Rubber B has become well-known as a highly respected crafter of custom rubber watch bands for timepieces from some of the most respected watchmakers in the field, including such brands as Patek Philippe, IWC, and Breitling. Rubber B has a variety of straps in different colors and styles in our product portfolio that are appropriate for both business/formal wear and more casual situations as well. The subject of dual time vs GMT watches has been a popular one in horological circles as of late, so we have decided to further explore it in this blog piece.
In order to see if there is a superior timepiece when it comes to the concept of dual time vs GMT watches, we need to first explore what each of these concepts is, individually, as well as look at their practical applications in the real world. We will also look at some popular examples at each of these watches before offering some final thoughts on the idea of dual time vs GMT watches.
What Are Dual Time Watches?
As its name implies, a dual time watch is a watch that allows you to see the time in two different time zones at the same time. There are a number of different ways to implement this feature, but most commonly, it is done by having a smaller sub-dial within the face of the main dial.
An important thing to note about the sub-dials on dual time watches is that they vary in how much information they are able to provide to the wearer. Depending on the model of watch that you have, the sub-dial will include either both hours and minutes or only hours. If it is a model of watch that only includes hours, the sub-dial will likely use a 12-hour time frame for the second time zone.
Why Would Someone Wear a Dual Time Watch?
There are a number of reasons someone would wear a dual-time watch, but most commonly, they are used by travelers who are on extended vacations away from home for a longer than average period of time. They are convenient and easy to use, as they do not require any additional knowledge of time zones to operate them, which is something that will be relevant in later sections of this article.
What Are Some Examples of Popular Dual Time Watches?
There are several versions of this type of watch that are relatively popular, including the Cartier Drive Steel Chronograph, the Rolex Cellini Dual Time Everose Gold Watch, and the Vacheron Constantin Harmony Dual Time Rose Gold Watch, among others.
What Are GMT Watches?
GMT watches occupy a unique space in the watchmaking world, primarily because of their historical connection to the early days of horology, and science at large. And though they are certainly not the most popular timepieces available on the market today, their uniqueness certainly warrants further investigation.
GMT watches are so named in honor of Greenwich Mean Time. Greenwich is a city in England which, in the late 1880’s, was the site of an important scientific conference. During this conference, it was decided that the world would be divided up into 24 different time zones, with Greenwich being the starting point. And although we’ve by and large moved on to a different time standard today, the time zones put in place during that conference are still the ones that we are all familiar with.
GMT watches are immediately recognizable because they have a very distinctive feature: a fourth hand. While most watches have three hands, which correspond to seconds, minutes, and hours, these watches have an additional hand that rotates once around the face every 24 hours and corresponds to GMT time.
It is important to note that unless the watch in question has an additional hand, it is not a GMT watch. Many people often make the mistake of thinking that a watch that displays the military time or is otherwise non-traditional is a GMT watch, but unless it has a fourth GMT hand, it does not qualify as a GMT watch.
Why Would Someone Wear a Dual Time Watch?
GMT watches are popular among people who travel regularly because, if you have a passing familiarity with time zones, you can easily adjust the bezel to figure out what the time is in a different time zone.
What Are Some Examples of Popular GMT Watches?
There are a handful of these watches that have become well-known over the last several decades, including the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT GoodPlanet Watch, the Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi Bezel Jubilee Steel Watch, and the Panerai Radiomir GMT Dual Time Watch. Of the three of these watches, the Rolex GMT-Master II is by far the most well-known GMT watch.
Our Final Thoughts On Dual Time vs GMT Watches
Ultimately, which watch will be best for you will come down to your personal preferences, as the GMT requires some outside knowledge to fully operate, while the dual time has what some might call an “unusual” appearance.
As with all watches, whether you choose to purchase the timepiece in question or not should be dictated by what the practical needs you have from your watch are, and whether you would like your watch to have a more “traditional” look or not.
Are You in Need of a Custom Rubber Watch Band For Your Luxury Watch? Visit Rubber B Today
Every Rubber B custom rubber watch strap is made only from 100% vulcanized rubber, and all of our products are FDA and BVGG compliant as well. If you would like more information about any of our products, shipping policies, pricing, or have questions about our custom rubber watch straps, simply visit the Rubber B website today for more information. One of our valued team members will be happy to promptly answer your inquiry as soon as possible.
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