How do you use your GMT?

[K12123]

When I’m traveling, I set the GMT hand to home time. When I’m at home, I set it to GMT time. Not sure why. I think it’s a nice reminder that there’s a big world out there.

[nGage7962]

Hour hand always set to local time wherever I am. GMT hand normally set to UK time at home, but when away, typically set to AEST. Bezel sometimes set for tracking a 3rd timezone depending on whether my daughter is home or away.

[minute_man]

Originally Posted by Horologista

GMT hand always set to GMT time.
Bezel rotated +/- # of clicks based on location I want to track. Allows me to quickly know time anywhere in the world.
Hour hand to local time.

This is how a Rolex GMT is supposed to work.

This

Originally Posted by Stan Cooper

This!

My flight planning is always in UTC as are log entries of all my ham radio transmissions, so the 24 hour hand (reference time) is always set to GMT. The 12 hour hand is always set to local time in whatever time zone I'm in. The jump hour hand feature makes it a snap to change local time when I'm traveling across time zones. The rotating bezel lets me see the time anywhere at a glance.

And this

But I can see how the 24 hour hand showing home time can work for others, which is also described in the accompanying manual.

[1William]

I like the looks of the GMT but never use the function.

[Bazil]

I travel and work worldwide, certain countries I won’t take my watch, but I use the GMT hand for the country I’m visiting ..

[danwang0520]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

I set both to local time when I am home. I like the GMT hand as a 24-hour military time indicator. Traveling I would move the local hand to local time there.

Originally Posted by brandrea

Both hands to local time. Jump the 12 hour hand to local time when I travel.

I do this as well….

[TimeOnTarget]

Long haul pilot here.

I typically set the 24 hour hand to GMT and 12 to local. These are my two pilot/traveler watches. I have several "caller" movements with the Seiko NH-34 as well.

[Porschen]

Originally Posted by Horologista

GMT hand always set to GMT time.
Bezel rotated +/- # of clicks based on location I want to track. Allows me to quickly know time anywhere in the world.
Hour hand to local time.

This is how a Rolex GMT is supposed to work.

I like this approach - I’ll have to give it a try.

[Jackie Daytona]

My father always kept it at UK time. It’s mine now so UK time is where it remains.



It actually is a bit useful though. Although the UK is generally an hour off the rest of central Europe it makes it fairly easy to reference time in general in Europe as we watch a lot of things like F1, additionally we have some friends there we talk to on occasion so it makes a nice quick reference.

[BMess]

I’m an international private equity lawyer. I sit in NYC but work with teams in London and Luxembourg daily. I’ve often considered setting my GMT hand to London or Lux time but never actually have. My GMT hand is set to 24h EST.

[Blaster]

I set my GMT to GMT because I actually have a need to know that time pretty often. When I travel I jump the hour hand to local time. It is about a 90% solution for me with the Explorer II. I would really like a rotating bezel and I am on the list for a GMT Master II so I can track another time zone. When I upgrade the plan is to rotate the bezel to the GMT hand for local time.
If I really needed to know the time I guess I could use a smart watch but I think I am among friends who will understand my resistance to the simple solution.

[travisb]

Both set to local time. I almost never have the need to track a second time zone.

[Gearjockey]

Originally Posted by TimeOnTarget

Long haul pilot here.

I typically set the 24 hour hand to GMT and 12 to local. These are my two pilot/traveler watches. I have several "caller" movements with the Seiko NH-34 as well.

That’s badass bro.
747?

[TimeOnTarget]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

That’s badass bro.
747?

Thanks. Yes, a 747 Freighter.

[t65tampa]

GMT hand is left set to my home time in Florida. If I travel outside of my home time zone, I'll move the 12-hour hand accordingly for the new local time.

The rotating bezel is only used for timing something, not for the third time zone for which it was designed.

[rolexjackson]

I have a close family member who does a fair bit of traveling I always set the GMT to wherever they are.

[Aspirin]

Yes, for example Rolex Explorer II with fixed bezel, that's easy to get it, but for the rotation bezel like Rolex GMT, I really don't get how to show 3 different time zones.

[Andad]

This is all too confusing for me.

I just can’t get my 116713 to work at all?

[EEpro]

At home I use UTC for the 24 hand so I can jump the hour for daylight saving time without hacking the movement. When traveling I put the 24 hr to home and jump hand to local.

Sounds like the typical usage.

[Porschen]

Originally Posted by Aspirin

Yes, for example Rolex Explorer II with fixed bezel, that's easy to get it, but for the rotation bezel like Rolex GMT, I really don't get how to show 3 different time zones.

You can’t show all three at the same time - it just enables quick adjustments to check another time zone by rotating the bezel. I was confused by this too!

[TXshaggy]

GMT hand to GMT

Hour hand to local

Track a third time zone by rotating bezel to timezone of interest and using GMT hand. When traveling this can be local...

[Blaster]

Originally Posted by Aspirin

Yes, for example Rolex Explorer II with fixed bezel, that's easy to get it, but for the rotation bezel like Rolex GMT, I really don't get how to show 3 different time zones.

Hands show 2 time zones. They point to the positions the numbers would be like reading time on a watch with no numbers. Rotate the bezel to TZ 3 and the 24 HR hand now points to a number that is out of the normal position. Does that make sense the way I said it?
For this to work you have to remember where the numbers normally are.

[baamvino]

I have 2 GMTs, but never use the function

[piratfisk]

Normal use: hour hand home time (PST), 24hr hand EST.

Traveling: hour hand local time (wherever I am), 24hr hand home time (PST).

[garyk]

Delete

[west8720]

Time all kind of food on the grill…and use it to tell time and date. 😀

[Redemption144]

I have family in Europe so set my GMT hand to Europe central time and local hand to local - Pacific in my case. With the EX II, I love the jumping hour hand when traveling, it allow for easy change of time when going to different time zones.