A History and Guide to GMT Watches

Jacob Van Buren

Mar 28, 2025

The GMT watch is a bonafide product of the jet age. Though examples of dual-time watches go back to the 19th century, it was the advent of jet-powered commercial aircraft in the 1950s that drove the introduction of this icon of modern watchmaking.

Perhaps the best-known example is the Rolex GMT Master, the watch that gave the genre its name. Introduced in 1955 in collaboration with the “World’s Most Experienced Airline,” Rolex designed the watch for Pan-American World Airways pilots that would allow them to have a reference for Greenwich Mean Time (also referred to as UTC or Zulu Time) while maintaining the ability to track local time. This collaboration also resulted in the most recognizable colorway for dual-time watches, Pan-Am’s blue and red colorway.

Another icon of the 1950s is Glycine’s Airman. First introduced in 1953, the watch became popular with American military pilots who could easily purchase the Swiss timepiece from their base’s exchange at a reasonable price. It solved the multiple time zone problem through a 24-hour main dial — its hour hand rotating only once during the day — with a rotating 24-hour bezel to track an additional time zone. It saw use by countless American pilots over the skies of Vietnam and even found itself leaving Earth’s atmosphere when Charles “Pete” Conrad wore an Airman on Gemini V and XI in 1965 and 1966.

GMT watches are commonly divided into two categories. The original style is commonly referred to as a “caller” or “office” GMT, a style where the 24-hour hand can be set independently of the main handset. Reflecting the watch’s design for pilots, the 24-hour hand was commonly set to Greenwich Mean Time, the time zone that flight plans are built around. The rotating bezel provided a means for tracking an additional time zone – say, the destination’s time zone – on top of home and GMT.

The second style of GMT watch is often referred to as a “local jumping hour” or “traveler” GMT by enthusiasts. Some purists refer to this style as a “true” GMT, but that implies that the caller is somehow inferior. It is simply another mechanical means of tracking an additional time zone. The traveler makes adjusting the time a little simpler. Rather than an independent 24-hour hand, the second time zone moves along with the primary handset. Once set, a different crown position allows the local hour hand to be easily adjusted in one-hour increments. First introduced in a later version of Rolex's GMT Master, this style has become the de facto form of the GMT for many enthusiasts.

With the GMT’s main functionality built into the watch's movement, designers are free to incorporate the function into a litany of styles. Many GMT watches feature a bezel. Some use an additional 24-hour scale so that a third timezone can be tracked; others substitute it for an elapsed time bezel for the romantic scenario of diving on holiday. Other watches forgo the bezel entirely, instead subtly adding the additional hand for those conducting business across the world.

Rolex’s GMT Master has remained an icon of the genre for seven decades. In recent years, the complication has taken on even greater significance with the introduction of new movements that have effectively democratized the once-premium complication. Seiko and Citizen have launched caller and traveler movements that smaller brands have eagerly begun to use in their own globetrotting timepieces. From Elliot Brown’s Holton Auto GMT to Bulova’s Oceanographer GMT, the GMT has entered its second golden age.

Whichever form you decide on, the GMT is a worthy companion for life's adventures. Each has its own merits depending on the intended use case. From traditional pilot's watches to hybrid dive GMTs to subtle dress watches, there's a GMT for everyone. All that’s left is to decide on the journeys to come.

For a closer look at some of our favorite travel and GMT watches, check out the GMT collection in the Windup Watch Shop. As always, the Windup Watch Team is available via consultation to answer any questions you have. In addition, all of these products are eligible for free domestic shipping across the US.

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