up to 25 years! The Swiss-made movement comes with a two-year guarantee against faults, providing added peace of mind!

• Very light on the wrist
• Added Luminox light technology
• Swiss-made movement for precision
• Analogue rather than digital
• Large bezel numbers can confuse with time

Is the Luminox Navy SEAL Colormark for me?

If it’s good enough for the Navy SEALs its good enough for us, right? As you would expect from a watch made for military personnel this Luminox is as tough as old boots and you’d have to really go out of your way to damage it – great news for all travellers! It also has a Swiss-made movement for accuracy, and innovative lighting technology for checking the time in the dark.

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

What is the most stylish travel watch?

Our favorite is the Nordgreen Pioneer . With the changeable straps and the sleek design you can combine it with every outfit. It’s also relatively affordable.

What is the most practical travel watch?

The Suunto Traverse Alpha GPS Outdoor Watch is a military tested travel watch that stands out with amazing features. You can connect it to the internet, track your location precisely and get real-time weather information.

Smart watch, digital or analogue?

What kind of watch you should purchase really depends on what your travels will look like. If you can afford it, a smart watch will always offer the most features, while a digital or analogue watch is way more reliable.

What does a a travel watch need?

A travel watch needs to be reliable, durable and ideally, track your location. Especially for backpackers and hikers, a GPS tracker to look back at miles and location comes in very handy sometimes.

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There we have it – the very best of the best when it comes to travel watches. Whether you prefer a simpler analogue watch, want a digital watch with GPS tracking and route-finding, or are happy with a travel watch that looks stylish whatever the backdrop, we’re sure you’ll find your next travel timepiece among these fantastic watches!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

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Check out Vaer watches. Swiss ETA movement, American assembly. 100M water resistant with a screw down crown. To me, it’s a much better value than the Nomad.

Hi Joel, Indeed we will check out Vaer watches, thanks for the heads up.

The Nomatic battery does not last 45 years! No watch battery does. It’s rated for 45 months.

Thanks for the correction Dwight! Indeed, no battery will last 45 years :).

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Timex Unveils The Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph Watch

Arguably the most significant release from Timex in recent years has been the Q Timex from 2019 that faithfully reimagines one of the brand’s quartz-powered sports watch from 1979. While the original revival model offered quick access to a secondary time zone with its rotating blue and red bezel, Timex has expanded upon the modern Q platform over the years and now offers the collection in a number of different designs and configurations. The latest release from the brand for 2023 is the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph, which pairs a set of independently adjustable hour hands with a quartz chronograph movement and a rotating 12-hour bezel to create a highly practical (and affordable) timepiece that promises quite a lot of travel-ready functionality for what is still very much a budget-friendly price.

The case of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is crafted from stainless steel and measures 40mm in diameter by 11.5mm-thick, with 18mm lugs and a rotating 12-hour bezel. A mineral glass crystal sits above the dial, while a screw-on caseback is fitted to the reverse side of the watch with a separate hatch for the battery that can be opened by using the edge of a coin or your finger. A signed crown flanked by a pair of pushers offers access to the quartz chronograph movement, while water resistance comes in at a fairly standard 50 meters, although I would have zero hesitations about wearing the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph for a quick swim considering that the brand considers 50 meters to be suitable for “washing hands, light swimming, snorkeling, and poolside diving” (based upon the literature available on its official website).

At the time of launch, Timex offers the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph with the option of either a black, white, or green dial, and while the standard models are fitted with black rubber straps, the black and white dial variants are also available with the option of a stainless steel flat-link bracelet. Regardless of dial color, all of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watches are fitted with black 12-hour bezels, and while the rubber straps are completed by standard stainless steel pin buckles, the metal bracelet features a folding clasp with a double push-button release. Additionally, while the rubber straps appear to be fitted with standard spring bars that are accessible via cutouts on the underside (aka the normal method), the stainless steel bracelet attaches to the case with quick-release spring bars, meaning that it can easily be swapped out without the use of any tools.

The layout of the dials for the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watches all feature three registers in a 6-9-12 formation, with a date window at 4:30. The register at 12 o’clock displays a 24-hour representation of the time in the reference time zone, while the register at 9 o’clock is a 60-minute totalizer for the chronograph. Meanwhile, the register at 6 o’clock measures seconds, as does the centrally mounted seconds hand, although it’s not quite clear which one is the seconds totalizer for the chronograph, and which one is the running seconds for the time (as both are moving during the various promotional videos for the watch). Other than listing the movement as a quartz chronograph, Timex doesn’t specify which caliber is used to power the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph, so this is likely one that I will want to get my hands on in the metal to flush out some of the finer details about its functionality.

At the center of the dial are four hands, with two independently adjustable hour hands for displaying the time. After emailing Timex to clarify their functionality, it has been confirmed that the two centrally-mounted hour hands are both 12-hour hands and that the 24-hour time displayed by the sub-dial at 12 o’clock is linked to the thin arrow-tipped hour hand, which allows it to serve as an AM/PM indicator for reference time. Therefore, two time zones can be displayed by the pair of centrally-mounted independently adjustable hour hands, while the third time zone can be quickly accessed by rotating the 12-hour bezel to correspond with the number of hours offset from the reference time zone.

What still remains unclear about the functionality of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is whether the date is linked to the local time (the Mercedes style hour hand) or the reference time (the thin arrow-tipped hour hand). Similarly, it’s also unclear which of the two hour hands can be adjusted independently, and whether this feature takes the place of a quickset for the date (like on a Rolex GMT-Master II), or if the hour hand and date are set in opposite directions, such as on “caller” style GMT movements like the ETA 2893 or Seiko NH34. Despite emailing with Timex to clarify certain aspects about the watch’s core features, I still have some remaining questions about the finer points of its functionality, so I will definitely try to get my hands on a sample of the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph to put it through its paces for a proper hands-on review.

While it may offer a wealth of travel-oriented functionality, the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is still a battery-powered quartz timepiece that is made by the number-one selling watch brand in America, and as such, it is firmly priced on the affordable end of the spectrum. With an official retail price of $219 USD when purchased on a rubber strap, or $239 USD should buyers opt for the stainless steel bracelet, the new Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph is less expensive than a MoonSwatch, while simultaneously offering significantly more functionality and a more elevated on-wrist experience. Provided that the various features are implemented in a local and efficient manner, this new model may be a contender for the perfect budget-friendly travel watch for summer, although I will have to reserve my final judgments until I get a chance to check one out in the metal and flush out some of the finer details of its operation. For more information on the Q Timex Three Time Zone Chronograph watch, please visit the brand’s website . 

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Tested: The Absolute Best GMT Travel Watches for Your Collection

By: Ethan Brehm Published: Oct 25, 2023

By: Ethan Brehm and Johnny Brayson Published: Oct 25, 2023

Contributors

With the holidays upon us, many are preparing for their trips, both near and far. But in order to travel, one needs certain accouterments. A suitcase is essential, a passport sure comes in handy, and comfy travel clothes are a must. And then there’s the GMT travel watch. You may think that you don’t need a watch while on vacation . After all, your phone tells you the time, right? But you’d be wrong, as the best GMT watches are indispensable travel partners.

Yes, your phone tells you the time, but does it tell you the local time as well as the time at home at a glance? Didn’t think so. A GMT watch will do this, offering you the time in two places at once with a quick look at your wrist. Not only that, but the best GMT travel watches will also complement any outfit you have on and act as a companion that accompanies you on all your excursions , making memories alongside you. Are we being just a bit romantic about GMT watches? Maybe, but once you know the history of the GMT watch, it’s hard not to wax poetic about them.

Best GMT Watches Breakdown

Best Quartz GMT

Q Timex GMT 38mm

Best Budget Automatic GMT

Seiko 5 Sports SKX Sports Style GMT

Best Microbrand GMT

Lorier Hyperion Series II

Best GMT Diver

Mido Ocean Star GMT

Best Office GMT

Monta Skyquest

Best Vintage-Inspired GMT

Longines Spirit Zulu Time

Best Quartz True GMT

Grand Seiko SBGN027

Best Overall GMT

Tudor Black Bay GMT

Honorable Mention

Rolex GMT Master II

The gmt’s high-flying history.

Come Fly With Me

GMT watches often conjure images of mid-century jetsetters and playboy pilots — think Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can and you’ll be on the right track. That’s because the watches were born in that era for those types of customers. Back in the early 1950s, long-haul intercontinental flights were becoming more and more common. Pan Am, the largest airline of the day, put out a request to watch companies to develop a watch that could track two timezones simultaneously so pilots could monitor the time at both their destination and origin. Two companies answered the call. The first was Glycine, which unveiled the Airman in 1953. That watch kept time on a 24-hour scale, with a rotating 24-hour bezel for tracking a second timezone. The next year, Rolex introduced the GMT Master. It kept time on a standard 12-hour scale but incorporated a fourth hand that made its way around the dial once every 24 hours. A rotating 24-hour bezel was employed here as well, allowing the wearer to track a second timezone on the fourth hand while still reading their current time on a 12-hour scale. Rolex’s design took off like a rocket, and other manufacturers began producing their own GMT watches based on the Rolex template. The age of the GMT watch had begun.

Video Guide: The Best GMT Travel Watches

While we’re suckers for the written word, nothing beats seeing our favorite GMT travel watches in all of their 4k glory.

Types Of GMT Watches

True Vs. Office

True GMT: When researching GMT watches, you may have come across the term “True GMT” and wondered what it meant. In 1983, Rolex made GMT history again. The brand introduced the GMT Master II, a new version of their travel watch icon with a handy new feature. The movement in the GMT Master II allows you to independently adjust the hour hand without stopping the seconds hand or disturbing the other hands. That means that, if your GMT hand is set to your home time, all you have to do when traveling is pop your hour hand over to quickly set your new local time. It’s a faster and more convenient way to set your watch for travel, and some watch enthusiasts consider it to be the only “true” GMT there is. That’s, of course, nonsense — there were GMT watches for nearly 30 years before this type of movement existed — but GMTs with this type of movement, also called a “flyer” GMT, are slightly better for travel.

Office GMT: The other type of (more common) GMT is the “office” or “caller” GMT. Instead of having an independently adjustable hour hand, these GMTs have independently adjustable GMT hands. This is far more convenient if you want to track a second timezone while you’re at home — as someone in a west coast office may do if they have East Coast colleagues — but it isn’t the most convenient arrangement when traveling.

Having said that, we’re talking about a minute or less in the difference it takes to set your local time on a “true” vs “office” GMT, so really any GMT watch will work just fine when traveling.

How We Tested

Our Selection Process

You could easily make a case that enthusiasm for wristwatches has never been higher than it is right now. We’ve seen a definite influx among younger wearers, who are taken by the idea of mechanical masterpieces adorning their wrists, as well as a plethora of new brands cropping up, many of which have something to offer. Not only that, the market now offers us more variety than we’ve ever seen, with wide-ranging prices as well as an increase in specialization. Sure, this means that there are more options out there to delineate, but it also means that the world is proving that digital technology isn’t always what people want.

Nevertheless, selecting the perfect timepiece in any category or price point has become more difficult. To tackle the task of finding the best GMTs out there, we began by selecting the watches we suspected would be the best candidates. Using both the eye test (e.g., design, color , dial configuration) and our expertise in the space to dig through specs (e.g., size, materials, strap, movement), we whittled all the options down to the ones we thought could be worthy of making the cut for this list. We also factored in price, value, and the reputation of the watch’s manufacturer itself, which is an earned quality in this industry.

And then there was the matter of testing the timepieces themselves. Any watch collector can tell you that, regardless of what you read on paper, you truly have to wear a watch on your wrist to get a feel for it and get a sense of the user experience. After acquiring the demo pieces for our initial shortlist, we put the watches on our wrists and put them through a variety of scenarios to see their fit, comfort, and wrist presence firsthand. The overall process took us weeks, but finally we were able to land on the list of the best GMT watches you see before you.

Why It Made the Cut

• Timex’s retro reissue is an incredibly inexpensive option for those into vintage-style timepieces, featuring an integrated bracelet and Pepsi-style bezel.

Best Quartz GMT: We’re so happy that Timex has been embracing retro-style models with its Q lineup. Inspired by the dive style of the original Q from 1979, this 38mm timepiece is still very much a GMT, with its bi-directional “Pepsi” bezel, domed acrylic crystal, hooded lugs, and functional battery hatch on the caseback. It has loads of nostalgia and is a steal at just over $200.

Recently revived in 2019, the Q Timex Reissue features an integrated bracelet with its 38mm barrel-shaped case. It’s incredibly compact, wears small, and feels even smaller than the dimensions suggest, but we love the sharp, angular styling and mix of vertical and horizontal brushing across the top of the main case. If you’re looking to save some shekels with a quality quartz-powered movement and a retro style, this will be your best bet.

Case Size: 38mm Water Resistance: 50m Movement: Quartz

• Seiko taps into the ethos of its discontinued SKX with this 5 Sports watch, featuring vintage charm, an exhibition caseback, and a fair price tag.

Best Budget Automatic GMT: After Seiko discontinued its beloved SKX dive watch, it revamped its entry-level Seiko 5 Sports range, albeit with loose relation to the outgoing models. However, with the debut of the first-ever GMT in the 5 Sports lineup, it finally gave the SKX the homage it deserved. Harkening back to its progenitor with similar color schemes and design ethos, the new 42.5mm GMT features an independently adjustable fourth hand and a rotating 24-hour bezel.

The larger case helps with visibility, as do the Lumibrite-coated hands and indices and the date window magnifier. It also ditches the 5 Sports’ Oyster-style bracelets and opts for a five-link Jubilee-style stainless steel option instead. We love the exhibition caseback to display the 4R34 movement, and the divisive five-row jubilee bracelet adds some charm and comfort that some third-party options forego. Despite the 100m of water resistance, this one certainly has that vintage Seiko diver character. However, the off-centered push-pull crown at 4 o’clock might make you cautious of taking this timepiece on your most aqueous adventures.

Case Size: 42.5mm Water Resistance: 100m Movement: Automatic GMT with manual winding capability

• Lorier’s handsome vintage-inspired watch is very robust, inexpensive, and endlessly classy.

Best Microbrand GMT: The very first Rolex GMT Master in the 1950s was the ref. 6542. It originally came with a lumed red and blue “Pepsi” bezel made of a plastic predecessor called Bakelite. However, concerns over the brittle bakelite cracking and exposing the radioactive tritium lume below caused Rolex to switch to aluminum bezel inserts after just a few years. These days, original bakelite bezel 6542s regularly sell for six figures, but you can get the same vintage feel for far less with this stunning microbrand GMT.

Series II of Lorier’s Hyperion uses Hesalite for its lumed Pepsi bezel insert and domed crystal, offering serious retro vibes to go with its traffic-stopping looks. For just $100 more than the Seiko GMT above, you can get a true GMT with an independent hour hand at an accessible price point. We love everything about this timepiece, including the price, the mid-century-inspired aesthetic that evokes the heyday of aviation, the robust construction featuring a marine-grade steel case and the aforementioned impact-resistant crystal, and, of course, the classy Pepsi bezel.

Case Size: 39mm Water Resistance: 100m Movement: Automatic “True” GMT

• Mido found the perfect middle ground between GMT and dive watch with this Ocean Star, sporting a graduated Pepsi-style bezel.

Best GMT Diver: Dive watch GMTs are becoming more and more popular, as you can see from this guide alone, and while there are several notable examples, our favorite has to be this Pepsi-bezeled Ocean Star from Mido. Whether you’re jet-setting or simply heading out on the trail –– or both –– this 44mm timepiece will do the trick. Boasting 200m of water resistance, the true GMT could have easily copied the styling of the iconic Rolex, but instead, Mido does its own thing with a fixed internal 24-hour bezel on top of the traditional rotating one on the outside.

Mido is a member of the Swatch Group. That means the brands have access to some of the same movements, such as the ETA Powermatic 80 GMT caliber that’s found here, with 80 hours of power reserve. Sure, the 44m steel case feels heftier on the wrist, but that translates to a superb wrist presence for those who want a bit more attention on their timepiece. Fortunately, the flat sapphire crystal helps with the thickness, erring more towards a modern styling in that regard. In terms of the bracelet , we also loved how you could adjust it quickly thanks to the double push button system within the clasp.

Case Size: 44mm Water Resistance: 200m Movement: Automatic “True” GMT

• With 300m of water resistance, the Skyquest from Monta showcases the brand’s unique design language while featuring superb on-wrist comfort.

Best Office GMT: American-owned and Swiss-made, Monta is one of the most highly-regarded microbrands in the business, and the Skyquest is arguably their best watch. The finishing is comparable to watches that cost twice as much, the fully-articulating bracelet features a quick-adjust clasp, the bezel is made of scratch-resistant ceramic, the water resistance is an impressive 300m, the hands are diamond-cut and rhodium-plated, and the GMT hand sports a quirky and ingenious bend that allows it to clear the applied indices while reaching to the outer edges of the dial.

Opposed to some other office GMT models, the Skyquest may be a little pricier, but with that price, you get a lot more than you’ve bargained for. This includes the in-house M-23 automatic movement , the overall build quality and finishing, and the Coke bezel, which nods to Rolex’s Pan Am collab in the ’80s. At 40.7mm across, the timepiece wears slightly smaller than you’d expect thanks to the lugs, which curve slightly towards the wrist. Operating with its own unique design language, the Skyquest is truly a sight to behold in person, with its features popping off the wrist and its contrast lending to nice visibility. We also love the bracelet, which features fully articulating links and supreme comfort.

Case Size: 40.7mm Water Resistance: 300m Movement: Automatic “Office” GMT

• Longines nods to its aviation-filled past with the Spirit Zulu Time, which pops off the wrist thanks to its 18K gold accents and handsome design.

Best Vintage-Inspired GMT: Longines may be one of the oldest Swiss watch manufacturers in existence — the brand was founded in 1832 — but they remain on the cutting edge of the industry, even credited with having the first watch with more than one time zone. Last year, it added a true GMT to its Spirit line. Named after a watch from about 100 years ago (which took its name from the military term for “GMT”), the Zulu Time is a watch made for true globetrotters, with 72 hours of power reserve and an independently set hour hand.

As classy as ever, the Spirit Zulu Time is a pilot’s watch through and through, with inspired colorways, a 72-hour power reserve, superb dial visibility, and easy adjustment. At a wearable 39mm, the stainless steel timepiece was dropped down a few sizes from its 42mm predecessor and the difference in comfort is noticeable on-wrist. Aesthetically, the 18K yellow gold accents truly pop and bring a great deal of wrist presence to the timepiece. Not to mention, Longines has several other variants if this handsome anthracite version isn’t for you.

For a deeper dive, read our Longines Spirit Zulu Time watch review .

Case Size: 39mm Water Resistance: 100m Movement: Automatic “True” GMT

• Pricier for a quartz watch, Grand Seiko proves that it’s movements are no cheap endeavor, while also finding a compromise between sportiness and class.

Best Quartz True GMT: The first watch to feature a GMT version of Grand Seiko’s lauded 9F High-Accuracy Quartz movement — arguably the best quartz movement in the world — this may be the ultimate “grab and go” travel watch. Accuracy is conservatively rated to within 10 seconds per year (1 second per year anecdotes are not unheard of), the finishing is easily the best you can get for the price thanks to Grand Seiko’s famed distortion-free Zaratsu polishing, and the handmade, fully-decorated, thermocompensated movement is a “true” GMT. Plus, it’s got looks for days.

Decidedly sportier than Grand Seiko’s typical options, this SBGN027 is certainly more expensive than your average quartz piece, but here it serves to preserve the timekeeping of the watch itself. Even when the offset crown is pulled out, the quartz GMT continues to keep the time. In-person, the 39mm diameter and 45.9mm lug size are about as perfect of proportions as you can get for everyday watch wearing. We’re also fans of the fixed 24-hour bezel with its black embossing and radial-brushed steel. The three-link steel bracelet looks beautiful, matching the case finish, and is easy to adjust with the screw posts and push-button clasp.

Case Size: 39mm Water Resistance: 200m Movement: Quartz “True” GMT

• Tudor’s near-perfect GMT utilizes its iconic Black Bay as the base layer, continuing to challenge conventions while maintaining a traditional ethos.

Best Overall GMT: As the more affordable sister brand to Rolex, Tudor has long had the reputation of offering Rolex quality and style for less eye-watering prices. And that’s never been more true than with this modern classic. Based on the brand’s popular vintage-inspired Black Bay diver, this GMT boasts a bi-directional bezel with a beautiful aluminum Pepsi insert, a subtly textured dial, and an in-house automatic movement with a “true” GMT function. It’s the closest one can get to a Rolex GMT — vintage or modern — without coming close to approaching the five-figure mark.

First debuting in 2018, the Black Bay GMT is still a favorite today. Boasting 200m of water resistance, this piece may have some definite diver properties, but we love it as a travel watch the most. Inside the 24-hour Pepsi bezel is a pearl-like opaline white dial, which is a nice change of pace from the typical dark GMT dials. Despite the modern touches, this automatic true GMT has some vintage design cues, including the aforementioned bezel with its coin edge and the domed sapphire crystal. Hopefully, Tudor will soon include its T-Fit adjustment system on the newer Black Bay GMTs, even if the bracelet is still really comfortable.

For a deeper dive, read our Tudor Black Bay GMT watch review .

Case Size: 41mm Water Resistance: 200m Movement: Automatic “True” GMT

• You can’t have a “Best GMT” list without including the most lusted-after GMT in the world.

Honorable Mention: You knew this was coming. The descendent of the original GMT watch, the GMT Master II remains the most lusted-after GMT in the world. The waitlist to purchase a new stainless steel Pepsi bezel variant is years long, and they routinely sell for more than double the retail price on the secondhand market. But the watch commands such demand for a reason. It’s unspeakably gorgeous, with an iconic design that few watches in the world can match. It’s also robust, dependable, and luxurious, and there’s not a person alive who wouldn’t want one of these on their wrist while traveling the globe.

As legendary as the Rolex GMT is, we couldn’t acquire the watch in time to perform in-studio testing. However, of all the pieces here, the reputation of the GMT Master II should be able to precede it.

Case Size: 40mm Water Resistance: 100m Movement: Automatic “True” GMT

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Magazine Feature note: This story was originally published as part of Volume 3 of HODINKEE Magazine in the Fall of 2018. With travel on many of our minds, we felt like revisiting James Stacey's thoroughly thought out and beautifully shot story on the best watches for travel. Whether you're hopping on a plane halfway around the world to escape the cold, driving to the mountains for the weekend, or staying put and channeling a spirit of adventure, check out the watches below.

Jolting awake as my plane’s wheels skip across the tarmac of a runway far from home, I am unable to remember my destination after a fitful night’s rest somewhere over the dark void of the Atlantic Ocean. The pilot’s voice crackles on the PA, welcoming me to Munich. The local time is 10:40 AM, some nine hours ahead of home, and it’s time to get to work. Without removing my watch from my wrist, in the dim light of the taxiing jet, I unscrew the crown and quickly jump the hour hand nine clicks forward. I’m headed to Kitzbuhel, and the Alps wait for no man.

Travel is the ultimate freedom. The ability to freely roam the earth and experience its many people, places, and scenery is a luxury defined by mobility and informed by curiosity and wanderlust. With some far-flung locale in mind, we accrue vacation time, book flights, read guidebooks, and fall asleep to old episodes of No Reservations .

I adore travel, and part of the appeal is in the thoughtfulness that goes into the things you carry with you to other parts of the world. The need to be minimal and purposeful in packing to a limit lends a special kind of clarity. What you choose to bring should be tuned to the frequency of your destination, not only to avoid additional baggage fees but to allow you the maximum comfort en route and to ensure you’re ready to make the most of your new locale.

While phones and international data plans have made travel and foreign experiences much less opaque, the ultimate travel tool, and a pillar in my travel kit, will always be a great travel watch. You can lose your bags, forget your sunscreen, and your phone can be long dead, but the right watch will ensure that you’re on time for the adventure and that you don’t lose track of home while seeing the rest of the world.

In an era where travel has never been more precious, nor the world’s edges more accessible, it’s not surprising that GMT watches are having something of a moment. From modern interpretations of classic pilot’s watches to luxury-inspired dual-time designs and totems to old-world exploration, these watches work without the need for a data connection. Like any seasoned traveler, the perfect travel watch jumps effortlessly from one locale to another, picking up the rhythm of the new space and presenting nothing that might get in the way of enjoying the journey.

With both new releases and classic icons of the genre seeing a huge uptick in popularity, GMT and travel-specific watches have become the hot complication in any manufacturer’s lineup. While chronographs and dive watches have enjoyed long-standing popularity, consider the effect Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have had on keeping exotic locales and amazing travel experiences directly within our eye line. From First Class to Paris or the jumpseat in a safari-ready Defender, travel watches speak directly to that adventurous wanderlust when we double-tap another photo of a place we hope one day to see for ourselves.

During a recent trip to Los Angeles, I spent a week with some of the best travel watches on the market today, and from classic icons to fresh faces, each reflects the philosophy of travel in its own way.

At 41mm in steel with a sporty, matte, burgundy and blue bezel, Tudor’s excellent Black Bay GMT combines the platform of their well-loved dive watch with the pilot-inspired functionality established by their sibling brand, Rolex. With a true local jumping hour GMT movement, the Black Bay GMT mimics the feature set of the classic Rolex GMT-Master II but does so with a more casual and laid-back appeal. This functionality allows you to land in a new time zone and quickly jump the hour hand of the watch to the new time without affecting the timekeeping or adjusting the 24-hour hand that shows the time back at home. For a newcomer to the GMT space, Tudor created a ringer and I can only imagine how cool these will look with 20 years of travel burned, dinged, and etched into the case and bezel.

In contrast to Tudor’s specifically sporty design, Vacheron Constantin’s lovely Overseas Dual Time omits a traditional 24-hour display for the subtle simplicity of a second hour hand and a simple AM/PM indicator. Perhaps more for docking a sailboat in Manhattan Beach than running a cafe racer through Hell, California, the 41mm Overseas Dual Time’s case is steel and it feels amazing on the quick-change rubber strap, offering a certain ’70s appeal that is a perfect complement to any luxurious travel arrangement.

Carrying the clarity and precision exemplified by much of Japanese culture, the Grand Seiko SBGJ213G is a technical marvel wrapped in a travel-ready 40mm titanium case with beautiful hand-finished details. Inside, this Grand Seiko GMT offers a high-beat movement that hums along at 36,000 vibrations per hour, leading to remarkable accuracy. With razor-sharp finishing on the dial and a lovely yellow 24-hour hand, the SBGJ213G is a perfect piece of Japanese engineering, and from Tokyo to the glittering waters of the Venice Canals, it manages to shine anywhere in the world.

In contrast to the stoic and straightforward nature of the Grand Seiko, Montblanc’s 1858 Geosphere is a tribute to the iconography of travel, a nod to exploration, maps, and the art of representing the globe against the fixed nature of time. At 42mm wide with a ceramic compass bezel, the 1858 Geosphere is characterized by a pair of rotating hemispheres that illustrate the layout of time zones across our world. With a central reference and a sub-dial showing AM/PM, while the 1858 Geospheres may be less practical than a traditional GMT, it manages to capture the romance of exploration in a fanciful and unique design.

Offering a slightly smaller expression of Patek Philippe’s roguish Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524G, the 37.5mm 7234R may be marketed as something of a ladies model, but to my eyes, it offers the same handsome design and travel-ready layout in a smaller case that is nicely complemented by the warm rose gold tones. While these pilot-inspired Travel Time models are indeed a departure from Patek’s usual sport watch methodology, the brand has very strong roots in travel-specific watches and even had a hand in one of the earliest example of a worldtime. Furthermore, the 7234R feels fantastic on wrist and its trick locking crowns make any new time zone a tactile treat. Dressed down with a travel-proven denim work shirt to match the somewhat military-derived aesthetic, this rose gold pilot’s watch was an easy fit for LA’s casual outlook on excess and luxury.

Finally, it’s the brand new Rolex GMT-Master II in Oystersteel on a matching Jubilee bracelet. One of the hottest sports watches on the market, the GMT-Master II is the iconic post-war travel watch. With a design that has endured more than 60 years of evolution, the GMT-Master II captures the high-low reality of travel. While decidedly luxurious and beautifully made, and with a warm ceramic bezel in red and blue atop its 40mm steel case, the GMT-Master II is also hard-wearing and undeniably adventure-ready. It is the enduring high bar in the travel-watch game, and this year’s addition of a steel version with a Pepsi bezel and the glittering Jubilee bracelet undoubtedly caused a spike in the rising popularity of GMT watches. 

On the wrist, this true-to-its-roots GMT-Master II feels special, adventurous, and the bezel color speaks so specifically to the legacy of this design and the aesthetic of those who wore one. Despite the evolution of several generations, this new steel GMT-Master II captures the Avante-Garde spirit of the jet-set age; it makes me want to dress up for my next flight or write Chuck Yeager a letter after reading about his exploits on the back of a cereal box. The new GMT-Master II on the Jubilee isn’t only THE GMT watch, it’s arguably THE sports watch on the market today.

A good travel watch is a thoughtful blend of function, design, charm, and hard-wearing construction. And from Tokyo to Los Cabos, Johannesburg to Los Angeles, the result should never look out of place, never get in the way, and only grow in appeal with the progressive development of travel-derived patina. Sun-faded, scratched up, and always on-wrist, a great travel watch captures the imagination as both a tool of enduring practicality and as an object in tribute of personal freedom.

Photography by Walker Tovin and James Stacey. 

For more information about Grand Seiko , Montblanc , Patek Philippe , Rolex , Tudor , and Vacheron Constantin , visit their websites. The HODINKEE Shop is an authorized retailer of Grand Seiko , Montblanc , and Vacheron Constantin ; and be sure to check out our selection of pre-owned and vintage Patek Philippe , Rolex , and Tudor watches, and more.

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• Complications

Introduction

5224r - complications self-winding.

Patek Philippe enriches its range of travel watches and complications for everyday use with a new self-winding Calatrava Travel Time model featuring a distinctive 24-hour display.

The entirely polished rose gold case is distinguished by its curved two-tier lugs. To preserve its elegance, Patek Philippe has replaced the traditional local time correction pushers on the left side of the caseband with a patented crown-operated correction system.

The navy blue dial, featuring hand-laid rose gold appliques, is enhanced by contrasting finishes.

31-260 PS FUS 24H Self-winding

Dual time zone : local and home time indication. 24-hour display. Small seconds. Diameter : 31.74 mm. Thickness : 3.7 mm. Number of parts : 240. Jewels : 44. Power reserve : min. 48 hours. Winding rotor : platinum off-center mini-rotor. Balance : Gyromax ® . Frequency : 28,800 semi-oscillations/hour (4 Hz). Balance spring : Spiromax ® . Hallmark : Patek Philippe Seal.

Other models

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Gold pocket watch of richest Titanic passenger sells for record price

A US buyer wins the bidding war, exceeding – by more than 10 times – the auctioneer’s presale estimate.

A gold watch found on the body of the richest passenger on the Titanic has been auctioned in the United Kingdom for 1.17 million British pounds ($1.46m) – a record sum paid for an object linked to the infamous 1912 shipping disaster.

The watch, engraved with the initials JJA after the United States-based business magnate John Jacob Astor, was sold on Saturday by the auctioneers Henry Aldridge & Son.

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A US buyer won the bidding war, exceeding – by more than 10 times – the auctioneers’ presale estimate of between 100,000-150,000 pounds ($126,000-189,500).

A used first class menu from the first night on the Titanic sold yesterday at British auction house Henry Aldridge & Son for $100,000. A pocket watch found on second class passenger Sinai Kantor sold for $122,000. pic.twitter.com/ynF0UIt7I9 — Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 12, 2023

Astor was 47 when he died as the Titanic sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, one of 1,500 people on board who died. He was reputed to be one of the richest men in the world at the time.

He died after having helped his wife, Madeleine, board one of the lifeboats. She survived the disaster.

Astor’s body was found a week after the disaster, with the watch among his personal belongings. A statement from the auction house said the watch was completely restored after being returned to Astor’s family and worn by his son.

In November 2023, a pocket watch recovered from the body of passenger Sinai Kantor, 34, a Russian immigrant who died in the catastrophe, was also sold by the same auction house in the UK for 97,000 pounds ($118,700).

A rare menu from the ill-fated liner’s first-class restaurant that showed what the most well-to-do passengers ate for dinner on April 11, 1912 –  three days before the ship struck the iceberg that caused it to sink in the Atlantic Ocean – sold for 83,000 pounds ($101,600).

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By Emily Mee , Money team

Discovering a hole in your favourite pair of jeans or a rip in your well-worn cosy jumper is certainly irritating - but it doesn't mean those items are destined for the bin. 

In fact, ethical fashion campaigners say that's the last place your items should be going. There is usually plenty you can do to repair them - or even to avoid damage in the first place. That way, you can keep your best-loved pieces in your wardrobe for years to come. 

Katrina Caspelich, from fair fashion campaign Remake, takes the Money blog through what you can do...

Store your clothes better

Clean them before storing them: Always ensure that clothes are clean before storing them. Launder or dry clean them according to the care instructions on the label. Stains and dirt can attract insects and cause fabric deterioration over time.

Use breathable storage containers: Opt for breathable storage containers such as cotton canvas bags or boxes instead of plastic bins. This allows air circulation and prevents moisture build up, which can lead to mould and mildew.

Avoid direct sunlight: Store clothes in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Sunlight can cause colours to fade and weaken fabric fibres over time.

Hang clothes properly: Invest in quality hangers that provide adequate support to garments. Use padded or wooden hangers for delicate items like suits, dresses, and knits. Avoid using wire hangers, as they can cause garments to lose their shape. Don't hang wet clothes on hangers - they can stretch.

Use garment bags: For long-term storage of formal wear or seasonal clothing, consider using garment bags to protect items from dust, insects, and moisture.

Rotate clothing: Rotate your wardrobe seasonally to prevent garments from being stored for too long without use. This helps to prevent fabric deterioration and ensures that all pieces are worn regularly.

Avoid overcrowding: Avoid cramming clothes into storage containers or closets. Overcrowding can cause wrinkles, stretching, and distortion of fabric fibres. Leave some space between garments to allow for air circulation.

Store leather items properly: Leather garments should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Use padded hangers to maintain their shape and avoid folding, as creases can become permanent.

Does how you wash them make a difference?

What exactly makes a gentle wash gentle? For delicate fabrics, you should always use cool to lukewarm water. (Hot water isn't needed unless you are concerned about bacteria and diseases like COVID-19). 

Pro tip: Be wary of wringing out your wet clothes. It can seriously alter the shape of your garments.

Other options

Wash your stuff less. The only clothes that should always be washed after one wear are underwear and sweaty clothes. Most garments worn regularly should be okay to wear two to three times before washing. Unless your denim has a bad habit of stretching out, experts say you should wash them after three or four wears so they age better. You can also throw them in the freezer to kill bacteria.

Spot clean your clothes. To clean a spot, start by removing any excess spillage and blot away as much moisture as possible with a paper towel or hand towel. NO RUBBING. Use some stain remover or gentle detergent on just the stained spot. Let it air dry or use cool air to speed up the process.

Air dry. Hang your clothes outside, Italian style. For heavier items that could stretch when hanging, lay them out flat on a surface to dry.

When should you dry clean?

Read the care tags! Don't be so quick to adhere to every garment's dry clean only tag - there's lots of chemicals involved that lurk on dry cleaned wool, cotton and polyester. Plus lots of brands put those tags on when they lack confidence in our ability to properly and gently wash our clothes.

If it is made of wool, linen, silk, cotton or cashmere - which is likely a majority of your closet - these fabrications can handle gentle hand washes so long as you pre-treat and single wash anything with stains, as well as wash items in groups determined by fabrication and colour.

If you aren't 100% sure what exactly a garment is made of, you can always test a little spot under the sink water to see if you get a ton of colour bleeding, warping, or shrinkage before going all in.

If your garment has any fancy embellishments, flocking, or beads attached by glue then you should probably take it to the cleaners if it's not just in need of a little spot clean.

Pro tip: When you find yourself at the dry cleaners, you can try asking for alternatives like a liquid carbon dioxide cleaning, which uses pressurized CO2 mixed with other gentle cleaning liquids as opposed to perc.  Another option is requesting a wet cleaning method , a wash that resembles a normal washing machine but utilises special soaps and conditioners for an extra gentle wash.

How do you know when a broken item is repairable, or when it's no longer usable? 

It's important to always assess the extent of the damage. Small tears, missing buttons, loose hems, or minor stains are usually repairable with basic sewing skills or by taking them to a tailor. 

Considering the condition of the fabric is also important. For example, if the fabric is in good shape apart from the damaged area, it may be worth repairing. 

However, if the fabric is severely worn out or faded in multiple places, it may not be worth repairing. Also, some types of damage such as large holes, extensive fraying, or irreparable stains may render the garment unusable or not cost effective to repair. 

Finally, it's important to consider the sentimental value of the item. If the piece holds sentimental value or is a high-quality piece, you may just want to hold onto it and invest in repairs.

If the item is no longer usable, you could upcycle or repurpose it. Get creative and turn the item into something new. Some ideas include turning old jeans into shorts, using fabric scraps for quilting or crafts, or transforming a worn-out tee into a cleaning rag. Donation is another option. If the clothing item is still in decent condition despite the damage, consider donating it to a local charity or thrift store as some organisations accept damaged clothing for recycling or repurposing.

Finally, look for textile recycling programs in your area. Many communities have textile recycling centres or programmes that accept old clothing, even if it's damaged, to be recycled into new textiles or other products.

How about shoes?

Like clothing, extending the wear of your shoes requires proper care and maintenance. Some ideas include rotating your shoes between different pairs of shoes every day to allow each pair to air out and recover their shape between wears. 

Clean your shoes regularly to remove dust, dirt, and stains. 

It's also a good idea to apply waterproofing spray to protect your shoes from water, stains, snow, and other environmental damage. Like clothing, it's important to attend to any signs of damage or wear as soon as possible, replacing worn-out soles, repairing loose stitching, and fixing damaged heels to prevent further deterioration. Definitely consider taking your shoes to a professional cobbler for these regular repairs! 

By Connor Sephton , news reporter

Bitcoin has suffered its biggest monthly loss since June 2022 - amid signs that market euphoria is starting to cool.

The world's biggest cryptocurrency saw its price plunge by almost 15% in April.

Even though we're just 12 hours into a brand-new month, Bitcoin is continuing to fall further.

This digital asset is often valued in dollars rather than pounds - and certain price points tend to have psychological significance for traders.

Over the past few weeks, Bitcoin had successfully managed to avoid a big fall under $60,000 (about £48,000).

But all of that changed in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

After the $60,000 threshold crumbled, a sharp drop to $57,000 soon followed.

So... with Bitcoin down 7% over the past 24 hours, what happens next?

Well - traders are now engaged in what can best be described as an arm wrestle.

If Bitcoin manages to hold stable around $57,000, its value may start to recover.

But if selling pressure grows as American investors start to wake up and see what's happened, further declines are to be expected.

Bitcoin has now fallen by 22% since hitting an all-time high of $73,750 in March - which technically puts this cryptocurrency in a bear market.

However, avid enthusiasts will insist this is nothing more than a healthy correction, and Bitcoin's longer-term prospects are good.

One thing is clear: this is a volatile asset, and investors should only put in whatever they can afford to lose.

In what seems to be becoming a daily occurrence, four more lenders have announced mortgage rate rises.

Halifax, BM Solutions and Virgin are all doing so for the second time in around a week. They're joined by Nottingham Building Society.

Halifax are increasing rates on purchase products by up to 0.2%; BM Solutions by up to 0.24%. These begin tomorrow.

Virgin increased rates on products between 0.08% and 0.2% yesterday evening, while Nottingham has lifted rates this morning by up to 0.25%.

Mortgage rates have spiked in the last two weeks as financial markets have moved from pricing in a base rate cut in June to thinking it will come in August. Expectations of three cuts this year are now two.

The backdrop is sticky inflation in the US - and concern the global and domestic battle against rising prices isn't over yet.

Skipton had actually announced some decreases - but any optimism from this proved momentary.

Dariusz Karpowicz, director at Albion Financial Advice, told Newspage: "The atmosphere in the mortgage market is rather grim, with major players like Halifax, BM Solutions, Virgin and Nottingham Building Society repeatedly raising their fixed rates.

"This pattern of frequent rate hikes, sometimes occurring multiple times within a week, is casting a shadow over market sentiment. 

"The anticipated 'spring bounce' is nowhere in sight; instead, we're witnessing a continuation of mortgage woes. 

"Higher rates are expected to dampen buyer enthusiasm and potentially delay any positive momentum. 

"As for when borrowers can expect relief, it hinges on broader economic stabilisation. For now, the outlook remains cautious and subdued."

As April rolls into May, let's take a look at the key money dates to add to your calendar this month. 

A small note before we jump in - May is a month with a couple of bank holidays, so if any of your benefits payments would normally fall on those days, you'll get the money on the previous working day instead.

1 May - Prescription price change

The cost of your NHS prescription, in England, increases by 25p today - from £9.65 to £9.90.

Repeat prescription customers can apply for a prepayment certificate (PPC) which charges a fixed amount for a set period of prescriptions.

However, the cost of a one-year PCC will also rise to £114.50 from £111.60 - a rise of almost £3.

If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland you don't have to pay for your prescriptions.

9 May - Interest rate decision 

Next week, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will meet for its latest review of interest rates. 

The MPC has decided to freeze the base rate at 5.25% over recent months.

While nothing is guaranteed, the BoE is widely expected among economists to hold the rate once again - thought to be waiting for inflation to get closer to the Bank's 2% target. 

12 May - Free childcare applications open

From 12 May, eligible working parents of children from nine-months-old will be able to register for access to up to 15 free hours of government-funded childcare per week.

You won't be able to claim the hours until September. 

Check if you're eligible here . 

15 May - Subway loyalty points changes

Sandwich giant Subway has outlined a series of measures in its branches regarding its loyalty schemes. 

Customers have until 14 May to use the current scheme before it changes to a new app-only loyalty scheme. 

From 15 May, any points will expire and become unredeemable.

May 24 - Energy price cap announcement

Regulator Ofgem will announce the new energy price cap for the period 1 July to 30 September.

The current price cap (£1,690 a year) is expected by analysts at Cornwall Insights to fall by just over £100 to around £1,559 for the average household per year. 

Spotify hikes 

As we reported in the Money blog, Spotify will hike its prices by around £2 per month...

Depending on a customer's billing date, payment change to the higher rate will fall in either May or June. 

Spotify has said it will email existing customers with one-month's notice of the increase.

By James Sillars , business reporter

A piece of good news to bring you: a welcome fall in oil costs.

A barrel of Brent crude started the week close to $88.

It is trading at $85 today after three days of declines – the latest in Asian trading today.

The major move lower, however, came yesterday afternoon.

Analysts credited increasing hopes of a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East and on rising US crude inventories and production.

It's been another positive start to the day for the FTSE 100 - rising 0.1% to 8.157 points in early deals.

The index has started higher each session this week but, in truth, it has struggled to make big inroads since last week's record closing high.

Banks and miners are leading the way.

Next, however, was among the fallers despite posting a strong rise in full price sales.

The first quarter increase of 5.7% was above market expectations but the retailer, usually renowned for keeping expectations low and over-delivering, maintained its guidance for annual sales and profits.

Its shares were 1.2% lower.

Among the fallers in the wider market was Aston Martin Lagonda.

The luxury carmaker's stock was almost 9% down after posting bigger than expected quarterly losses.

EasyJet passengers were left scrambling to rebook flights after they were wrongly told their flights were cancelled "due to Israel". 

The airline sent emails and text messages to holidaymakers informing them their flights would not be taking off on 28 April as planned - before scrambling to let them know, an hour later, that there had been a mistake.

Amid the confusion, travellers shared their frustration on social media, with one asking: "Is this a scam? EasyJet App is not showing cancellation and has allowed me to check in."

The airline has since released a statement confirming there was a technical error.

"EasyJet can confirm that unfortunately, on 28 April, some customers received an incorrect notification stating that their flight on 30 April was cancelled," a spokesperson told Sky News.

"This was due to a technical error and all customers were quickly sent updated messages with a confirmation their flight is operating as normal. We would like to apologise for this and any inconvenience caused."

Shifting expectations for UK interest rate cuts have contributed to a dip in house price growth, according to a closely watched measure.

Nationwide reported a 0.4% fall in average property costs last month compared with March, taking the annual rate of growth to 0.6% from 1.6%.

Economists polled by the Reuters news agency had expected month-on-month growth of 0.2%.

The lender's report said the easing reflected "ongoing affordability pressures, with longer term interest rates rising in recent months, reversing the steep fall seen around the turn of the year".

Read the full story here ...

Every Wednesday we get Michelin chefs, top bloggers or critics to pick their favourite Cheap Eats where they live and at home. This week we speak to one of the most renowned chefs in the UK, Galton Blackiston of the Michelin-starred Morston Hall in Norfolk.

He's gone the extra mile in his Cheap Eats at home - uploading a how-to video to Instagram.

Hi  Galton, c an you tell us your favourite places in Norfolk where you can get a meal for two for less than £40?

Allium in Downham Market , a family run restaurant which involves mum, dad, Joe in kitchen and James front of house. Open Wednesday through to Sunday, it has a great vibe on a Saturday evening and great food.

Bure River Restaurant , a tiny restaurant on the broads in Horning cooking lovely fish dishes.

Final cheap place is the Parlour in Binham , where they have a great restaurant and you put money into an honesty box for their local cheese from the village and raw milk from their farm - a great place to visit in Norfolk.

What's your go-to cheap meal at home?

Toad in the hole with a baked potato and hispi cabbage and onion gravy.

A good tip I would say is to colour off the sausages in dripping then pour over the batter, which should be eight eggs, 250g plain flour, one pint of full fat milk, salt pepper and nutmeg. Whisk together and allow to sit for an hour til you use. 

And this is how you do the hispi cabbage with cling film over the pan...

Flight prices often rocket in the summer, but it turns out particular dates can prove cheaper. 

Research by Expedia has revealed the best dates to book your trips... 

The cheapest times to fly 

If you're flying domestic, the best dates for your wallet are 28 July, 19 August and 23 August. 

Expedia also recommends booking your domestic flights for a Wednesday to save roughly 20%. 

For those travelling internationally, the cheapest dates are 2 and 13 June, and 28 August. 

When it comes to booking, you can save about 15% if you book for a Thursday versus at the weekend. 

The quietest times to fly

If you care more about a quieter airport, the least busy dates for flying domestic are 10 June, and 11 and 19 July. 

For international flights, the best dates are 4 June, and 27 and 30 August. 

And the dates to avoid...

The most expensive domestic flights are on 30 June, and 8 and 16 July. 

International flights are pricier on 22, 23 and 29 July. 

Meanwhile, Expedia says 30 June and 24 July will be the busiest air travel days for domestic and international destinations. 

Domestic flights are busiest on 30 June, and 8 and 16 July. 

For international flights, 10, 21 and 24 June are the busiest. 

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