The folks at Phoibos have turned out yet another appealing, affordable diver. This time, it is the Eagle Ray GMT, which is rated for 300M, packs a Swiss Ronda quartz, and sells for just $200. They gave me a red dial model PX023E in exchange for this review, and I am mighty pleased with it.
You may be thinking, “Hey Time Bum, didn’t you just review the Eagle Ray on September 24?” Well, yes, thank you for noticing, but the name is just about the only thing this watch shares with the rest of the Eagle Ray line. If I were on the Phoibos team, I would have Googled a different fish name for this new watch, but they did not, so Eagle Ray it is.
The GMT is 41mm wide, 47mm long, and just 10.5mm thick to the top of its double domed and triple AR-coated sapphire crystal. This trim figure is no doubt thanks to the quartz movement inside, a 515.24H that is a mere 3mm tall. As such, it is a comfortable fit on my 6.75” wrist and tucks under most buttoned shirt cuffs without a fight.
The case shape is relatively standard, but a combination of finishes and textures lends it a healthy dose of character. Both crowns are knurled, signed, and polished, and both screw down. A polished coin edge rings the bezel’s perimeter and overlaps the top corner, making it appear beaded when viewed head-on. This brightwork pops against the otherwise matte surfaces.
Around back, the polished case back includes a handy guide to global time zones as measured by Greenwich Mean Time — probably the most useful thing I’ve seen on a case back in quite a while.
Phoibos offers the watch in black, gilt/black, and ombré green, blue, and red. I chose the red, a lovely ruby tone at the center that darkens as it reaches the glossy black internal bezel, engraved with 24-hour markers and a red-framed center triangle. Separating the bezel and dial is a railroad index with Roman numerals discretely sandwiched between its borders. The date window frame, hour markers, syringe hands, lollipop second hand, and GMT hand are all polished save for the GMT’s red arrowhead.
Everything is lit with 12 layers of BGW9 SuperLuminova; all hands, markers, and the bezel. It looks fabulous and glows like a torch. I must give extra points for luming the entire 24-hour index as doing so radically enhances its utility.
So the Eagle Ray GMT looks great, wears well, and is highly practical. Is there anything not to like? Some might balk at the quartz movement, but I won’t. I mean, really, good luck finding a mechanical GMT at this price. My only gripe is the strap. The 20mm black “Tropique” rubber looks cool, is appropriately waterproof, and has the benefit of a signed buckle, but it is too stiff for my taste. Truth be told, I’m not a fan of most rubber straps, so this is not a surprise, but it is also
an easy fix. I’ll be popping the GMT onto leather in no time.
For $200, the Phoibos Eagle Ray GMT is a clear winner. It is yet another low cost, high-value offering from the good people behind the angry king octopus. Given its durable specs, sharp looks, and multiple time zone capability, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring it on a long-distance trip or recommend it to anyone else who might do the same. You can order yours at PhoibosWatch.com. ⬩
