A Function Made for Travelers

The GMT function is one of the most practical complications in modern watchmaking, especially for frequent travelers.
It allows you to instantly check two or more time zones on a single dial — the local time where you are and the time at home.

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What does GMT mean?

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time , the reference time used when the world's first standardized time system was created.
Although the name suggests that your watch displays the exact time in Greenwich, its true purpose is to track multiple time zones simultaneously .

A GMT watch typically has an additional hour hand—often in a distinctive color like red—that rotates once every 24 hours.
Depending on the model, the 24-hour scale may be engraved on the bezel or printed on the dial, allowing you to read two different time zones at a glance.

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How to Recognize a GMT Watch

You can usually identify a GMT watch by its extra hand .
This GMT hand points to a 24-hour scale , unlike the standard 12-hour format of a regular watch.
Some models display the scale on the bezel, others integrate it into the dial.
Combining both systems, you can easily distinguish between day and night time in another part of the world.

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How to Use the GMT Function

Most clocks measure a 12-hour cycle , meaning the hour hand completes two full rotations per day.
A GMT clock, however, adds a separate 24-hour hand that makes a full rotation every 24 hours .
This hand shows a second time zone—often home time—while the regular hands show local time.

Let's look at an example.
Imagine you're flying from Frankfurt to Sydney .
You can adjust the 12-hour hand to Sydney's local time, the 24-hour GMT hand to your home time in Germany, and even use the rotating bezel to check the time in New York if needed.
With just a few quick adjustments, your wristwatch now keeps track of three time zones simultaneously —perfect for travelers and professionals who work on different continents.

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The Origin of GMT Clocks

Before the mid-19th century, each city had its own local time based on the position of the sun.
With the rise of railways and global shipping, this system became chaotic—in Germany alone there were more than 30 different local time zones.

In 1884, the world finally agreed to establish a global standard : the Greenwich Meridian in London became the "zero" point, and the Earth was divided into 24 time zones .
This system, known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) , later evolved into UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) in the 1960s.

Watchmakers quickly adapted this innovation to their craft, creating the first GMT watches to help pilots and travelers read the time in different parts of the world simultaneously.
These watches soon became essential tools in aviation, navigation, and communications , and remain among the most admired watchmaking designs to this day.

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Why Choose a GMT Watch?

Today, international travel and remote work make the GMT function more useful than ever.
With a single glance, you can see the time in multiple regions — whether for business calls, family abroad, or coordinating global teams.

More than just a practical tool, a GMT watch represents a symbol of precision, exploration, and modern sophistication .
It's not just about telling time—it's about knowing your place in the world .