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Movement & Mechanism

GMT

/PHONETIC/

GMT refers to a watch complication that displays a second time zone, typically using a 24-hour format, allowing the wearer to track time in two different locations simultaneously.

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time and refers to a watch that can display a second time zone. A GMT watch uses an additional hour hand that rotates once every 24 hours, read against either a 24-hour bezel or a 24-hour scale on the dial. This lets you track home time while the main hands show local time (or vice versa). The Rolex GMT-Master, originally designed for Pan Am pilots in 1955, is the most famous example and established the category.

Frequently asked.

How do you set a GMT watch?

Set your local time normally, then adjust the GMT hand to your home timezone or second timezone using the crown's additional position. The 24-hour GMT hand completes one rotation per day, allowing you to track two timezones simultaneously.

What's the difference between GMT and world time?

A GMT watch tracks two timezones using a 24-hour hand and rotating bezel. A world time (worldtimer) watch displays all 24 timezones simultaneously using a city disc or multiple subdials, making it easier to read multiple timezones at once.

Why is it called GMT?

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, the time standard based on the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. The complication was originally developed for pilots who needed to track both local time and GMT for international navigation and flight coordination.

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