Wristwatches have evolved far beyond simply telling local time. For travelers, business professionals working across time zones, or those with loved ones in different countries, one of the most useful complications you can have on a watch is a GMT — specifically, the extra 24-hour hand known as the “GMT hand.” This feature seems deceptively simple, but it adds powerful functionality. In this post, we’ll break down exactly what a GMT hand does, how it works, and the real-world scenarios where it shines.

What Is a GMT Watch — and What Does the GMT Hand Do?

• A “GMT watch” is a timepiece that displays the time in more than one time zone at once. 
• The defining feature is an additional hour hand — the GMT hand — that moves on a 24-hour cycle instead of the typical 12-hour cycle. 
• Because of that 24-hour cycle, the GMT hand completes one full rotation each day (24 hours), in contrast to the standard hour hand’s two rotations per day. 
• The GMT hand allows the wearer to track a second time zone — for instance, your “home time zone” — while still tracking local time with the regular hour and minute hands. 

In many GMT watches, a rotating 24-hour bezel complements the GMT hand. This bezel — often with day/night (AM/PM) color cues — adds flexibility by letting you track a third time zone. 

Thus, a watch with a GMT hand + rotating bezel can display up to three time zones at once: local time, home/reference time, and a third zone via the bezel offset. 

How the GMT Mechanism Works — Behind the Dial

The GMT complication is more intricate than standard watch movements, because it must allow the GMT hand to function independently. 

• In a typical non-GMT watch, hour, minute, and second hands all share gearing that advances on a 12-hour cycle. 
• In a GMT watch, additional gears (or an independent mechanism) regulate the GMT hand so it rotates once every 24 hours, rather than twice per day. 
• This separation of movement means that you can adjust your local time (hour hand) without disturbing the GMT hand — critical when traveling across time zones. 

Because of this design, the GMT hand remains a stable reference even when you adjust the main hour hand. Some modern GMT movements make this adjustment very convenient and “traveler-friendly.” 

How to Set and Read a GMT Watch — Step by Step

Setting and reading a GMT watch requires a slightly different approach than a simple 3-hand watch. A typical procedure looks like this:

1. Pull the crown out to the position that allows adjusting the GMT hand. Rotate until the GMT hand (plus minute hand) shows your reference time (often home/UTC). 
2. Push crown in to the next position. Then adjust the regular hour hand to match your local time — the minute and GMT hands remain unaffected. 
3. If your watch has a rotating 24-hour bezel and you want a third time zone, rotate the bezel to align with the GMT hand, adding/subtracting the appropriate UTC offset. 
4. Read times:
   • Local time = hour & minute hands.
   • Reference (home/UTC) time = GMT hand against 24-hour scale.
   • (If using) Third time zone = GMT hand + bezel offset. 

This flexibility — especially being able to update local time without disturbing GMT — is a major reason why GMT watches remain popular among frequent travelers and global professionals. 

Who Uses GMT — Typical Scenarios and Real-World Use Cases

Frequent Travelers & Business Travelers

For people who fly across time zones regularly — whether business travelers, consultants, or remote workers — a GMT watch offers a quick, glanceable way to know both local time and home time. 

Globetrotting Professionals & Remote Teams

If you work with colleagues or clients scattered around the world, you might need to know their time zone at a glance to avoid calling someone at 3:00 AM their time. Setting the GMT hand to that time zone makes scheduling easier. As one user on a watch forum said:

“I wear & use a GMT watch almost daily. … I usually set the main hands for where I currently am, and the GMT hour hand for the other location I care about.” 

People with Loved Ones Abroad

If family or friends live abroad, a GMT watch can help you avoid awkward mental math. A user reported:

“I have the Nomos tangomat world timer … I travel outside my time zone … I often check their local time by clicking through the time zones.” 

Travelers Who Cross Multiple Time Zones in a Trip

With a GMT watch — especially one with a rotating bezel — you can track three time zones at once: your home base, your current local time, and a third one, e.g. a destination or a friend’s time zone back home. 

Aviation Professionals and Pilots (Historical / Legacy Use)

The concept of a GMT watch originated with pilots needing to reference “standard time” (GMT/UTC) regardless of local time — to coordinate flights, schedules, communications. The classic Rolex Rolex GMT‑Master was built for this purpose in collaboration with airline crews. 

Why the GMT Hand Is Still Relevant in the Era of Smartphones

You might think — why bother with a watch when a smartphone shows multiple time zones easily? But there are several strengths unique to a GMT-equipped watch:

• Always on your wrist — no need to unlock a phone or open an app.
• Instant reference — one glance tells you two or three time zones without tapping or swiping.
• Durable and reliable — mechanical or automatic GMT watches don’t depend on connectivity, battery life is often long, and can work even when your devices are off or offline.
• Style plus utility — GMT watches have become an aesthetic statement as much as a tool. The extra hand and 24-hour bezel give a distinct, purposeful look that stands out. 

For many, the GMT watch is less about being “technologically necessary” and more about combining practicality with craftsmanship and style.

Choosing the Right Way to Use Your GMT Hand (What Settings Fit Your Needs)

Depending on your lifestyle, you might approach using your GMT watch differently. Here are a few common strategies:

• Home time on GMT hand / local time on hour hand — ideal if you travel often and want your wristwatch to always remind you of your home time zone.
• GMT hand set to UTC / “reference time” + bezel set to target time zone — great if you regularly deal with multiple time zones (clients, colleagues, family) and want maximal versatility.
• Local time on regular hands, bezel as quick reference for a second zone — simplest for occasional time-zone checking (e.g. long-distance calls, planning).

Because many modern GMT watches let you adjust the regular hour hand independently — without disturbing the GMT hand — you can switch local times quickly when traveling, while your home/reference time stays intact. 

Common Misconceptions & What the GMT Hand Is 

Not

• The GMT hand does not simply duplicate the regular hour hand — it runs on a 24-hour cycle, not a 12-hour cycle. 
• A GMT watch is not necessarily a “world-timer.” It doesn’t automatically show all time zones; it shows up to two or three, depending on bezel use.
• The GMT function doesn’t require a specific movement type — it can exist on automatic, manual, or quartz watches. 

Final Thoughts — When a GMT Hand Actually Adds Real Value

A GMT hand isn’t a gimmick. For people who live across or travel through time zones — whether for work, personal connections, or wanderlust — a GMT watch offers immediate clarity. It provides reference times at a glance, eliminates mental arithmetic, and gives your wrist a distinctive, purpose-driven aesthetic.

Even in 2025, when smartphones and world-clock apps are ubiquitous, the GMT watch remains relevant. Its value lies not just in convenience, but in the quiet reliability and mechanical elegance of a device you wear on your wrist. If you find yourself thinking in multiple time zones — or simply like the idea of having a little global awareness on your wrist — a GMT watch remains one of the most practical, enduring complications you can get.