When it comes to GMT watches that carry a nickname that comes from the comic books, those tend to focus on the heroes – say, Hulk or Batman. Well, what about the bad guys? They’ve got some interesting colors that are associated to them, right? So, to be adjacent to the more well-known combo, but be it’s own thing, we get a design like the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Joker.
What is it?
At the core of it, the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Joker is a semi-vintage-look take on a modern GMT watch, which indicates three different time zones courtesy of the main handset, a GMT hand, and a rotating bezel that carries the 24-hour scale. Most of us would simply track two timezones, but relying on a third is doable. All of this is done courtesy of the Miyota 9075, which is a Traveller’s GMT. By this, we mean that the main hour hand is set independently. So, you can have the GMT hand track your home time, and then when you land somewhere, you simply advance (or retreat) the hour hand to match the local time.
Why we like it
We just really think that GMT complications are among the most useful. For John, that’s because he actually travels around. For myself, it’s because the servers used for my day-job are all recording things in UTC time, so I like to set my watch to that, so I can easily translate things to local time when I need to. The second big reason to like the watch is that they’ve gone with a color scheme that you just don’t see.
Sure, Joker’s colors are most commonly seen as purple and green, or purple, green, and orange, but you have to choose your battles. Obviously, the purple shows up on the bezel and the GMT hand. What about a secondary color? Well, when the lights go down, you get the green from the Superluminova.
What might we change?
I wouldn’t have minded seeing the green or orange accents showing up to further cement the color palette (either on the dial or some contrast stitching on the strap) but that’s me speaking as a Bat-fan. Past that, the only thing that gives me pause with the design is how narrow the handset is when compared to the indices. So, to that end, widening that handset to keep them more in proportion with the indices would soothe the soul.
How can you get one?
It’s worth noting, only 100 of the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Joker have been produced – so once they’re gone, they’re gone. The watch comes with two straps, and runs $899 or $999 if your second strap choice is the seven-link bracelet. Check out all the options over at jackmasonbrand.com
Tech Specs from Jack Mason
- Movement
- Movement: Miyota Caliber 9075
- Movement Type: True GMT with Jump Hour
- Features: Hours, Minutes, Running Second, GMT Hand, Date
- Accuracy: +/-5 seconds per day (regulated by Jack Mason)
- Jewels: 24
- Power Reserve: 42 Hours
- Rotor: Custom branded rotor
- Vibration Frequency: 28,800 vph
- Case & Dial
- Case Diameter: 40mm
- Lug Width: 20mm
- Lug to Lug: 47mm
- Depth Rating: 20ATM, 200m
- Lume: Swiss Super-LumiNova® BGW9
- Bezel: 48-Click, Sapphire with Lume
- Caseback: Display with Sapphire
- Crown: Screw-down
- Crystal Type: Double-Domed, Boxed Sapphire
- Material: 316L Stainless Steel
- Thickness: 13mm (11.25mm excluding crystal)
- Strap & Buckle
- Bracelet Buckle: On the fly micro-adjust
- Bracelet End Links: Solid with quick-release
- Bracelet Links: Screwed
- Bracelet Material: 316L Stainless Steel
- Bracelet Width: 20mm > 16mm taper
