Tyler Frederick
Have watch, will travel
When I travel, I typically like to have one watch as a registered travel companion: something clean, something minimal, and something that has a GMT complication. While I say that, I haven’t had many GMT watches—only two, if I’m remembering correctly—and I wasn’t traveling much when I owned them. Now that I travel more, my search for a great GMT began, and while scouring the vast pages of watch forums, marketplaces, and other selling platforms, I had the folks from Lima reach out regarding their newest release, the GMT Transit: clean, minimal, GMT complication—now we’re talking.
Check out the AWAKE Sơn Mài Silver Leaf Golden Hour
Advertisement
Key Features of the Lima GMT Transit
Brutalist design
I’ve been a fan of Lima for years, specifically for their Meca Revolt and Kronosprinter. The newest addition to their lineup, the GMT Transit, makes sense: Diver, Chronograph, and now a GMT: a familiar route most brands take when expanding their catalogue. The thing I love most about Lima is their unique designs and their take on “traditional” watches. The GMT Transit features a minimal, almost brutalist design. From the initial photos, I didn’t think I would be swept off my feet, but having it in person, the design is so cool and a great example of how minimal can look both elegant and sporty.
Advertisement
Case dimensions
It’s a different watch, and it took a little bit to connect with it and fully grasp its design. Watches are so subjective to the wearer, which is why I have zero issues spouting my thoughts effortlessly; that and my filter, or lack thereof. When I pulled the GMT Transit out of the box, it was a mix of “this is cool” and “but why?” I don’t mean that negatively either; it was genuine curiosity, and the “why” is what got me on board. So did the overall size of the watch; I was shocked at the 37.5mm case, which I’m a huge fan of, and the rest of the watch measures 45.6mm lug-to-lug, 10mm thickness (12mm with the domed K1 Mineral crystal), and a lug width of 20mm. It’s a comfortable watch that feels great overall, but there are a couple of things that shall be left for my “quibbles.”
Advertisement
Dial
When dissecting the design, the choice to implement a sterile fixed stainless steel bezel makes more and more sense; all of the light shines on the dial. Again, minimal, but as with basically all GMTs, you’re met with four hands (hour, minute, seconds, and yellow GMT for secondary time zone) and a highly legible dial, which gives me total jet setter “I have places to be” vibes. It’s so minimal, yet it packs all the functionality of your traditional GMT without looking cramped or crowded—the two Cs that make for a bad watch. Sometimes less is more, and in this case, the GMT Transit is a great example. It’s simplicity meeting functionality rolled into a stainless steel travel package.
Advertisement
SPECS
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 36.5mm Diameter 45.6mm Lug to Lug 10mm Thick (12mm /w Crystal) 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Case Back 150m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | K1 Mineral Crystal Matte Black Dial Printed Indexes Pencil Handset /w Arrow GMT Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Seiko NH34 GMT 21 Jewels 21 600vph 41-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Black Italian Alcantara |
Lima GMT Transit
Advertisement
Quibbles
As much as I love the watch, there’s something you should know: how flat the lugs are. When I say flat, I mean it’s almost a perfect 180 degrees, which creates a bit of an awkward look on the wrist, especially for those on the smaller side. I have a 6.75” wrist, and I even notice it looks a bit odd, so anyone who has wrists smaller than mine will notice some overhang and a strange “lift” on the wrist. Due to the flat nature of the lugs, it does feel slightly tall as well—a bit of curvature would help the design and overall wrist feel.
Advertisement
Final Thoughts
Lima has stayed in its lane of unique designs, and the GMT Transit is a great take on a traditional GMT. It’s a minimal watch with a functional and legible dial layout that creates a no-nonsense travel companion; nothing fancy, it does what it’s meant to do and stays under the radar, which can also bring a sense of relief when traveling with a watch. The aforementioned lugs are something to look out for, but if you don’t mind a bit of lift and overhang, then you’re golden.
Advertisement
Pricing & Availability
All in all, it’s a comfortable watch and a great budget-friendly option at $310. For more information, or to get one for yourself, please visit Lima.
Advertisement
About the author
Born into a family obsessed with motorsport, Tyler Frederick became enamoured with speed and beautiful cars at a young age. His love of Formula 1–and all things mechanical–eventually lead him to horology. You can follow him on Instagram.
Off The Cuff articles are full-length, hands-on reviews of the watch in question and represent the opinion of the author only. All photos are original, unless specified otherwise. If you would like to have your watch reviewed on this site, contact us here.
Please understand that using any links to products on this site might result in us making money.
What a great way to go back to clean and simple GMTs. They have 2 missions: tell you the time of where you are and the time of that other place that you want to know. That’s it: clean and simple. And Lima just delivered!
What I don’t understand is why are some watches still coming with the mineral glass, when the sapphire is affordable, more durable and automatically increases the watch resistance to scratches?
But all and all, great piece to travel along with you!