There’s a romantic, satisfying feeling one gets from using a watch as it was made to be used, something that’s difficult to get from simply checking the time on one’s iPhone. This goes doubly so for complicated timepieces, such as mechanical dual-time or travel pieces, and luckily, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get yourself a cool example. Just check out some of the GMT watches below.
Tissot Navigator GMT
Tissot has a storied Swiss pedigree, which often overrides the fact that most of their entry-level watches (this one included) are quartz. If you’d rather hold out for an automatic Swiss GMT, you can expect to pay a lot more, especially for vintage — but this bad boy promises accuracy, reliability and the obvious good looks of a heritage-inspired timepiece. It also comes with the original oyster-style bracelet, which looks to be on par with or better than what many watch brands will give you in the sub-$1000 price range. Long story short: quartz or otherwise, you could do a lot worse.
From the seller: “Original Tissot stainless steel bracelet. Very good condition.”
Seiko 6119 GMT World Time Automatic
While Seiko continues to make some of the best tool watches out there, especially at their respective price points, we’d love to see more of these types of pieces being developed: a modestly sized-case, clean, legible dial, useful world time complication and funky colors make this 6119 a winner. Best of all, when these can be found in good condition, they’re often still available at incredibly accessible prices.
From the seller: “The watch is in very good condition. It is currently running and keeping good time but service history is unknown.”
Bulova Accutron “Astronaut”
The original Accutron Astronaut has a badass story you can read about here, detailing that first Astronaut watch’s use as a reliable timing instrument aboard the A-12 spy plane, as well as on multiple Gemini and Apollo space missions. And this modernized automatic reissue is still an incredible watch. This version is powered by the Swiss ETA 2893-2, which is pretty darn accurate in its own right. And this specific special-edition model is engraved on the back with Buzz Aldrin’s signature, plus a serial number; only 1,000 were made. At this price (around $600 as of this writing), it’s a must-have for any aeronautics or flight history buff.
From the seller: “This watch has only been worn a couple of times. There is a scratch on the “16” and a few minor scratches on the band from use.”
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