With the GMT-Master II 116710 through the timezones
Dear Rolex-Fans,
in December I was on a business trip in Jakarta/Indonesia and and it was the first time that my GMT-Master II 116710 accompanied me and had to prove her functionality under real conditions.
The flight to Jakarta had a stopover of several hours in Abu Dhabi and the 116710 was set as follows:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...10-jakarta.jpg
Coming from the hometime the hour-hand was set 6 hours forward and the bezel turned 3 hours to the left. So the watch shows the localtime of Jakarta (13.43) und the time in Abu Dhabi can be read on the bezel through the 24h-hand with 10.43. The hometime can be read with this bezelposition only “imaginary” through the 24h-hand and an “imaginary” fixed 24h-scale with 7.43.
In case the GMT-Master II would really have a second and fixed 24h-scale (e.g. printed on the dial) the reading of the hometime would also be directly possible with the bezel not being in the „neutral“ position. The practical operation of the GMT-Master II would be improved by such a second and fixed scale, as the reading of a third timezone (which then would always be the hometime) would then be “real” and no longer “imaginary”.
The setting of the bezel compared to the “old” models is much more easier, as only the „clicks“ must be counted and the fineadjusting of the bezel is no longer necessary. But the price to pay for this is the lack of setting the 116710 to uneven timezones (e.g. India).
The backflight from Jakarta was again including a stopover in Abu Dhai, but this time a stay overnight was necessary. The setting of the 116710 was therefore changed as follows:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...0-abudhabi.jpg
Coming from the „Jakarta-setting“ the hour-hand was now set 3 hours back and the bezel was set another 3 hours (3 „clicks“) to the left. Now the watch shows the localtime in Abu Dhabi (7.21) and the time in Jakarta can be read on the bezel through the 24h-hand with 10.21. The hometime can be read with this bezel-setting once again only “imaginary” with 4.21.
The time until the plane takes off again in Abu Dhabi was taken for a visit to the Hotel Emirates Palace. The bezel of the 116710 was set back to the neutral position, as the time in Jakarta was no longer of interest, but finally once again the hometime:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...atespalace.jpg
The localtime can be read with 9.33 and now the hometime is no longer „imaginary“ but real readable through the 24h-hand and the bezel in neutral position with 6.33.
For coming to an end, please find following some views from the Emirates Palace without the “disturbing” watch:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...espalace-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...espalace-2.jpg
Best Regards
Matthias
