Pre-Owned Picks Two Time Zones, Two Hour Hands, Zero Problems. The GMT Watch.

When it comes to GMT watches, the Rolex GMT-Master II is the king of the hill. While the sought-after multi-colored bezel versions are known best by their familiar nicknames, like Pepsi and Batman, it’s the solid black bezel that holds a special place in my heart. A vintage version of this watch was the first timepiece that I couldn’t stop thinking about. It was the first watch that stirred up whatever emotion it is that all watch enthusiasts get when all they want to do is learn more about the watch. This 16710 sticks with that vintage design I fell in love with, and has a red GMT hand, black aluminum bezel, and pierced lugs. The 16710 also has Super-LumiNova that won’t crack and fall out and markers made of white gold. This is a watch at the intersection of vintage and modern Rolex, the best place for any watch to be.

Panerai lives by the slogan, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The large-wearing Luminor cushion case, with its signature crown guard and sandwich dial construction is well ingrained into Panerai’s DNA. The good news is that the result is a pretty good-looking watch that has served as a base for many different complications over the years. Panerai keeps it simple, with no second hour track of any kind for the GMT hand, instead opting for a day/night indicator for each hour hand in the 9 o’clock sub-dial. The best-looking part of this watch must be the actual GMT, it’s mostly a matching black to the dial, so the only real indication that it is even there comes from the lumed tip. It looks like a floating triangle in a sea of black. If you are someone who hates worrying about a watch running out of power when you sit it down for a day or two, then no worries here, the PAM 533 also includes a 10-day power reserve.

The Aqua Terra in its standard form is one of the more popular watches in OMEGA’s catalogue. It’s a watch meant specifically for daily wear, not dressing up or diving. This GMT GoodPlanet edition was originally produced to help raise awareness and funds for the GoodPLanet Foundation – an organization that aims to raise public awareness on environmental issues. It’s a collaboration that OMEGA has done a handful of times over the years. The result of this special edition is unusual for the Aqua Terra, with a titanium case and bracelet that are matched to a stunning white lacquer dial. The blued markers and hands practically jump off the stark white of the dial. This is one of those unusual watches that OMEGA often makes and can easily be buried under an avalanche of future releases, only to be rediscovered years later.

Looking for the right watch to take on your travels? Find it at Crown and Caliber.