Who uses their GMT function and how?

[jon_jon]

I think pilots and air traffic controllers use the GMT, but those who travel across time zones for business/leisure can definitely benefit from the dual time zone indicator. On my first trip to Switzerland many years ago, I remember wearing my GMT. Being able to adjust the hour hand without the minute hand makes switching time zones and setting the time easier.

[Tseg]

Here is me looking down Nanjing Road in Shanghai at nearly noon... or nearly midnight back home. Throw in a bunch of jet lag and the GMT hand is priceless.

[Marrk]

@ Tseg: Great picture and text.

[Lordofrolex]

The proper way is set local time. Set the GMT hand to GMT time and move the bezel in whichever zone you travel to such as +/- GMT determine on the destination. That's how you use it for people who travel a lot.

You also can use it as a 3 time zone watch it but I like to use it the simple way explained above.

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by Lordofrolex

The proper way is set local time. Set the GMT hand to GMT time and move the bezel in whichever zone you travel to such as +/- GMT determine on the destination. That's how you use it for people who travel a lot.

You also can use it as a 3 time zone watch it but I like to use it the simple way explained above.

Where did you get this information? Certainly not from the Rolex owners manual.

Of course that's one way to use the watch, but where is it written that's the proper method? Considering the 24 hour hand (not called a GMT hand if you want to be proper) on the GMT Master could not even be set independently for about 30 years or so, I'm not so sure I agree with what you consider the proper method for using the watch.

[landroverking]

As a pilot yes.

[Rockrolex]

I always use mine when I travel between time zones. Upon wheels up, I set the hour hand to what will be local time when we land and I leave the 24 hour hand set on home time. That way I always know what time it is at home while keeping proper time wherever I am.

[Christiaan]

Originally Posted by Sgilde

Air traffic controller. Use it every day! Main time is set to local, gmt is set to utc, and I just rotate the bezel for time zone changes when I travel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You work at SDF? I'm at CLT.

[Christiaan]

Originally Posted by jon_jon

I think pilots and air traffic controllers use the GMT, but those who travel across time zones for business/leisure can definitely benefit from the dual time zone indicator. On my first trip to Switzerland many years ago, I remember wearing my GMT. Being able to adjust the hour hand without the minute hand makes switching time zones and setting the time easier.

Correct, everything we (ATC) and pilots (my wife) does is based on Zulu time.

[rkot07]

Originally Posted by Lordofrolex

The proper way is set local time. Set the GMT hand to GMT time and move the bezel in whichever zone you travel to such as +/- GMT determine on the destination. That's how you use it for people who travel a lot.

You also can use it as a 3 time zone watch it but I like to use it the simple way explained above.

I would agree with Brandon that this is the correct way of using the GMT function. When you look at a world map based on time zones (see link) they will show the zones as +/- from Greenwich Mean Time. So regardless of what time zone your in, you can reference another time zone based on the data from the map and a turn of your bezel accordingly.
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/timezonz.htm

Obviously this is not the only way to use it but this method will allow you to quickly figure out the time in other zones.

[pa30crewchief]

Originally Posted by rkot07

I would agree with Brandon that this is the correct way of using the GMT function. When you look at a world map based on time zones (see link) they will show the zones as +/- from Greenwich Mean Time. So regardless of what time zone your in, you can reference another time zone based on the data from the map and a turn of your bezel accordingly.
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/timezonz.htm

Obviously this is not the only way to use it but this method will allow you to quickly figure out the time in other zones.

Exactly.

Mind you it's still a bother with staff in India. Anyone know how to use a GMT with countries that have a 30 minute offset?


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[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by rkot07

Obviously this is not the only way to use it but this method will allow you to quickly figure out the time in other zones.

It's not the quickest if you have to consult a world time map to get the offset you want. If you have a reference time already in your head, that would be the fastest way. I already know the offsets off the top of my head to most places I'm interested in tracking as they relate to my home time. Anyone in a similar position as me would therefore find using home time as the "correct" method.

Here's what Rolex itself says about it:

In addition to conventional hour, minute and seconds hands, the GMTMaster II features an arrow-tipped hand, which circles the dial once every 24 hours, as well as a bidirectional rotatable 24-hour graduated bezel. The distinctively coloured 24-hour hand displays the “home” reference time in a first time zone which can be read on the graduations on the bezel.

https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-ma...0blnr-0002.pdf

In fact I would bet that for the 30 or so years of the GMT prior to the GMTII coming out, the 24 hour hand was not set to Greenwich Mean Time by the vast majority of pilots.

[lig]

My territory spans 3 time zones. Hour hand set to local time. 24 hr hand set to home time.
Easy peasy.

If it gets more complicated than that I use my phone. :D

[Gazza67]

I like to rotate my bezel when England cricket are overseas, however, being as their last tour was in India, setting the bezel +5.5 hours is tricky!

[ag986]

On my GMT II, the 24 Hour Hand is set at UTC time. When I travel, I set the Quickset Hour Hand for that locale. I rotate the bezel so that the 24 Hour Hand indicates my home time.

On my Explorer II, the 24 Hour Hand stays on my home time.

Everyone has their own way of using the GMT function (or not) and there are no wrong answers. I am no longer a frequent traveler so I really don't need a GMT, I just like the watches.

[topgear]

I am originally from the Asia Pacific, lots of family and friends still there, but I work and live in the Middle East. So I set the GMT hand at my home country time whilst the regular hands show the local time where I am at. I am really enjoying my GMT IIc.

[Fuselierpa]

any rotating bezel makes a perfect timer. Not only when diving. You never cook? :)

[zion_rasta]

Originally Posted by japenney

I work in a hospital and I set the 24hour GMT hand to local time for charting purposes. Hospital time is 24hours. I use the rotating bezel to time things in 2.5 minute increments like IV medications etc. The GMT is the perfect daily watch for me :)

2.5min increments... that is the best yet

[RPB]

Dial set to UK time.
24 hr hand always set to GMT, no matter what.
Bezel turned so 24 hr hand reflects my favourite timezone in the world. Currently Las Vegas time. :)

[Base-Z]

I have two GMTs, the first one is used for work and is set to New York and China time.
My other watch is set to Greenwich Mean Astronomical Time, and has a date change
and start of the new day at midday GMT.

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by zion_rasta

2.5min increments... that is the best yet

Actually, for ET purposes the bezel is accurate to within 1.25 minutes. That certainly is close enough for most chores where the time isn't critical, like parking meters and checking the dryer. For anything I absolutely want to be on time for it just gets set to hit the marker 1 1/4 minutes early. For anything where accuracy to the second is paramount I'd probably use my phone so I have an alarm.

[slowturbo]

Both set to home time. When i travel, I set the hour hand to the current time, GMT stays on home time.

[Pharaoh_83]

I set both time zones to local time on my explorer ii. When travelling, I use the quick set hour hand to adjust the main time to local time. The gmt hand now references home time.