New GMTs from Tudor, Bell & Ross and Omega
As the jet-setting lifestyle slowly returns, it is vital to sport the right watch to keep track of each destination’s different time zones. Arm yourself with one of these GMTs and world-timers to ensure just that.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948
What: Wearing the Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Grande Tradition Calibre 948 feels like you have the world on your wrist, especially because of the enamelled and domed map of the Earth. This element was crafted by master artisans of the manufacture’s Métiers Rares by cutting continents out of a sheet of white gold, after which details were painted on. This world-timer also features a flying tourbillon, which in 24 hours makes a complete circuit of the dial.
Wear to: An indulgent evening at The Connaught Bar in London for the iconic martini trolley, which is rolled to your table by a knowledgeable mixologist who will concoct a tipple to your liking.
What: The Hölstein Edition 2022, limited to 250 pieces, is a faithful revival of an Oris icon. It is powered by the Calibre 690, which drives the time as well as the automatic winding world-timer. This movement fits neatly into a 36.5mm stainless steel case, which hugs the wrist ever so gently with a three-link steel bracelet and blue dial incorporating the manufacture’s famous red plus and minus symbols.
Wear to: Enjoy a stay at the Art Deco Hotel Montana, one of the last classical-style hotels to be built in Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1909. Marvel at its architecture and don’t forget to sip a cocktail in its Hemingway Rum Lounge.
Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial Master Chronometer GMT World-timer
What: The Seamaster Aqua Terra 150M Co-Axial Master Chronometer GMT World-timer, powered by the Omega 8938 calibre, has a depiction of the Earth at its centre on a grade 5 titanium plate with a laser-ablated ocean, surrounded by a 24-hour glass ring with light blue to indicate day and dark blue for night. The outside section of the dial features global destinations with London in red, blue for places without daylight savings and silver for those with.
Wear to: Catch some gnarly waves at Bukit Peninsula, Bali, which is one of the more famous surfing destinations in Indonesia with numerous spots for all levels of skill.
What: Sporting a vintage aesthetic, the Rado Captain Cook Over-Pole is a renewed iteration of a model from the 1960s with a 37mm case made from polished stainless steel — the same material as the bi-directional turning bezel, which also includes a polished black high-tech ceramic insert with names of cities laser engraved in a silver shade. This world-timer comes with a leather strap and stainless steel bracelet, as well as a chic case to store it in.
Wear to: A Broadway musical in New York that you have always wanted to see. Score tickets for Hamilton, The Lion King or, perhaps, The Book of Mormon, if you prefer wicked comedy.
Bulgari Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT
What: A perfect blend of technical sophistication and aesthetic refinement, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT is the world’s slimmest self-winding watch featuring a chronograph and GMT function. Creatively reinventing a classic complication the Italian way, this handsome 43mm steel timepiece is powered by the automatic Calibre BVL318, which boasts a power reserve of 55 hours. It is topped by a blue dial with satin-polished finishes and silver counters.
Wear to: Dinner at Cesare al Casaletto in Rome, famous for its authentic Roman cuisine. Don’t miss the shredded beef balls!
What: For its first dual time zone model in its 05 range, Bell & Ross offers a more urban interpretation of travel and time. Equipped with an automatic calibre with a GMT function, wound by a 360° oscillating weight, the new model reveals the beating heart of its movement through a sapphire glass caseback. The dial of the BR05, radiating with a subtle sunray finish, offers optimum legibility. Its black colour contrasts with the large numerals, indices and hands coated in white Super-LumiNova.
Wear to: Scotland for a whisky tour, exploring Islay, Speyside or, if you can handle the cold, head up to the Highlands.
Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen Limited Edition
What: The Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Chronograph 0 Oxygen Limited Edition is made for the traveller who lives on the edge. Devoid of oxygen, this timepiece’s performance and precision is guaranteed in even the harshest mountainous conditions. This feature eliminates fogging and prevents oxidation. True to its predecessors, this world-time complication features two three-dimensional globes that represent the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Wear to: Your next trekking adventure to the Himalayas or perhaps to Tanzania, where Mount Kilimanjaro has been attracting a flurry of corporate climbers to date.
What: A collector’s favourite, Tudor’s new Black Bay GMT S&G is a major hit for the brand this year. Powered by the manufacture Calibre MT5652, a self-winding mechanical movement with bidirectional rotor system, this watch boasts an impressive 70 hours of power while a 48-notch bidirectional rotating bezel in yellow gold with 24-hour graduated matt brown-and-black anodised aluminium disc gives it the moniker of “rootbeer”. Its distinct retro-inspired aesthetic is complemented by a Nato fabric strap, adhering the watch comfortably and securely to the wrist.
Wear to: A bucket list dive into the Egyptian Red Sea to explore the Thistlegorm Wreck, or behold the incredible sea creatures at the Shark and Yolanda Reefs.
Ulysse Nardin Blast Moonstruck
What: To call the Blast Moonstruck a work of art would be an understatement. This 45mm Ulysse Nardin timepiece, in black ceramic and DLC-treated titanium, is able to reproduce the rotation of the Earth and Moon around the Sun. With the beating heart of the UN-106 manufacture movement, the many functions of this watch include days of the lunar month, dual time, quick setting backward and forward, and tides coefficient.
Wear to: Witness another marvel in the skies by heading to Reykjavik in Iceland or Tromso in Norway for the colourful Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.
What: An authentic pilot’s watch with a heritage feel, TAG Heuer’s Autavia range is a reinvented classic. Ready for adventure, the heroic blue sunray brushed dial, with highly luminescent Super-LumiNova hands and indices, offers maximum legibility. The travel-friendly edition of this timepiece is powered by the COSC-certified manufacture Calibre 7, and adorned with a classic blue-and-black ceramic 24-hour scale bidirectional bezel with the GMT hand in bright orange.
Wear to: Cheer on your favourite racer at the 2022 European Le Mans Series, for the fourth round in Barcelona, Spain on Aug 28.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time
What: With the Aquanaut Travel Time, Patek Philippe offers a robust timepiece combining water-resistance of 120m with a state-of-the-art GMT movement. This model shows home and local time zones at a single glance, including a day/night indicator, and a hand-type date display on the embossed black dial. The stainless steel case has a size of 40.8mm by 10.2mm and contains a 324 S C FUS automatic calibre with a dual time zone mechanism. The complex movement comprises of 294 meticulously crafted components and a central rotor in 21-carat yellow gold.
Wear to: A captivating evening of entertainment at the famed Sydney Opera House for Madama Butterfly, a contemporary take on Puccini’s alluring heroine, playing until the end of July.
Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition Hi-Beat 36000 GMT
What: First launched in 1967, the new Grand Seiko 44GS 55th Anniversary Limited Edition Hi-Beat 36000 GMT is made from titanium, which is 30% lighter and more scratch and corrosion resistant than steel. Fitted with the 9S86 calibre, it has a power reserve of about 55 hours. The blue 24-hour hand enables the user to have two time zones at a glance and it has a calendar-linked time difference adjustment function.
Wear to: Japan’s Tohoku region, of course, where the Grand Seiko’s office is headquartered in the Iwate Prefecture.
This article first appeared on Jul 4, 2022 in The Edge Malaysia.
