[Pool Shark]

Bimmerpost Watch Aficionados: I'm looking to add a GMT to my collection, and aside from the Rolex GMT (Pepsi or Batman) which I am also considering, which one of the following would you say is worth a look in-person

[soldes]

Have you look at the Grand Seiko GMT's? They have ample color variations, and dials that are best in class.

[ebirotedu]

Tough call. I think they all have their attractions and virtues. Ultimately, I’d get whichever GMT I enjoyed looking at on my wrist the most.

Chronomat - Styling seems a tad bland to me and power reserve is on the low side. Bracelet is supposed to be very comfortable and is unique.

Planet Ocean - Like the arrow hands and METAS, but not a fan of orange accents. Wish Omega weren’t so attached to putting giant helium escape valves on the PO line, but some people are less bothered. (Said as I am wearing a helium valve equipped Seamaster 300 chronograph - feel like the pushers make it less offensive maybe and maybe because I feel like the valve is slightly more acceptable on the older 300 diver than newer PO line).

TAG - I bought one after seeing it in person. It’s close enough to a Batman without being an actual copy (dodecagonal bezel, blue textured dial, etc) that it feels like its own thing. 70 hour power reserve. Obviously I’m a bit biased.

Tudor Black Bay - Like these a lot in terms of overall styling. Conservative but also timeless. Don’t like aluminum bezels though - they always scratch and fade. Some view this as a virtue.

With unlimited funds I’d probably already own both a GMT II blue dial Pepsi and a Rolesor Root Beer.


I’d say go look at all of them if you’re seriously considering each, which I would guess you are on account of your short listing the here. Nothing like seeing a watch up close and in person. 😄

[GuidoK]

Do you rate watches by looks or technical or horological parameters? Or investment value (better said: how much they loose ).

I think from a horological/technical pov the breitling is not much special. ETA based movement, expensive for what you get. Most Breitlings aren't that special imo. The navitimer maybe.

The Tag Heuer has a Selita made movement (but I think it's bespoke for Tag?). Nice watch, not too expensive but not as special as the Omega and Tudor.

Both the Tudor and Omega have a more exclusive movement with adjustment screws on the balancewheel instead of the more normal quick set regulator. It gives it a more higher tier vibe.
The Omega is expensive but has a nice looking movement, and I assume a helium escape valve? So it gives the feel of a higher performance watch whether you need it or not.
I don't like S&G bracelets, so I'd never choose the Tudor, but that's personal. I'd take the normal one.

But Grand Seiko have both a spring drive GMT and a 36000BPH GMT, which are insane movements (also some more normal movements and cheaper GMT's). Both obviously in house movements.
The dials and hands are stunning. What I like about the hands is that they mask off the center rivet (some don't have these hands, but most of them do). I don't know how they make those, but it gives a feel as if they were CNC made out of a billet and they make hands of other brands immediately look very cheap, made out of stamped sheet and a rivet in the middle. Only watches in the highest priceclasses (PP, Lange&Söhne etc) have nice polished solutions for this.
The only downside of GS is I think that a lot of the cases look bulky due to fairly big lugs (even though some GMT's are 40mm) or are bulky (44mm case gmt's). When I saw them in person, first thing I thought was...that's a big watch (but my wrists are small)
But if you look closely at dial, hands, caseline polishing, movement etc, they're in a different class. If they were swiss, they would fall in the 30k+ priceclass (the spring drives and 36000bph ones that is).

What I mean with the hands:

Grand Seiko, the seconds hands also has way more depth as if the hand itself is round, not flat:


Every other watch, flat sheet (sometimes with a fold in the middle) and a visible rivet in the center:

[c1pher]

The Omega or the Tudor are great choices.

[Pool Shark]

Many, many thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge and perspective. Looks like I have some more homework to do.

Happy Holidays!

[tcphoto]

The Tudor is very popular, I'm an Omega fanboy and have thought about adding a third Omega with a Planet Ocean but calmer heads prevailed. My first nice watch was a TAG Aquaracer and I really liked it but I've moved on to another watch, a Hamilton Aviator X-Wind which might arrive by the weekend. Whatever you decide, I'd suggest looking on Chrono24 for a clean used watch. I've purchased all three of my Omega watches there and have been happy with them.