One of the highlights of Watches & Wonders 2024 was the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT.
Why?
Because the time zone-hopping variant of the brand’s famous dive watch was begging for a smaller case size. Previous editions, while not massive, did sit pretty tall with a 41mm width and 14.6mm height. Now, with new dimensions of 39mm and 11.9mm, the Black Bay 58 GMT becomes accessible to more wrists.
Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT - Credit Tudor
The Tudor Black Bay 58 is an impressive watch for its price point, offering luxury looks and specs for a fraction of the price – especially when compared to those created by its sister company, Rolex. That said, we know £4,000 is still a lot of money and in today’s climate, it’s harder than ever to warrant spending thousands on our next timepiece. So instead, why not take a look at some of these affordable alternatives to the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT and finally satiate your longing for an attractive, durable and compact GMT watch.
Timex Waterbury GMT
Timex Waterbury GMT - Credit Timex
Ruler of the affordable wristwatch, Timex, have their own dual-time model with a look very similar to the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. The Timex Waterbury GMT has the same smooth black dial, vintage-inspired rounded hour markers and two-toned black and red 24-hour bezel. It’s a super attractive watch with utilitarian brushed finishing, fine ratcheting on the bezel and a unique H-shaped link bracelet. It’s well sized at 39mm wide and 11.5mm tall which is helped by the quartz movement placed inside the steel housing. Price: £190
Boldr Odyssey Freediver
Boldr Odyssey Freediver GMT - Credit WatchGecko
A GMT watch with an imposing, almost aggressive temperament is the Boldr Odyssey Freediver. It’s a big boy, sitting at 44mm wide and 12.5mm thick, and packs a real punch for less than £900 with its list of tech. For starters, it’s a 300 metre water resistant dive watch with a surgical steel case and bracelet and two-toned ceramic bezel. It’s also a true GMT, thanks to the Miyota 9075 automatic movement, which means the 12-hour hand can be adjusted independently. But it’s the dial that is the star of the show, decorated in a black gradient effect and a translucent centre giving you a glimpse at the date disc below. Price: £899
Want to know more about Boldr? Check out our full brand guide here.
Davosa Ternos Ceramic GMT
Davosa Ternos Ceramic GMT - Credit Davosa
Another great alternative to the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT is the Ternos Ceramic GMT watch from Swiss watchmaker Davosa. This dual-time timepiece presents a scratch resistant high-tech ceramic 24-hour bezel in black and red, a matching black dial with SuperLumiNova BGW9 material across the hardware and a nicely sized 41mm stainless steel case. The design also includes sapphire crystal glass with a magnified date window at 3 o’clock, a 200 metre water resistance and the DAV 3032 automatic winding movement with a 56-hour power reserve. Price: €1,590.
Certina DS Action Powermatic 80
Certina DS Action Powermatic 80 - Credit WatchGecko
If you’d prefer a slightly dressier-looking GMT watch, then look no further than the Certina DS Action Powermatic 80. Placing the 24-hour scale on the outskirts of the dial, this model leaves room for a smooth fixed bezel on the 43mm wide stainless steel case, giving the architecture a cleaner, more sophisticated look. The case is still prepped with a 200 metre water resistance and sapphire crystal glass, plus a gorgeous five-row link bracelet with polished middle links. The dial is black and legible with SuperLumiNova markings and powering the red-coloured GMT hand is the notable Powermatic 80 automatic movement with anti-magnetic properties and an extended 80-hour power reserve. Price: £960
You can read our in-depth review of the Certina DS Action Powermatic 80 here.
Seiko 5 Sport GMT
Seiko 5 Sport GMT - Credit Seiko
Finally, our last recommended affordable alternative to the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT is the Seiko 5 Sport GMT. You can never go wrong with a Seiko in my opinion, and the 5 Sports GMT family is a fantastic choice for a travel-loving watch collector. It delivers all five characteristics of the “5 Sports” including a water resistance of 100 metres, a durable 42.5mm steel case, date complication, an automatic movement and recessed crown at 4 o’clock. For added functionality, reference SSK003K1 which is nicknamed “Blueberry” arrives with a bi-coloured 24-hour Hardlex bezel in black and navy and a red luminous GMT hand. Price: £420.
