Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Jack Mason Strat-o-Timer GMT Espresso is a Seriously Cool Watch From… Texas!
A true GMT watch from a US-based microbrand that can moonlight as a serious diver.
Jack Mason is an up-and-coming microbrand with a growing portfolio of divers, chronographs and day/dates, and the latest Strat-o-Timer GMT is the most polished of the bunch. With a dive watch vibe and in-house regulation, it’s bold and stylish, with an accuracy rating well above the norm for the specific Miyota movement it uses. Of course, there’s no shortage of accessible GMT watches out there, particularly from microbrands, but this separates itself from others with US roots and true GMT functionality. It’s not Swiss-made, mind you, but that actually works to its advantage, given the brand’s story.
Industry veterans Peter Cho and Craig Carter founded Jack Mason in 2015 in Dallas, Texas, with a mission to produce original and authentic watches. Starting with fashion watches that are mainstays in US department stores, the pair travelled the country in a large 1971 Airstream as a mobile showroom. After hitting trade shows, pop-ups and more, they established the brand in hundreds of department store locations by 2018. After a successful run, industry shifts influenced their decision to exit the conventional retail space and sell exclusively via their website. Watch designs, assembly and movement regulation all happen in-house, and the goal is to add more operations in the US. And, in addition to that, the latest watches to bear this name on the dial are no more intended for malls but for the wrists of watches enthusiasts. The Jack Mason Strat-o-Timer GMT certainly has this vibe.
The stainless steel case is very wearable at 40mm in diameter and 13mm in height (lug-to-lug 47mm). The 48-click rotating GMT bezel comes in three colours – Espresso in black and brown (the one we’re looking at), Americana in red and blue (Pepsi bezel) and Dark Knight in black and blue. It has a sapphire insert with Super-LumiNova BGW9, and the Espresso model goes with the Old Radium hue. A double-domed sapphire crystal protects the dial, and there’s a sapphire exhibition caseback. The screw-down crown ensures a 200-metre water resistance rating, allowing this to moonlight as a proper diver. The 20mm steel bracelet tapers to 16mm and features quick-release levers and a tool-free micro-adjustable clasp (how good is that to see this in this price range…) It’s available with a three or seven-row bracelet design – we think the latter looks best.
The black dial features oversized applied indices with Super-LumiNova BGW9, while the hour, minute and seconds hands have the same lume inserts. There’s a fourth GMT hand with a red tip and lume, while the hour hand can be independently set (making this a true GMT piece). So, what does that mean? A standard or office GMT watch has an independent GMT hand that’s set for a local time zone, while the hour and minute hands are set for home time. Usually, this runs on a 24-hour scale. This is best when you want to track a second time zone from home. A true or traveller GMT watch uses an independent hour hand to indicate the local time on a 12-hour scale via one-hour jumps when travelling, while the GMT hand remains unchanged to maintain the home time. The GMT hand isn’t independently set here, only turning when the hour/minute hands are rotated together. The rotating 24-hour bezel allows for a third time zone to be tracked on both GMT types. A date window sits at 3 o’clock, and the date jumps back and forth along with the local hour hand when you cross midnight.
Running the show is a Miyota 9075 true GMT automatic. It has 24 jewels, beats at 28,800vph (4Hz) and comes with a 42-hour power reserve. Functions include central hours, minutes, hacking seconds, GMT (with an independent central hour hand) and date. It’s been regulated in-house for an accuracy rating of +/-5 seconds per day, which is right at the line of a chronometer rating. Decorations include Côtes de Genève and a custom rotor, elevating its appeal over the standard and rather industrial level of finishing of the Miyota 9075.
The new Jack Mason Strat-o-Timer GMT Espresso (and other two colour options Americana and Dark Night) are available now for USD 999, which is a solid deal for a true GMT with dual sapphire crystals and such a well-regulated movement, all assembled in the US. As mentioned, two types of bracelets are available, and the watch comes with a soft suede leather travel pouch.
For more information and to make a purchase, please visit Jack Mason’s website.
Sponsored post: This article is sponsored by Jack Mason. However, it reflects the writer’s opinion and has been written according to MONOCHROME’s editorial policy.
