[F]Fratello’s Top 5 GMT Watches for Men

Friday is here and it’s time for another list. This week we are featuring 5 men’s GMT watches that stand out with their striking presence. These are not your typical Rolex GMT-Master inspired watches. This is a list of less flashy, more classic looking GMT, multi-time zone/traveler watches. So don’t expect colorful rotating bezels with big numbers. You can probably guess what we’re going to do with this list, so let’s get started.

Before revealing our five picks, let me make a few comments. We are not looking for a classic world timer or dual time watch with sub-dials. Sure, those offer a pretty striking look, but we wanted to find a watch that integrated a second time zone scale and a central GMT hand without compromising the stylish presence of a classic wristwatch. Also, while I call this a “gentleman’s GMT,” that doesn’t mean that women can’t enjoy and wear it. Conversely, sometimes gentleman’s watches look great on a woman’s wrist. Now that we’ve covered those two points, let’s get started.

Grand Seiko Elegance SBGM221

Our first choice is the classic Grand Seiko SBGM221. This is a watch that our Fratello colleague Gerard has been wanting to add to his collection for a while, and we can completely understand why. The SBGM221 has a classic, understated presence that is hard to resist. The watch features a 39.5mm stainless steel case that is 13.7mm thick and measures 46.9mm from lug to lug. It has a beautiful ivory colored dial and a modestly sized GMT with a 24-hour scale placed inside the beautifully finished indexes. A hint of extra color comes in the form of a short, blued GMT hand and a beautifully framed date window at 3 o’clock.

The SBGM221 runs on Grand Seiko’s in-house 9S66 caliber. This automatic movement runs at 28,800vph, has a 72-hour power reserve, and is accurate to +5/-3 seconds per day. It’s a perfect example of a gentleman’s GMT. It’s a sophisticated, classic-style traveler’s watch that looks great. The watch comes on a brown crocodile strap, but it would also look great on a variety of other straps. Try a light gray nubuck or light blue suede strap in the summer, then switch to a darker strap when it gets colder. This is one of the many Grand Seiko GMTs we could have chosen for this list. But besides the classic style, great details, and excellent movement, the price of 5,000 euros is the last reason. This Grand Seiko SBGM221 makes a great first choice.

Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT

Our second pick is the Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT. To be precise, it’s the second version of the watch that was released earlier this year. After a well-received black dial limited edition last year, the brand has released a successor that looks quite different. The watch features a round 38mm stainless steel case that’s 11.9mm thick and measures 43.7mm from lug to lug. Despite this modest size, the watch has plenty of presence on the wrist, especially when paired with the brand’s Oyster-style Bader bracelet.

The case is paired with a sand-colored dial with “Old Radium” Super-LumiNova applied markers around the dial and a khaki green 24-hour GMT scale. To match the GMT scale, the hands have khaki green tipped GMT hands, which brings the overall look together very nicely. Compared to the first version, this new Dune GMT is muted in tone, giving it a stylish presence that is perfect for a variety of occasions. Inside the case is the Sellita SW330-2 movement. This automatic GMT caliber runs at 28,800vph, features 25 jewels, and has a power reserve of 56 hours.

The perfect combination of modern specs and vintage style

The Sellita SW330-2 is the reliable powertrain for this vintage-inspired GMT, and the combination of modern specs and a vintage look is what makes this watch so appealing. While I love the vibrant nature of the previous version, I have to say that this new colorway brings a certain style and serenity to the design.

That makes this €1,465 Christopher Ward C65 Dune GMT the second best choice on our list of men’s GMT watches, although if you prefer the look of a leather or canvas strap, you can save €200, making this watch a more affordable option compared to most of the other entries on this list.

Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante

Our third pick is the highly acclaimed Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante from Parmigiani Fleurier. I’ve been lucky enough to try out a few watches from the Tonda PF line recently, and it’s a very impressive collection in terms of design and quality. The Tonda PF series is also a fantastic display of horological wizardry. My favorite is the recently released Tonda PF Micro-Rotor No Date Golden Sienna, but the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante is simply stunning. This watch combines the distinctive Tonda PF design with the unique GMT rattrapante complication, making it the perfect stylish GMT for gentlemen.

The watch features Tonda’s distinctive teardrop-shaped lugs and knurled bezel in a 40mm x 10.7mm stainless steel case. It is powered by the brand’s caliber PF051, developed by sister company Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. The automatic movement features a unique split GMT function. Looking at the watch in normal mode, it may seem like it simply displays the time in hours and minutes. However, by pressing the pusher at 8 o’clock, you can adjust the silver hour hand to your local time.

Each time you press the button, the hand advances by one hour. When it does, a rose gold hand appears and displays the home time. As long as you are in a different time zone, the watch will display both local and home time. When you get home, just press the rose gold button on the crown and the travel time hand will jump back over the rose gold hour hand. I could go on and on about everything that makes this CHF 28,500 Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante so special. But unfortunately, I don’t have the space to give this watch the full review it deserves, so I have to move on. For a more detailed write-up, read Sky’s 2022 review here.

Chopard LUC GMT One Black

Another highlight is the Chopard LUC GMT One Black. Its stealthy black aesthetic is quite different from our last pick, but that doesn’t make it any less stylish. The trick with this GMT is that while it may look stealthy at first, zooming in reveals a ton of interesting details. The watch was released in 2021 and features a 42mm ceramic grade 5 titanium case with a thickness of 11.71mm. To match the case, it features a hand-finished black dial with vertical satin finishes. It also features a circular chapter ring with spear-shaped indexes and white Superluminova numerals, and a large date window at 6 o’clock.

The outside of the chapter ring features a 24-hour GMT disc in light grey and black. The ring uses two tones to distinguish between day and night, but fits with the overall stealth theme. This look is further enhanced by the black hands filled with white Super-LumiNova. What’s great is that it’s clear what each hand indicates, including the GMT hand, which would normally be a contrasting color. In this case, the shape alone tells the story.

In-house caliber LUC 01.10-L

The watch is powered by the brand’s in-house caliber LUC 01.10-L. The COSC-certified automatic movement runs at 28,800vph and has a 60-hour power reserve. Operating the movement is easy with two crowns. The upper crown allows you to set the central time and date display, while the lower crown controls the GMT function by moving the 24-hour ring counterclockwise in hourly increments. The movement is also stealthy, hidden behind a tinted sapphire crystal to match the overall theme of the watch. Chopard will produce 250 pieces of the LUC GMT One Black, priced at €14,100 each.

Lorca Model No.1 GMT

Last but not least, we have the debut Model No.1 GMT from New York-based microbrand Lorca. This watch perfectly walks the fine line between stylish retro-inspired everyday wear and a more practical GMT. It’s a watch you’ll want to return to time and time again to discover new details. The Model No.1 GMT is by no means your typical fixed-bezel GMT. Its functionality could put it in that category, but the design elevates it into a handsome everyday watch that’s at home in a variety of situations.

The watch features a 36mm stainless steel case with a slightly larger 37mm bezel, 11.2mm thickness, and 44mm lug-to-lug. Due to the flat bezel and large dial opening, the watch wears a little larger than its size would suggest. Additionally, the watch is paired with a comfortable steel bracelet, which adds a sense of heft to the overall look.

The watch is available with either a black or silver dial, and both versions have very different looks. The black dial emphasizes contrast, while the silver dial gives an overall softer look. Nacho also I noticed a more subtle difference In his review, Lorca founder Jesse Merchant demonstrates his attention to detail.

Perfect integration of GMT functions

Inside the case is the Soprod Caliber C125. This automatic movement runs at a frequency of 28,800vph, has a 42-hour power reserve, and boasts an excellent accuracy of ±4 seconds per day. It’s the perfect power source for Lorca’s beautifully styled debut: the perfect gentleman’s GMT. This watch is a versatile watch that pairs well with bracelets and a variety of straps. After trying it on, I can say that the appeal of the Model No.1 GMT is that it is a great and elegant everyday watch first, and a GMT watch second. The perfect integration of the GMT functionality into the overall design makes the $1,750 Lorca Model No.1 a great and affordable watch to finish off this list.

Final Thoughts on the Men’s GMT Watch

So there you have it, a list of less flashy, yet still uniquely appealing GMT watches. Of course, our label “GMT for Men” is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek description of these five watches as stylish, Rolex-inspired timepieces that break the mold. But as always, we’d love to hear about your favorite watches that deserve this list. Share them in the comments below. And as always, see you next week with another list.