Tag Archives: GMT Watch

Isotope GMT 0º – A unique traveller’s watch

Once Jose, the co-founder of Isotope Watches, started telling me about his new GMT watch I noticed a plethora of new GMT models being announced.. Maybe watch lovers are pinning for more normal times when they could use the GMT functionality, that is when we could travel.

The Isotope GMT 0º is the company’s recognition of the international importance of Greenwich, and hence Greenwich Mean Time, to horology, from a British based international watch brand. Appropriately for an international company, Isotope has worked again with the Russian designer Vikenty Gryaznov.

I have been lucky enough to get my hands on a very early example of this interesting watch. As you will see from the images the design team have come up with a unique solution that however remains faithful to the design direction of previous watches from Isotope. The key element being the “lacrima” shape in the centre of the dial., actually twice, the smaller version indicating the second time zone. The dial is best thought of as consisting of three elements. The first being the normal two hands, skeletonised, showing the hours and minutes in the usual way. The hour indicies being slots in the dial. Then working towards the centre of the dial we next find a circle of thirty-one holes through which the rotating dial underneath indicates the date with a red dot. The final element is incorporates the lacrima shape and it is here the smaller lacrima indicates the second time zone.

The black dialled version I am reviewing takes a little concentration to read, especially in the low light of this season, as the lume is limited to the tips of the skeletonised hands and is the same colour as the GMT lacrima. Anyone wanting greater legability would probably be wiser to choose one of the other coloured or white versions. The black being for those who prefer a more strealthy look.

I should then move onto the screwed down caseback. I am not personally a huge fan of display backs, especially on fairly everday movements. I think here Isotope have come up with an excellent compromise solution, a small window within which the customised Isotope rotor on the movement can seen powering the watch. The remaining space on the back then is engraved with the names of key international cities and their time differences relative to Greenwich (GMT).

The 42mm steel case bespoke case is subtly different to the usual circular shape, it is actually “0 – zero” shaped, a homage to the latitude at Greenwich. Despite being a relatively high 14.2mm, the watch sits well on e wrist. Clearly, the the height is necessary given the automatic GMT movement. The first thing you have to do before using any watch is adjust it to the right date and time, with the GMT Zero this is managed very intiutively using the single screw down crown. The Swisstech movement winding very smoothly.

On the subject of the movement many of you, like me, might not be familiar with Swisstech. I questioned Jose about this choice and he explained a friend of his works directly with the Swisstech factory in Botyre. He sent him a couple of samples when he knew he was starting to develop a GMT watch. After testing the movement for a few months, Jose was able to verify it is accurate and robust. It is a work horse created and assembled with the Swiss certifications both manufacturing and assembly. Jose summed it up as accurate, resistant, has a good finishing, it’s easily serviced by any WOSTEP watchmaker and in the end, after seeing the amazing design we achieved, they wanted to be onboard and they are offering 3 years warranty.

You will have understood by now that details are important to Isotope. So they could not finish the watch of with a regular strap. My watch came with a 24mm wide leather backed strap which screws into the lugs Panerai style. The design elements on the lugs are repeated on the buckle that is screwed to the strap. Customer watches will be supplied also with a full leather. Personally, I would have preferred a strap that would enable the wearer to take advantage of the 200m water resistance. Maybe this will come at a later date.

So to conclude, this watch offers a great deal, every element is bespoke, there is nothing “off the shelf”. The designers have found an innovative solution to showing the second time zone and date that builds on the brands design DNA. When we can travel again this watch would be an ideal companion. This is available at the very reasonable price point that we have come to expect from Isotope of £710.

The GMT 0º will initially be available in one of six versions: White, Black, Blue, Olive Green Steel, Olive Green Black DLC and Ruby.

For more details and ordering https://isotopewatches.com/

Technical Specifications

  • Brushed case, 316L stainless steel/Black Diamond-like Carbon
  • Case diameter 41.5mm x 39.5mm (44.7mm with lugs)
  • Height 14.2mm
  • Exhibition screwed case back with the world’s major cities time-zone
  • Anti-reflective domed crystal sapphire
  • Single Screw-down crown at 3 o’clock
  • Hands applied with Super-LumiNova®
  • 24mm strap tapered to 22mm 
  • Matching Buckle
  • Water-resistance 200m / 20 atm / 656 ft

Swiss made Swisstech S24-45 :

  • Automatic, self-winding
  • Power reserve 40 hours
  • 28 Jewels, 28800A/h
  • Accuracy -12/+12 s/day
  • Customised finishing, date and rotor

In the Box:

  • A numbered GMT 0º
  • A specific Cordura strap with a high-end buckle
  • Extra leather strap
  • Exclusive Isotope tool
  • Limited Warranty Card (36 Months)

Christopher Ward GMT Worldtimer

As I have mentioned in an earlier post Christopher Ward was a company offering excellent value worthy watches. This watches often in the sort of styles that I like. i.e sporty rather than dressy and over complicated. Despite this they lacked that little “something”. To mind this is probably because they lacked a little originality and that indefinable feeling that possibly comes from heritage/history. This brings me back to my reasons for starting this blog, the “heritage creation” of the Bremont, another British watch brand. I thought Christopher Ward (CW) were starting to follow this idea  with some odd collaborations like that with Morgan.

Over the last year my perception of the brand is changing, and this is probably due to three factors, firstly hearing Mike French, one of the owners of the company, explain the company’s philosophy. Secondly, I read Roger Smith has a CW Trident. Then a series of very individual watches they are now offering.

One of these watches that has caught my eye over the last couple of months is the subject of this review, the C65 Worldtimer GMT. Given the limited opportunities for travel this is not really the ideal moment to discover the benefits of a GMT or Worldtimer, I do not even have any far flung relatives I want to keep track off. I must admit the feature that caught my eye was the yellow detailing, colours offering opportunities to play with interesting strap combinations.

This watch is a variant of the C65 range offering, as the name suggests, GMT and worldtimer functions to the standard C65 “retro diver”. As such it shares the same 41mm steel ” light catcher” case as the rest of the range. In place of the Sellita SW220 in the rest of the range this watch uses the SW330 which offers  GMT functionality.

As with all watches the first part of the ownership experience entails removing the watch from its packaging. I have often commented on the size of watch packaging, you can understand brands wanting to offer the full luxury experience, but they do present a storage issue and you can understand many less fanatical buyers put theirs in the bin. This might be more the case at the value end of the market. CW have come up with an innovative solution to satisfy both needs. The nicely solid box is made of 95% biodegradable eco MDF, bamboo and cotton, it is probably the most eco-friendly watch box on the market. So, it is robust and presentable enough to keep or degradable if you want dispose of it and not worry about landfill.

Once you have the watch in your hand the first impression is wow, this is a solid piece of kit. The major contributor to this sensation is the impressive steel bracelet, which once sized is super comfortable, an important contribution to this feeling being made by the micro adjustable clasp. I have found myself varying the size almost daily depending on how close I want the fit that day, which would clearly be less convenient without this clasp, The strap also features easy to use spring bars with little tabs which makes changing straps significantly easier, minimising also the risk of scratching the case. This is the first time I have used a clasp like this and they are a real boon for a serial strap changer like me and for which this watch lends itself so well. My favourite match being the green MN strap with a yellow stripe from Erika’s originals, or all black for a more serious look.

As a GMT worldtimer the dial and timezone bezel there are predictably full of details, which though offering a very cool look, I found a little small to read easily. This might say more about my eyesight than the clarity of design. The additional GMT hand is well designed, being yellow and arrow shaped it did not ever .make reading the local time confusing, which has always been a worry of mine when considering watches with four hands. The other details of the dial such as the applied indices and the date window in the usual three o’clock position all work very well. The only question mark being the positioning of the Christopher Ward logo at nine o’clock, I must admit to getting used to seeing it in this position.

Less immediately obvious is how impressive is the optical illusion offered by the 41mm steel “light-catcher” case, on the wrist it has an almost vintage appearance, hiding very well the modern case height. The screw down crown is easy to grip and operate, I have a slight doubt about how well it sits with the bezel and the case, but not really a deal breaker.

Turning the watch over you find a solid caseback which I generally prefer, unusually this one with a black DLC covering. I can only assume this was done to match the black on the bezel.

So to sum up. This is a really well made practical watch with a reassuring 150m water resistance. The perfect “one watch” for a non brand conscious traveller. With all the impressive new launches it will be interesting to see how the brand recognition and perception develops.

The fullprice is £1100 which represents remarkable value andCW are adverse to fairly frequent price promotions. On CW website.

Hamtun – Kickstarter

I have been following the Hamtun brand since their first Kickstarter project in 2015. I first noted them as they were the first Hampshire watch brand I came across and despite now being a Greenwich resident I am originally from the county. I have still to actually see one of their watches in the metal, I live in hope. However, Ross Davis’ watches have won the admiration of many in the watch community.

This new kickstarter launch went live today and has, as I type, already well over 400 backers for a price of £279. for the version with the PT5000 movement. This movement, for those of you not already familiar, is a copy of the popular ETA2824-2 movement made by HK Technologies in Hong Kong for a considerably lower price.

Hopefully I will one day get to handle one of these watches.