For a lot of us, the Rolex GMT Master sits somewhere between realistic goal and permanent daydream. I’ve wanted one for years. Pepsi, Coke, whatever the bezel color, the GMT Master is one of the most archetypal sports watches ever made, and the prices remind you of that every time you look. I even owned a Tudor Black Bay GMT that, for reasons you may know, didn’t stick. So when Timex dropped a GMT in the Waterbury Heritage line with obvious Rolex-inspired design cues and a mechanical movement, it got my attention faster than most Timex announcements do.
The Timex Waterbury Heritage Automatic GMT launches in two colorways that will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s spent time browsing GMT bezels. There’s a black and red version clearly nodding to the “Coke” GMT Master, and a black and green option pulling from the “Sprite.” Each variant gets a color-matched GMT hand, red or green respectively, and the overall dial layout leans heavily into that classic GMT Master template.
Minimalist applied indices, bold Arabic bezel numerals, and a bracelet design that echoes the Rolex profile pretty directly. Timex isn’t being subtle about the inspiration here, and, at this price point, they don’t really need to be.
What stands out more than the design is what’s happening inside. This is the first automatic movement in the Waterbury Heritage line. Every previous model in this collection ran quartz, so the jump to a mechanical caliber is a genuine shift for the platform. Based on the press images, the movement appears to be a Seiko NH34A, which would make sense given its GMT capability and its widespread use across affordable mechanicals.
You also get a date window, an exhibition caseback, and a stainless steel case on a matching bracelet with a butterfly deployant clasp. Water resistance is 50 meters, which is for me, probably the biggest disappointment with this specific model.
When I first saw these, I assumed they’d be quartz. The fact that Timex went mechanical here, and specifically with a GMT movement, changes the conversation. At $569, you’re getting an automatic GMT on a steel bracelet, and the colors from the press photos look genuinely vibrant. That makes the Timex Waterbury Heritage Automatic GMT a nice proposition for anyone who’s been circling the GMT category without wanting to commit thousands of dollars to get in.
There are open questions, of course. We haven’t seen how the bracelet holds up over time, how the bezel action feels, or how the case wears on different wrists. And 50 meters of water resistance will be a dealbreaker for some. Still, as an entry point into mechanical GMT territory, this feels like a solid move from Timex, and I suspect it’ll find an audience quickly. Both versions are available now on the Timex site.
Co-Founder & Senior Editor
Michael Peñate is an American writer, photographer, and podcaster based in Seattle, Washington. His work typically focuses on the passage of time and the tools we use to connect with that very journey. From aviation to music and travel, his interests span a multitude of disciplines that often intersect with the world of watches – and the obsessive culture behind collecting them.