Isotope GMT 0º

British brand Isotope Watches has once again brought us a clever spin on an old idea. After reviewing the Isotope Goutte d’Eau dive watch almost two years ago, I was keen to try the new GMT. Early on, it was easy to tell the Isotope GMT 0º, like the Goutte d’Eau, would be different from other watches of the same class.

For their GMT debut, the brand worked with Swiss movement maker SwissTech to create a unique GMT display that utilizes rotating discs in lieu of hands and allows the brand to integrate its trademark teardrop design into the dial. The result is a surprisingly wearable, modern GMT.

This watch is all case. The wide, short lugs and wide bezel that takes up most of the top-down view make sure of that. The softness of the brushed finish and the clarity of the layout is what jumps out to me at a glance.

The subtle facets of the case really add a bit of character without being in your face about it. It would’ve been easy to just do some chunky slab sides, but Isotope understands that a) is ugly and b) makes the watch wear poorly. Coming in a bit on the top and bottom of the midcase really takes away some of the visual heft. The crown’s Scottish knot motif is well defined, and the crown operates easily though the edges are slightly sharp (sometimes finishing can be too crisp).

Despite the perhaps daunting dimensions (especially the 14.2mm height), the watch wears quite well on the wrist. I’d imagine the experience is even better with a softer strap, but I don’t own any 24’s, so we’ve got what we’ve got. Even with a very minor doming to the crystal, the watch becomes hard to read anywhere past a 20º angle, though this is entirely reasonable as I’m not sure why you would ever be limited to such an angle.

The cutouts on the sides of the lugs are mirrored on the clasp, which is a great touch. Don’t be deceived by the springbars: while they look like double-sided screw pins, they are, in fact, sprung bars. But they do take some work; happily, they will be changed to quick-release for production.

Let’s talk about that dial. White, blue, black, and green are available, with olive DLC and ruby red offered in limited and pricier quantities. As I mentioned up top, the Isotope GMT 0º features the brand’s teardrop design–twice, in fact. Once in combining the GMT disc and the upper cutout, and once in the GMT indicator plot on the disc. As with many GMT movements, the GMT hand operates as less a GMT indicator and more a second time zone indicator, here operated on the same crown stop as the date.

I want to talk about two things here. First is the date indicator. Against the white dial, the red has plenty of contrast to work with and is adequately visible. Against the darker dials, though, the contrast is lost and so too is the date indicator. This will, however, be improved for production. The other thing is these great brushed hands. I can’t imagine it was intended, but they call to mind the Halo energy sword, and I really like how they’re segmented with only the outer portions lumed. That said, I would’ve liked the segmentation to occur more exactly at the edge of the GMT disc and the edge of the date circlets (see how they narrowly miss the mark?).

As you can see, the contrast overall on the blue dial makes it a more pleasant and readable experience. You can better see the sandwich dial here, too; check out the shadows in the hour marker cutouts.

I love the combination of a matte finished dial, deep brushed hands, and the pops of color.

I’ll admit the lume here is slightly exaggerated–I wanted the whole watch to pop a bit, and the lume ended up popping a bit much. That said, the lume, albeit sparing, is quite bright after only a brief step outside. And I’m told it will be even better for production. I wish there was a small orienting lume plot at 12, but that’s not a must and definitely not a dealbreaker.

And there’s that great tear drop design again, sized perfectly for the branded rotor to show! Round the window is a helpful (maybe) guide to setting the GMT hand to the desired city/time zone. And round that is the obligatory specs, including what is obviously the water resistance rating, but to me just looks like an indication of 200 meters of Jesus Fish. Behind the caseback is a modified SwissTech S24-45, which is traditionally a 4-hand GMT movement with a traditional date wheel. The modifications are obvious, but for your knowledge, the movement beats at 28,800, has a 40-hour power reserve, and is accurate to +/- 12 seconds per day.

The Isotope GMT 0º straps are, without a doubt, the weak link. Not only are they 24mm (which actually doesn’t bother me when considered in context with the watch–the dimensions work, my strap collection doesn’t), but they are unapologetically stiff. Further, the heavy bend to the buckle’s tongue makes them lock in tight; it’s great for keeping it on the wrist but a pain for taking it off. The leather strap does break in easily (though as ever, I prefer no break-in period), and the included Cordura strap will be improved for production.

On balance, I’m a fan. Perhaps the only comparable watch as far as design is from Ochs and Junior, who do not offer a GMT function. So by that measure and price comparison, the Isotope GMT 0º is a clear winner. With a case that defies its dimensions and a novel display, all starting at less than $1000, the Isotope GMT 0º is not just a good value–it’s a good watch. You can learn more and purchase your own for delivery in June 2021 right here.