Is the GMT Master II the most practical watch ever?

[hothothaven]

I was thinking about this as I got ready this morning. It's not the only watch in my collection, I have a rather handsome Radiomir, a 500m diver, and a dressy 36 mm as well. But as far as just all around useful, practical, if I was stuck with one watch, certainly the one I take on business trips, always the one I take on airplanes and vacations (that don't specifically involve diving), easy enough to dress up in a suit, dress down in pair of jeans, tough enough to withstand anything, good looking and yet flies under the radar (mine is an all black bezel), all around useful watch.

It tells you the date, the time where you are now, the time where your home office is, and if you are on a ship and have it set to shipboard time, you can just rotate the bezel to set the GMT hand to local time. And unlike many other brands, when Rolex says 100m water resistance, I don't doubt that I could actually go that deep with it (it does have a rather over engineered crown for a gmt watch, but no complaints here).

I think I read somewhere that if you meet a watch guy who only has one watch, it is probably a GMT master II. (they were probably referencing that great hodinkee story from a few years ago). I agree. If I had to only have one watch to go anywhere, do anything, deal with any problem, it would be that one. Three cheers to the GMT Master II! Huzzah!

[Scapegoat]

One watch man here!

Had the 110460 Sub but just could not live without the date!

Finally ended up with the 116710LN.

[schoolboy]

Cool “review”

What Hodinkee article are you talking about?

I’d like to look it up


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[hothothaven]

Originally Posted by schoolboy

Cool “review”

What Hodinkee article are you talking about?

I’d like to look it up


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this was the article. it is a fantastic read and will make you like GMT masters even more

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/op...-one-watch-guy

[schoolboy]

Originally Posted by hothothaven

this was the article. it is a fantastic read and will make you like GMT masters even more



https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/op...-one-watch-guy

Thanks!

I’ll check it out over lunch break

Have a good one!


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[jsausley]

Originally Posted by hothothaven

And unlike many other brands, when Rolex says 100m water resistance, I don't doubt that I could actually go that deep with it (it does have a rather over engineered crown for a gmt watch, but no complaints here).

Yeah, for all intents and purposes the Rolex Triplock crown is basically waterproof. Points of failure on watches are casebacks and crystal gaskets. The GMT has a thinner caseback than a Submariner which is the only reason it has a lower rating.

[rolexpatek363]

I can add or subtract integers, so the GMT function is redundant for me. I have three steel Subs. Old 4- and 5- digit ones.

[Hard_Six]

I agree. The GMT Master II is a great all arounder and looks handsome as well. And while I can calculate time zone changes in my head as well, it is a nice feature to have.

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by rolexpatek363

I can add or subtract integers, so the GMT function is redundant for me. I have three steel Subs. Old 4- and 5- digit ones.

If you can add and subtract integers, you don’t need a Sub’s bezel either. That being said, the GMT complication is just something else to go wrong if you don’t need to know time in another zone. I do, so it’s a useful watch for me.

[kneedeep]

Unless you need a stopwatch, hard to beat a GMT for usefulness.

[dhknola]

16170 would be my only watch

[notknifescience]

In terms of Rolexes I can see it, but if you define practical in terms of how many useful things it can do for you in daily life, then I think the Apple Watch would have to take that crown.

[meyers]

Hard to disagree - the GMT II is certainly a practical watch and the logic of the OP is pretty sound.

Then you have the 6-in-1 versatility of the 16710, which probably explains why this particular reference is so popular

[Bo-Dacious]

Originally Posted by rolexpatek363

I can add or subtract integers, so the GMT function is redundant for me. I have three steel Subs. Old 4- and 5- digit ones.

Owning a GMT is redundant because you can add/subtract, but owning three Sub's isn't?

[capote]

I think the most practical watches are found in the discreet OP line.

[Golden Ellipse]

Originally Posted by rolexpatek363

I can add or subtract integers, so the GMT function is redundant for me. I have three steel Subs. Old 4- and 5- digit ones.

Wow, the snarkscale does indeed go all the way to 11

[rolexpatek363]

Originally Posted by Bo-Dacious

Owning a GMT is redundant because you can add/subtract, but owning three Sub's isn't?

I have a 5513, 1680, and a 16610. Three very different watches. I also have a very redundant OP39 and a 118206 platinum Day-Date. Anyway, I'll take my 16610 as a fictional only watch. Or maybe the OP39?

[brandrea]

Best not to chance it. You need a GMT and a Diver

[rolexpatek363]

Originally Posted by Golden Ellipse

Wow, the snarkscale does indeed go all the way to 11

Just a fact. If I'm in a different timezone, working out home time isn't very difficult to do, I have found.

[GoingPlaces]

I agree. The GMT does it all, dress up or down, take it swimming, travel, into meetings and much more. Highly practical and fun to look at. Never bored with it.


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[jerryhum]

My favorite also. Funny thing is, I prefer simple time only watches. I actually don't like having the date but not because of aesthetics. It's because I find it annoying to have a date and not know if it's AM or PM. So if it's got a date window, I'm going to want a GMT hand also.

[jeffnnj]

IMO the G-Shock is the most practical watch ever.


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[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by hothothaven

I was thinking about this as I got ready this morning. It's not the only watch in my collection, I have a rather handsome Radiomir, a 500m diver, and a dressy 36 mm as well. But as far as just all around useful, practical, if I was stuck with one watch, certainly the one I take on business trips, always the one I take on airplanes and vacations (that don't specifically involve diving), easy enough to dress up in a suit, dress down in pair of jeans, tough enough to withstand anything, good looking and yet flies under the radar (mine is an all black bezel), all around useful watch.

It tells you the date, the time where you are now, the time where your home office is, and if you are on a ship and have it set to shipboard time, you can just rotate the bezel to set the GMT hand to local time. And unlike many other brands, when Rolex says 100m water resistance, I don't doubt that I could actually go that deep with it (it does have a rather over engineered crown for a gmt watch, but no complaints here).

I think I read somewhere that if you meet a watch guy who only has one watch, it is probably a GMT master II. (they were probably referencing that great hodinkee story from a few years ago). I agree. If I had to only have one watch to go anywhere, do anything, deal with any problem, it would be that one. Three cheers to the GMT Master II! Huzzah!

I have an all black Y-series GMT-II that travels with me everywhere. It's my favorite watch, even though I have about 20 others. I bought it new in about 2003 and it's never been serviced. Keeps great time and works like a charm.

[GolfPunk]

Originally Posted by hothothaven

I was thinking about this as I got ready this morning. It's not the only watch in my collection, I have a rather handsome Radiomir, a 500m diver, and a dressy 36 mm as well. But as far as just all around useful, practical, if I was stuck with one watch, certainly the one I take on business trips, always the one I take on airplanes and vacations (that don't specifically involve diving), easy enough to dress up in a suit, dress down in pair of jeans, tough enough to withstand anything, good looking and yet flies under the radar (mine is an all black bezel), all around useful watch.

It tells you the date, the time where you are now, the time where your home office is, and if you are on a ship and have it set to shipboard time, you can just rotate the bezel to set the GMT hand to local time. And unlike many other brands, when Rolex says 100m water resistance, I don't doubt that I could actually go that deep with it (it does have a rather over engineered crown for a gmt watch, but no complaints here).

I think I read somewhere that if you meet a watch guy who only has one watch, it is probably a GMT master II. (they were probably referencing that great hodinkee story from a few years ago). I agree. If I had to only have one watch to go anywhere, do anything, deal with any problem, it would be that one. Three cheers to the GMT Master II! Huzzah!

I have owned several GMT’s and while I really like them, I prefer the Daytona as my one and only.

I am intelligent enough to remember the date for any given 24 hour period so I don’t need a date.

I also travel alot and I can easily add and subtract the hours in time different zones so no need for the GMT function either.

For me, the WG Daytona is the perfect watch.

I am happy for you being content with your great GMT though

[Carondelet]

I definitely agree. The GMT Master II is going to be my next rolex purchase. It will be my 4th musketeer!

[Jace]

While I do not currently on this watch, I have owned it on five separate occasions and various iterations.

Your points are as legitimate as the claim for any watch. One can argue in the aesthetics and the complications but pretty much defines any of the Rolex oysters.

I truly envy the person in the article by Hoodinkee. My brother had a similar story to this. He bought himself a datejust which he engraved to commemorate his 40 flying combats sortees as a fighter pilot during the first gulf war. Unfortunately somebody broke into his house and stole this watch Last year. Irreplaceable.




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[904VT]

My reasons why no compared to a Sub C as most practical are:

-No micro-adjust
-Pain of needing to reset a GMT function without the longer power reserve
-PCLs

That being said, I would be damn happy with a GMT LN or BLNR as my one and only and every day watch

[SS Oyster]

I think it very well could be the best overall useful and purposeful watch, depending on what you need a watch for. Best for a diver, no. Best for pretty much anyone else, probably yes.

[jsausley]

Originally Posted by notknifescience

In terms of Rolexes I can see it, but if you define practical in terms of how many useful things it can do for you in daily life, then I think the Apple Watch would have to take that crown.

We don't really count the what is essentially the latest fad craze electronic gizmo here.

[Dan Pierce]

Yes, next question.
dP