Good things come in small packages. These small GMT watches are perfect for men with slender wrists. Let’s check them out.
The GMT watch is every frequent traveler’s best friend. If you spend a lot of time hopping from one destination to another, you’ll need one, in my opinion.
The complication lets you track multiple time zones simultaneously while flying from one country to another. Small GMT watches, in particular, are great if you travel frequently and you have small wrists.
Are you away on business and need to manage family life back home? A GMT can assist you. Do you need to call work’s Paris office to inform them of a delay with your meeting in LA? It’s not a problem. And what about when it’s a family member’s birthday?
You’re working away but need to figure out the best time to call home. A GMT helps with that, too!
Whatever your preference in design, functionality, and style, add this as a complication for your collection. (Here’s how to build a watch collection from scratch.)
But what is a GMT watch, and how does it work? Let’s take a deeper look.
Table of Contents
What Is a GMT Watch?
In a nutshell, a GMT watch enables you to track one, sometimes three, timezones at once. A GMT watch offers a 24-hour bezel and a coordinating 24-hour hand on the dial. With this type of watch, you can track two time zones at once.
Models with a rotating bezel enable you to do even more with a GMT watch. If you know how to use one, you can track three time zones at once.
There are many different designs and styles to choose from when it comes to shopping for GMT watches. In fact, they’re one of the most popular complications to own. But it’s surprising how many people don’t know how to use one properly.
How Does a GMT Watch Work?
Now you know the answer to “What is a GMT watch?”, you’ll probably wonder: “How does a GMT watch work?” To get the most out of your GMT watch, you need to use the bezel (wherever possible).
So, for a Rolex GMT-Master II watch, here’s how you set your watch.
Say you live in Canada (UTC-5), which means five hours behind UTC 0. It’s 10 am at home, and you’re attending the Geneva Watch Days event and need to keep track of the time in Switzerland.
You can track different time zones in several ways. One easy way, however, is to set your home time on the 24-hour hand. In this case, the hand will point to 10 am.
Next, put the main hour hand to your current location in Geneva once you arrive. Geneva is UTC+1, so if Canada is 10 am and UTC is 15:00, then Geneva is 4 pm.
After you set the date, you can set a third time zone by offsetting the rotating bezel against your home time.
Most people have GMT watches set like dual-time watches. The local time displays itself on the main dial, while the 24-hour hand points to a second time zone. This is all well and good, especially if your watch has a fixed bezel.
But what if it doesn’t? What if your watch has a rotating bezel? Well, my friend, you should use it. If you have this feature and you’re not using it, you’re missing out.
GMT watches are a great way to stay organized while on the go, and there are many ways to enjoy them. Because they tend to be larger to accommodate a more complex movement, however, finding smaller alternatives is tricky.
I’ve rounded up some of the best ones on the market.
Best Small GMT Watches
Don’t worry. It’s still possible for small-wristed guys to enjoy all the benefits of a GMT complication. Here are some great variations of the small GMT watch:
Farer Lander IV 36mm
Have you ever heard of Farer? Me neither. And I should know about these guys since they’re a relatively young brand from England!
I browsed the brand’s catalog and found this compact 36mm GMT watch. It packs a punch with its vibrant blue and orange design.
The Farer Lander IV 36mm watch is a sporty-looking model with a moderate price tag. The fact the watch features marine-grade steel is humbling. It shows the brand doesn’t compromise on quality.
Now, this watch takes the form of the Lander — one of Farer’s very popular designs. You can recognize the Lander by its sea-green dial and triple-stepped date.
In addition to these features, you get lots of Super-LumiNova on the hands and Arabic numerals. And, around the outer edge of the dial is a 24-hour track to follow with the red GMT hand.
There’s only one thing I’d say about this model. You could easily confuse the vibrant orange seconds hand with the red GMT hand.
Besides that, this is a compact and affordable GMT watch for wearing every day. The watch also comes with a choice of different-colored Granolo leather straps, including blue, brown, and grey.
Serica 8315 Chrobometrie GMT
The Serica 8315 Chronometrie GMT watch is a 200-meter water-resistant companion that measures 39mm.
Its design isn’t too safe and doesn’t look like your archetypal GMT watch, either. The placement of the hour markers in this watch may take a little getting used to.
Serica positions them really deep into the dial and far away from the minute and seconds scale.
I like that this French brand has stepped away from convention with this design. It doesn’t conform to the stereotypical rules of a travel watch. Clearly, this watch takes inspiration from dive watches of the 1950s and 60s, too, so it has plenty of retro flair.
Despite this, there is a direct focus on functionality here. The dial details, including the lollipop GMT hand, are crisp and legible. Meanwhile, the black-and-white 24-hour bezel clearly shows the difference between daytime and nighttime hours.
This is a caller/office GMT watch, but there’s no date window. This means you don’t have to bother correcting it each time you adjust the hands.
Nodus Sector GMT Tuxedo
Some of Nodus’ watches hang in the balance between classic and futuristic. I’ve never seen a sector dial like this in a GMT format before. The steel case and black dial work together great.
The Arabic numerals look almost like Art Nouveau, and the 24-hour track sits on an inner track.
The date window at 6 o’clock cleverly overlaps the different textures and tones of the scales. All the while, you have these beefy, squared-off central hands that look incredibly contemporary.
I’m unsure where the “Tuxedo” part of the name comes into this design. I wouldn’t exactly say this would be my choice of watch to pair with a tux, though it’s undeniably dressy.
The watch completes its look on a steel bracelet and features a sharp, crisp triangular GMT hand inside a compact 38mm case.
Traska Venturer GMT Arctic White
The Traska Venturer GMT Arctic White watch is giving me Grand Seiko vibes. Tilting this watch under the light really showcases a myriad of high-end finishes. For under $1k, you’ll struggle to find much wrong with this watch. It’s classic, clean and understated.
The hour hand is independently adjustable from the GMT, making it easy to use when on the go. The dark blue touches on the dial are subtle and understated, and the polish on the bezel has a mirror-like finish.
What gives this monochrome watch such a sleek Grand Seiko-inspired look is its grey 24-hour scale on the flange. The watch also offers a well-made steel bracelet with a Traska-engraved folding clasp.
Baltic Aquascaphe GMT
Baltic does a great sports watch and brings those design cues into its travel watch — the Aquascaphe GMT.
You can get this 39mm watch in bezel colors of blue & grey, orange & dark blue, or blue and green. Go for the latter. Honestly! These colors are not your typical bezel colors. But even the orange and blue model has a lot going for it.
Baltic is an affordable French brand that receives a lot of fan praise for its mid-twentieth-century style.
This watch has a dome sapphire crystal glass front, a Soprod movement inside, and is 100 meters water-resistant. (Check out our non-GMT Baltic Aquascaphe review here.)
Monta Atlas GMT
Monta crushes it with this travel watch. The Atlas GMT has a purpose. It means business. You get 150-meter water resistance and a case finishing that is the best of its class.
Horizontal brushing on the center case accentuates the watch’s curves, while the polished bezel elevates the design further.
You’ll have no trouble tracking a second time zone with this watch. It’s a 38.5mm steel model with a clear and concise arrangement.
There are finer details on the dial worth admiring, too. The repeated diamond tip on the second hand and the GMT hand are crisp and sharp. A Swiss movement propels these hands around a deep blue dial accented by piercing red details.
Parmigiani Fleurier GMT Rattrappante
Ok, so maybe 40mm is the top end for small wrists, but the GMT Rattrapante by Parmigiani Fleurier is an exception. It wears pretty slim because of its slight case measuring 10.7mm in thickness.
The rattrapante version of this GMT has a significant advantage for tracking time zones across countries. The jumping GMT hand can quickly shift between two time zones.
At 8 o’clock, the pusher moves one of the two superimposed hands in one-hour increments to change local time.
Pressing the rose gold tip of the pusher at 3 o’clock, however, snaps the rose gold local time hand backward. It works similarly to a split-second chronograph.
I’m a massive fan of the Tonda PF watch collection. The models all have a definitive look that you can pick out from across a crowded room.
This GMT watch’s deep blue dial features a guilloche pattern, which adds an entrancing sense of depth. The GMT Rattrapante also features a knurled platinum bezel, giving it some serious sports watch vibes.
Rolex GMT-Master II
So, I can’t avoid mentioning the Rolex GMT-Master II when covering any GMT-related topic. The watch simply has it all. In fact, it defines the GMT watch in so many ways. It’s comfortable, well-built, robust, legible, and superior in every way.
The brand’s “Pepsi” bezel is an absolute winner. Its red and blue rotating bezel effortlessly tracks time zones, no matter where in the world you are.
This 40mm icon has a 12mm height, so it’s not the most compact, but it does have the independently adjustable GMT hand. It also has plenty of lume and an in-house movement. As they say over here in England, “The job’s a good’n”.
Even if you don’t wear the GMT watch to track time zones, it doesn’t matter. You can enjoy the coveted luxury sports watch for its classic appeal. This watch will attract some attention and look great with casual, sporty, and elegant attire.
FAQs
Here are a few frequently asked questions about GMT watches in general.
Are GMT Watches Worth It?
GMT watches are a great little addition to any watch collection, big or small. You can track two time zones on a standard GMT, while those with rotating bezels offer a third time zone.
Even if you don’t travel frequently, you may want to use a GMT to track time in two different places in the world.
What Is the Best GMT Colorway?
By far, the most popular GMT watch color is the coveted “Pepsi” bezel introduced by Rolex in 1954. Other collectibles include the red & black “Coke” bezel, the blue & black Batman, and the brown & gold “Root Beer” iteration.
What Are the Two Types of GMT Watches?
Generally, you can divide GMT watches into two categories. One is the “Office” or “Caller GMT,” where the GMT hand indicates the local time. The other is the “True” or “Traveler GMT,” where the GMT hand tracks home time.
The Takeaway
It’s great to see that modern GMT watches now come in smaller sizes without compromising on quality. Many big names in the business are now downsizing their most iconic designs for those with slender wrists to enjoy.
When shopping for small GMT watches, though, it’s important to consider more than the size of the watch.
Material quality, functions, features, dial color legibility, water resistance, and strap quality are also important. Luckily, these picks featured in this article tick all the boxes.
Which small GMT is your favorite from this list? Let us know in the comments, and while you’re at it, sign up for our newsletter!
