Hamilton Khaki Navy GMT 3T Automatic Diver

Similar to my other Hamilton Khaki Navy diver, today's watch adds a GMT complication (the small 24 hour dial to the left of the red arrow) to keep track of a second time zone (I have it set to Pacific time) and also features a two-piece rotating inner bezel to keep track of a third time zone. Here it is on Hamilton's site. The bezel has one piece that rotates for the time (just as the external bezel on a traditional GMT would) and behind that a ring with exotic beach names. I have mine set to Jumeirah Beach because I had never heard of it before and found it fascinating. Great watch, looks as good as my othe Khaki Navy, maybe better. Unfortunately the bands are not interchangeable between my two Navys as the GMT has a slightly wider lug width, so maybe I'll have to get a bracelet for this one or perhaps a GMT Air Race on a bracelet.

Alpha Automatic GMT Master II Homage

Today's watch is my Alpha GMT, pretty much a clone of the Rolex GMT Master II. Like the other Alpha watch I profiled these are exceptional quality for the price, but are very close to being counterfeits which makes some squeamish. Sorry about the haze on the inside of the crystal in the pictures. For some reason this seems to be common among my cheap automatic watches. I'm not sure of the cause, could be partially bad seals allowing moisture in, but it usually looks more to me like a greasy or oily haze, like the kind you see on the inside of new car windows due to the plastics and glues curing. In any case, I'll probably take this one apart (have to remove the movement to clean the crystal) and give it a good cleaning. The solid link bracelet is actually better than some real Rolex bracelets that used folded sheet metal links. The GMT function is a 24-hour hand (the red one with the arrow on the end of it) that allows you to keep track of a different time zone and is independently adjustable. It's a nice watch and I enjoy wearing it, but probably not the model I would choose if I was buying a real Rolex.

Citizen Eco-Drive BJ9080-52E GMT Diver

BJ9080-52E. Doesn't it just roll off the tongue? Unfortunately, this is another one of those watches that doesn't have a spiffy nickname. It does have somewhat of a following, but it seems to have had a short production run or maybe just didn't sell well since I don't see them all that often. Most people who have owned one or even seen it online like it a lot. A legitimate diving watch with a 200m WR rating, in some ways its design is a Japanese take on the classic Rolex Submariner (right down to its 40mm case and 20mm lugs) but with a softer shape and a few unique touches. The gear-like teeth on the 24-hour bezel gives the watch a very rugged look and compliments the angular dial indices. The luminous material on the hands and markers is the trademark Citizen blue/green color and glows quite brightly for a long time. The GMT functionality is marked by the orange "skeleton" hand which easily keeps track of different time zones by turning the unidirectional bezel. It has a very nice bracelet with a pushbutton deployant clasp, but also looks great on leather and various nylon straps. It's an Eco-Drive "180", so it's powered by the sun with no batteries to change and should hold a charge in complete darkness for 6 months or more. Yet another watch I had to have when I saw it a few years ago, but I haven't worn it more than a handful of times since then. This will be the next watch from my collection to go up for sale, and possibly the first that I'll regret selling in the future.