I have a really stupid question regarding GMT function

[the dark knight]

I've watched several youtube videos and I'm still not fully understanding this, so I feel really dumb and I'm sorry.

But what functionality does the rotating bezel add? In essence, why would the GMT-II watches be more useful than say, an Explorer II?

You set 1 time to the "regular" hour minute hands, and the GMT goes to a second time zone, indicated by 24 hour markers on the bezel, right? So why the additional need to rotate?

[doboy007]

Originally Posted by the dark knight

I've watched several youtube videos and I'm still not fully understanding this, so I feel really dumb and I'm sorry.

But what functionality does the rotating bezel add? In essence, why would the GMT-II watches be more useful than say, an Explorer II?

You set 1 time to the "regular" hour minute hands, and the GMT goes to a second time zone, indicated by 24 hour markers on the bezel, right? So why the additional need to rotate?

You can do 3 time zones with GMT II. Two of them by rotating bezel, but one of the 3 is the GMT.

[PatronMTL]

allows you to change the gmt time without resetting the gmt hand every time.... imagine the gmt hand is at 2(am), and you're flying somewhere thats 2 hours ahead, you turn the bezel so that the gmt hand points at 4 instead of 2....

[the dark knight]

Originally Posted by PatronMTL

allows you to change the gmt time without resetting the gmt hand every time.... imagine the gmt hand is at 2(am), and you're flying somewhere thats 2 hours ahead, you turn the bezel so that the gmt hand points at 4 instead of 2....

Oh duh! Thanks! You jogged my memory about how Rolex developed it for Pan Am pilots and basically they could have the "regular" time set to their home, GMT hand to the airport they left, and then once they landed they could just rotate the bezel to the timezone they happened to be in. Or something like that...

[Tools]

Originally Posted by the dark knight

Oh duh! Thanks! You jogged my memory about how Rolex developed it for Pan Am pilots and basically they could have the "regular" time set to their home, GMT hand to the airport they left, and then once they landed they could just rotate the bezel to the timezone they happened to be in. Or something like that...

Nope... (there is no such thing as a "GMT function")

The original GMT Master, made in concert with Pan Am, did not have an independent hand like the later GMT II. That function was 30 years later.

The GMT is a dual-time watch and the 24 hr hand rotates at exactly 1/2 the speed of the dial hour hand. Originally, you had one time on the dial and you rotated the bezel to set a second time-zone read in 24 hr time.

The GMT II is still simply a dual time watch, except, now you can set one zone on the dial and another zone using the 24 hr hand separately. The Explorer II is also a dual-time watch used in the same manner.

The GMT II bezel still works the same way it always did; set any zone you want and read it with the 24 hr hand. You still only see 2 zones at a time.

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by Tools

The GMT II bezel still works the same way it always did; set any zone you want and read it with the 24 hr hand. You still only see 2 zones at a time.

What’s cool about some Grand Seiko GMTs is that you can read 3 time zones at the same time...if you needed such a feature.

[jaisonline]

Great explanation. Saved me from typing. Although, you put it far better than I was going to. :)

Originally Posted by Tools

Nope... (there is no such thing as a "GMT function")

The original GMT Master, made in concert with Pan Am, did not have an independent hand like the later GMT II. That function was 30 years later.

The GMT is a dual-time watch and the 24 hr hand rotates at exactly 1/2 the speed of the dial hour hand. Originally, you had one time on the dial and you rotated the bezel to set a second time-zone read in 24 hr time.

The GMT II is still simply a dual time watch, except, now you can set one zone on the dial and another zone using the 24 hr hand separately. The Explorer II is also a dual-time watch used in the same manner.

The GMT II bezel still works the same way it always did; set any zone you want and read it with the 24 hr hand. You still only see 2 zones at a time.

[crazyjazy]

I use the rotational bezel to keep track of my kid’s points when he plays basketball


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JayHantz]

Originally Posted by crazyjazy

I use the rotational bezel to keep track of my kid’s points when he plays basketball


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is the first time I have heard of the GMT function used like this. Very unique!

[dane75]

Originally Posted by crazyjazy

I use the rotational bezel to keep track of my kid’s points when he plays basketball

This is awesome and, also, probably the right answer.

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by crazyjazy

I use the rotational bezel to keep track of my kid’s points when he plays basketball


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Excellent idea.

[breed]

Best reply and use for the GMT function I have ever seen.

My daughter has a basketball game this morning and going to use my BLNR for exactly this.

[Wimbledon]

Originally Posted by the dark knight

But what functionality does the rotating bezel add?

So a bunch of guys can argue over the color of it. That is the only real point to the color of the bezel.

That way we can have 10,000 post about the Batman and the Pepsi.

[TheWatchmen]

Originally Posted by Wimbledon

So a bunch of guys can argue over the color of it. That is the only real point to the color of the bezel.



That way we can have 10,000 post about the Batman and the Pepsi.

Funny because it’s true (somewhat)! I owned a GMT2, and travel for work A LOT - nice to be able to set the hour hand to wherever I was going but adding or subtracting in my head was easier. I never used the bezel...I guess if I were an actual commercial pilot I might have. The point is, the bezel colors are by far the most important thing about that watch :/

[Soultime]

Someone on here once said they used it for counting how many beers drunk - from a case of 24.
Brilliant!

[D.P.G.]

I'm a pilot using the watch as intended. All scheduling is based on GMT (UTC) so you set the GMT hand to actual GMT time. You then set the hour and minute hands to the time zone you live in so you know your local time. Then you rotate the bezel to the time zone of your destination everting is based on GMT +/- 12 hours. This way at one glance you know GMT, Local Time and Destination time.

[Rori]

Well explained.

Originally Posted by D.P.G.

I'm a pilot using the watch as intended. All scheduling is based on GMT (UTC) so you set the GMT hand to actual GMT time. You then set the hour and minute hands to the time zone you live in so you know your local time. Then you rotate the bezel to the time zone of your destination everting is based on GMT +/- 12 hours. This way at one glance you know GMT, Local Time and Destination time.

[Rori]

The gmt shows you 2 time zones plus a third one using the rotational bezel. At a glance you can tell the time in 3 timezones at once basically.
The colored bezel is so tell you daytime or nighttime in the other time zones. Also at a glance.
In the pictures bellow, my watch second “red” hour hand is set to Los Angeles time, notice how it’s now coming out from dark color and into red zone of the bezel.