What's the difference between a GMT and a world timer? [Wristwatch questions answered!]

Q: What is the difference between a GMT and a world timer?

There seem to be several types of watches that display more than one time, such as "GMT" and "World Timer," but what are the differences between them?

A: GMT uses hands, while World Timer uses a disc to display multiple time zones.

　"GMT" and "World Timer" watches allow you to check the time zone of another place without operating the watch. Although they are slightly different in terms of accuracy, watches called "dual time" can also be included in the category of GMT. The same goes for watches labeled "UTC."

　However, these two are completely different. A GMT or dual time watch uses hands separate from the hour and minute hands to indicate another time zone. A representative example is Rolex's masterpiece, the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master. In addition, the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II, which appeared later, can simultaneously display three time zones around the world using a rotating bezel. Most GMT watches available today imitate the Rolex configuration.

　On the other hand, worldtimers display the names of cities around the world, allowing you to check the time zones of various places at a glance. The most famous example is the Patek Philippe Worldtimer. However, there are watches that display the names of cities around the world, but only show the time zone of one place. Although these watches may look like worldtimers, strictly speaking they are GMT or dual time watches.

　A watch that uses hands to indicate a different time zone from your current location is a GMT watch. A watch that uses a disc to indicate multiple time zones is a worldtimer. This is a very rough division, but if you think of it this way, you won't go wrong.

GMT and Worldtimer Watches