Buying Guide: 5 Recently-Launched Sports GMT Watches to Travel This Summer

Summer is a time for adventures. For many of us, summer is synonymous with holidays, travels and sunshine. While basically every watch enthusiast will have his definition of the perfect summer watch, one style in particular makes a lot of sense; the functional, water-resistant sports watch with GMT function. Ready to cross borders, capable of a recreational dive, robust enough and good-looking for these relaxed moments. Here are 5 of the best recently-introduced GMT watches, ready for your summer trips.

Certina DS Action GMT

Presented earlier this year, the Certina DS Action GMT surely packed a punch. It has everything you need, and then some. A classic but always pleasant combination of a dive watch with a GMT function, it comes in 3 different tastes, but we chose this one with the black and green bezel. With its colourful, two-tone sapphire crystal bezel, the travel function is predominant, yet the 200m water-resistance confirms its diving credentials. Alongside being stylish and accessible, it’s also a fully equipped watch with a traveller’s version of the Powermatic 80, equipped with a true GMT function. The steel bracelet features a quick-exchange system, making strap changes easy. And all of that comes for just under 1,200 euros…

Quick facts: 41mm steel case, bidirectional rotating bezel with sapphire crystal insert, 200m water-resistant – black dial, arrow-shaped GMT hand – ETA Powermatic 80, automatic, 80h power reserve, true GMT function – 3-link stainless steel bracelet – EUR 1,195

Longines HydroConquest GMT

A slightly more high-end watch from the Swatch Group, the Longines HydroConquest GMT plays almost on the same vibes as the Certina above, however the accent is given here on the diver’s side of the watch, with a 300m water-resistance and a 60-minute scale printed on the ceramic bezel. That being said, this 41mm steel watch (a 43mm is also available) retains all the necessary traveller’s credentials you’ll need, with a clear 24-hour scale on the inner flange, a central arrow hand and a true GMT function coming from its proprietary movement. Rubber options are available and the steel bracelet features micro-adjustment.

Quick facts: 41mm steel case, unidirectional rotating diving bezel with ceramic insert, 300m water-resistant – green, brown, black or blue dial, arrow-shaped GMT hand – calibre L844.5, automatic, 72h power reserve, true GMT function – stainless steel bracelet with micro-adjustment – EUR 3,300

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G

We change price range drastically, but with a watch full of style, the new, white gold and denim blue Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G. A discreet, subtle yet appealing new colour for the brand (also found on the Nautilus and the new World Time Date), it’s here combined with a discreet, classic Aquanaut case, with its signature and practical pushers on the side – to adjust local hour hand in one-hour increments forwards and backwards. The movement inside is still the in-house, nicely finished calibre 26-330 and, to our surprise, the water-resistance rating is now given at 30m – but for all Patek watches, and while nothing has changed for the Aquanaut. So we wouldn’t be too scared to bring it to the pool…

Quick facts: 40.8mm white gold case, pushers on left side to adjust local hour hand, 30m water-resistant – grey-blue opaline dial with embossed pattern, skeletonised central home time hand, day-night indicators – calibre 26-330 S C FUS, in-house, automatic, 35-45h power reserve, dual-time function – grey-blue composite strap with fold-over clasp – EUR 62,600

Rolex GMT Master II 126710GRNR

Call it “Bruce Wayne” – here’s the newest version of the emblematic Rolex GMT-Master II, somehow the benchmark for the sports GMT watch category. This new grey-and-black model is the indirect descendant of the long-gone full-black LN version, now with a tow-tone bezel – a mandatory feature for the collection now. Discreet, timeless and functional, this almost monochromatic version brings a bit of colour to the GMT hand and logo, both rendered in classic Rolex green. For the rest, it’s one of the best sports GMT watches on the market, with everything you need and more. Availability… possibly difficult. Price… not cheap, but justified by the overall quality and consistency.

Quick facts: 40mm steel case, bidirectional bezel with 24h grey-black ceramic insert, 100m water-resistant – glossy black dial, arrow-shaped green GMT hand – Calibre 3285, in-house, Superlative Chronometer, automatic, 70h power reserve, true GMT function – Jubilee or Oyster bracelet with Easylink comfort extension – from EUR 10,950

Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT

One of the stars of this year’s edition of Watches and Wonders, and a watch that many were anticipating, the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT made quite an impression. Smaller, more compact and thinner than the existing Black Bay GMT, it retains the diving credentials of its classic time-only sister with the great addition of a true GMT function and a 24h bezel. Another important update, the manufacture movement is now Master Chronometer-certified, for better precision and magnetic resistance. What didn’t make a consensus is the colour scheme, with the gilt accents on the dial and the two-tone, black and burgundy bezel… But we’re pretty sure that more editions will follow.

Quick facts: 39mm steel case, bidirectional bezel with aluminium insert in black and burgundy, 200m water-resistant – grained domed black dial, gilt arrow-shaped GMT hand – calibre MT5450-U, automatic, Master Chronometer, 70h power reserve, true GMT function – steel rivet-style bracelet or black rubber strap, micro-adjustment – from EUR 4,380