For frequent travelers or those who regularly attend meetings on a global scale, staying on time and in style is helpful. A GMT watch offers the perfect solution, but there are countless options to choose from. Most travel watches lean toward the more instrumental side of the spectrum, often using diver or pilot-like designs like the Rolex GMT Master II or the Longines Spirit Zulu Time. But what if you want something more elegant and elegant? Or maybe even fancy something a little more luxurious and expressive? We're here to help you, as we've selected six of today's best models, ranging from relatively affordable to very expensive, but all with a distinct touch of class.
Maurice Lacroix 1975 Automatic GMT Silver Mist
First up is the Maurice Lacroix 1975 Automatic GMT, which certainly won't break your budget. As part of the brand's 50th anniversary 1975 collection, we chose the Silver Mist option because of the excellent contrast and luxurious rose gold accents on the dial. There is a subtle 24-hour scale on the outer edge and the additional GMT hand is easy to see thanks to its red tip. Measuring 40mm wide and 10mm high, it is a well-balanced wrist companion when traveling and is equipped with a Sellita SW330-based Office GMT movement. It is limited to 200 pieces, is worn on a black leather strap and retails CHF 1,990.
For more information, visit MauriceLacroix.com.
Quick facts – Quick facts: 40 mm x 10 mm – Stainless steel case – Domed sapphire crystal front – Solid engraved case back – Vagues du Jura silver dial – Gold-tone PVD Dauphine hands and markers – Openwork GMT hand with red tip – ML165 automatic movement (Sellita SW330 base) – 56 hour power reserve – Hours, minutes, Central seconds, GMT, date – black alligator style leather strap – Easy Strap Exchange system – limited edition of 200 pieces – CHF 1,990
Grand Seiko Elegance GMT SBGM255 Snowdrop
Next up is one of Grand Seiko's latest Elegance GMT watches, specifically the SBGM255 Snowdrop. Building on the already excellent design of the SBGM221, the SBGM255 Snowdrop features a textured winter white dial with polished applied markers and hands, a blue 24-hour scale and a highly visible arrow-tipped GMT hand also in blue. It also shows you the date in a framed window and is supported by the brand's automatic Caliber 9S66, a Traveller's GMT movement. It comes on a black crocodile leather strap with a triple clasp, is part of the permanent collection and is priced at 5,200 euros.
For more information, visit Grand-Seiko.com.
Quick facts – 39.5mm x 14.1mm – Stainless steel case, Zaratsu polished – Angled bezel – Sapphire crystal front and back – Pull-out crown – 30m water resistance – White textured dial – Applied markers and hands, polished – Blue 24-hour scale and GMT hand – Framed date window – Caliber 9S66, in-house automatic – 28,800 Vibrations per hour – 72 hour power reserve – genuine GMT function – black crocodile leather strap with triple clasp – Ref. SBGM255 – permanent collection – 5,200 euros
Schwarz-Etienne 1902 GMT
The 1902 series is the latest collection from Schwarz Etienne and offers a stylish and slightly modern interpretation of the classic dress watch. In addition to the Petite Seconde and the Réserve de Marche, a titanium GMT model was introduced at the end of 2025. Available in silver or blue, it features a multi-tiered dial with a distinctive 24-hour scale and an elegant set of hands to indicate the time at home and abroad. The magnificent in-house caliber ASE 320.00 is a modular micro-rotor automatic movement with an independently adjustable GMT hand. It is worn on a blue alligator leather strap with a signed titanium pin buckle CHF 19,850 excl. VAT
Further information can be found at Schwarz-Etienne.ch.
Quick facts – 39 mm x 10.9 mm – Grade 5 titanium, brushed and polished – Front and back made of sapphire crystal – 50 m water resistant – Multi-level dial in blue or silver – Grained center – Recessed small seconds – Central GMT hand with 24-hour scale – Caliber ASE 320.00, in-house micro-rotor automatic – 201 components – 21,600 vibrations per Hour – 86 hour power reserve – blue alligator leather strap with titanium pin buckle – permanent collection – CHF 19,850 excl. VAT
Moritz Großmann GMT
For the next entry we turn to Germany, with the absolutely beautiful Mortiz Grossmann GMT in lush green. The Saxon high-end manufacturer offers an extremely elegant watch with a stainless steel case measuring 41 mm wide and 11.85 mm high. The time is set using the brand's clever crown-pusher system and a secondary crown at 10 feet for the GMT display. The dial is beautiful, with soft green and hand-guilloche engraving. The in-house caliber 100.8 is crafted to absolute perfection, with the hand-engraved balance cock stealing the show. Only 8 pieces will be made, with a black alligator leather strap and a price of 52,800 euros.
Further information can be found at Grossmann-uhren.com.
Quick facts – 41 mm x 11.85 mm – 3-piece polished stainless steel case – Sapphire crystal front and back – 2-crown setup with start pusher – Solid silver dial with guilloché finish and matt green finish – Heat-annealed hands – 24-hour reference time scale with peripheral display – Caliber 100.8, in-house – Hand-wound – Hand-finished – 18,000 vibrations per hour – 42-hour power reserve – black alligator leather strap with pin buckle – limited to 8 pieces – 52,800 euros
Louis Vuitton Escale Twin Zone
With this year's Escale releases, Louis Vuitton also introduced a pretty brilliant Twin Zone model. It cleverly uses two sets of central hands to display all 38 global time zones, whereas most other GMT watches are limited to just 24. The solid hands run on a 12-hour scale for local time, while the openwork hands can be set to indicate home time, with the minute hand making 15-minute jumps when adjusted. The home time hands can also be hidden behind the local time hands. At midday there is a subtle day/night display. The LFT VO15.01 is manufactured in-house and delivers 68 hours of power. Worn on a gray Saffiano leather strap, the price is 58,000 euros (A platinum and blue aventurine set version is also available, e.g 230,000 euros)
For more information, visit LouisVuitton.com.
Quick facts – 40 mm x 12.52 mm – Rose gold case, brushed and polished – Front and back made of sapphire crystal – 50 m water resistant – Silver dial with engraved meridians and parallels – Two rose gold minute and hour hands for local time (solid) and home time (openwork) – Caliber LFT VO15.01, in-house automatic – 28,800 semi-oscillations per Hour – 68 hour power reserve – Rose gold rotor – Arroyo gray Saffiano calfskin strap with rose gold pin buckle – Ref. W3PG71 – 58,000 euros (Gemstone set with Platinum and Blue Aventurine is also available)
Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance rose gold
Finally, we take a look at the expressive Armin Strom Dual Time GMT Resonance Rose Gold. Prized for its ability to harness the resonance phenomenon, Armin Strom's Dual Time GMT also splits the time into two independently adjustable displays. Both black gold-colored Grenage dials have their own crown for adjusting the hands and day/night indicators. The in-house hand-wound movement is regulated by two independent regulating systems connected to a clutch spring visible in the upper part of the watch. This striking watch is limited to 50 pieces, is worn on an anthracite alligator leather strap and retails 115,000 francs.
For more information, visit ArminStrom.com.
Quick facts – 39 mm x 9.05 mm – 18-carat rose gold case, brushed and polished – Sapphire crystal and black front – 50 m water resistance – Black gold-tone grenage dials – applied rose gold indices and hands – engraved day/night indicators – Manufacture ARF22 caliber – Hand-wound – 25,200 vibrations per hour – 42 hours Power reserve – independent double regulation systems with resonance clutch spring – independently adjustable time displays – anthracite-colored alligator leather strap with rose gold pin buckle – limited to 50 pieces – 115,000 francs
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