Last year, my journey led me on a series of cruises to some of the most remote corners of the world. As always, my trusty Breitling Transocean Unitime accompanied me. I had purchased this watch eight years prior, drawn to its unique feature as the only mechanical timepiece I could find that boasted all time zones, or world time, and allowed for seamless switching between them with single “clicks” of the crown. No more laborious swinging of the minute hand to find the right time. However, during these cruises, I discovered a limitation that would set me on a new quest: the watch couldn’t account for those quirky half – hour time zones, like those in Adelaide or St. Johns, Newfoundland. This seemingly small inconvenience sparked a deep – dive into the world of travel watches, to see if there was something out there that could better meet my needs.
I considered waiting until next year’s gear post to share this journey, but I wanted to give readers a glimpse into the meticulous research I undertake to find the perfect items. Too often, when reading other gear reviews, I’m left frustrated by recommendations that seem to be based on what’s “good enough” rather than the best possible option. I’ve made that mistake myself in the past, like when I recommended the wrong all – in – one USB cable, but I’ve since learned to be more thorough.
When searching for gear, I always start by defining my criteria, a process similar to how I’ve made some of life’s biggest decisions, like choosing a spouse, a place to live, or a house. For my ideal travel watch, the requirements were clear: it had to be self – powered, eliminating smartwatches from consideration. I dreaded the thought of keeping track of charging while on the go or hunting for a new battery in a foreign land. While some high – end solar Garmin watches had appealing battery life, their massive size was a deal – breaker. The watch also needed to make it easy to tell the time both where I was and at home, and preferably in other locations as well. Although the Breitling allowed for quick time checks, the tiny names of the places made it more of a “scan and stare” process than a simple glance. Additionally, I wanted something lighter than my Breitling, as its size felt cumbersome on my small wrists and looked a bit out of proportion. And of course, it should have a decent appearance, suitable for both informal and formal travel settings.
My initial search led me to automatic self – winding watches. I was drawn to their self – sufficiency and the artistry behind their craftsmanship. However, while there were many good GMT watches that could display two time zones simultaneously, none seemed to offer a significant upgrade over my Breitling. Smartwatches were quickly ruled out due to their limited battery life; I was willing to charge a watch once every 90 days, but none could meet that standard. My friend Todd’s Seiko solar digital watch, which set itself via radio, caught my attention, but its appearance was a turn – off. Still, I explored the world of digital solar watches further, hoping to find an analog version with similar functionality.
That’s when I discovered Seiko’s analog solar radio watches, known as Astrons. Confusingly, Seiko uses the same name for both its GPS and radio – based Astron models, leading me to initially believe they could do both. In reality, each model is limited to one method of timekeeping. These watches are primarily sold in Japan, so I made a trip to a Seiko store in Tokyo to see them in person. The best Seiko Astron Radio watches, powered by the 8B63 calibre movement, offered a range of features, including a day – of – the – week display, date display, and 24 – hour dual time display. I ultimately chose the SBXY049 for its aesthetic appeal, with city names on the bezel and a less cluttered dial compared to the GPS models. In Tokyo, the watch worked like a charm, attempting to set itself via radio at 2am, 3am, and 4am each night. In the morning, a simple button press would reveal whether the synchronization was successful, a feature I found delightfully engaging.
However, upon returning to Vegas, my excitement waned. The Seiko refused to set itself, despite the presence of five radio clocks on my desk that synced regularly. I managed to get it to set using a phone app that broadcast the US timecode locally, confirming the watch wasn’t defective. It seemed that Vegas’ location in a valley might be interfering with the signal. Additionally, the radio Seikos couldn’t handle fractional time zones, a feature I was hoping for.
This setback led me to explore Citizen GPS watches. Significantly cheaper than the Seiko models, they offered additional features like a stopwatch, alarm, and light meter. After testing, I found that they set the location 30 – 40 seconds faster than the Seiko, with similar time – syncing speeds. Citizen offers three main movements: the F900, F950, and F990. I opted for a watch with the F950 movement, as the F990 models were too large. While most Citizen watches had an unappealing design, I found one with a dark blue dial that displayed both city names and UTC offsets. The Citizen’s reception was remarkable; it could find its location and set the time zone and time with a single button press, even from inside my office away from the window. However, its size, even with a titanium build, still looked a bit too big on my small wrist.
This prompted me to return to Seiko, this time focusing on their GPS watches. Seiko offers four main movements: the 8X53, 5X53, 3X62, and 5X83. The 3X62 was the most elegant, but its size was comparable to the others. The 8X53, an older version of the 5X53, was bulkier and slower. The 5X83, the newest, was larger and had an unappealing design. The 5X53, with its smaller and thinner profile, seemed the best fit. It offered day – of – the – week, date, and a 12 – hour second time display with an AM/PM indicator, which I found easier to read than the 24 – hour display on the Citizen. I purchased the SBXC117, drawn to its appearance, which resembled the Seiko radio watch I had previously bought.
These GPS watches have made me question the future of mechanical watches. For over twenty years, I’ve cherished mechanical timepieces for their ingenuity, marveling at how 18th – century watchmakers created self – contained devices that could keep accurate time without external power. But aren’t GPS watches, which harness solar energy and satellite signals, the modern equivalent? They can handle fractional time zones, support 39 time zones worldwide, and maintain a perpetual calendar, features often lacking in mechanical watches. I still love mechanical watches and will wear them when not traveling, but GPS watches represent a new era of timekeeping.
One frustrating aspect of these watches is their limited availability. Most are only sold in Japan, and even online purchases are likely to originate from there. When ordering from Japan, watches over $600 may be subject to delays and additional taxes. However, if you’re in Japan, buying a new watch tax – free can be a great deal, as prices are often similar to those of used models.
In conclusion, my search for the perfect travel watch has been a fascinating journey. I’ve learned a great deal about different watch brands, movements, and features. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or simply someone who values a reliable timepiece, I hope this comprehensive guide helps you in your own watch – buying adventure. And if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments. I might even make a YouTube video about these watches, as there’s currently a lack of detailed information available online.
