For all the jet glamor, the golden age of air travel has, well, not aged at all. (Alcohol and large carry-ons? Still great. Chain smoking and sexism normal? Less so.) But one undeniably good thing that emerged during this period was the bronze. Pilot’s watch typical of the era, GMT. First introduced in the 50s, GMT was designed to help airline pilots keep track of multiple time zones on transatlantic flights (GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time).
Not surprisingly, among the first brands to enter the game was Rolex, released its GMT-Master in 1955, added a red and blue bezel to make it easier for pilots to distinguish between day and night. Rolex has based on that original design (nicknamed “Pepsi” for its resemblance to the soda brand’s red and blue logo) for decades, releasing blue and black versions (“Batman”) ), a brown and black version (“Root Beer”) and, earlier this year, a green and black version with an unusual left crown. The Rolex GMT is an undeniably legendary watch, but its five-figure price and limited availability mean you can expect to pay a lot or wait a long time (perhaps both), to get it right. get one on my wrist.
On the other hand, Timex’s new Q GMT what every great Timex does: it offers a beautiful classic look and a solid, reliable movement at a price that should be affordable for most people. Inspired by the brand’s first quartz movements from the 70s (a period when even high-end Swiss brands included battery-powered movements in their watches), it has a steel case. 38mm, domed acrylic crystal and GMT hand with arrow. can be set to the second time zone. The trademark GMT bezel (which also rotates to add a third time zone) comes in red and blue, blue and black, and black-on-black color options.
With a fun two-color bezel and quick visibility into multiple time zones, this is a textbook example of the genre. At just $199 (or $219 with the steel bracelet), it’s also the best deal on the planet for anyone who wants work GMT on their rotation without spending a fortune — a perfect tribute to the perfect watch of the jet age, minus the used smoke.
