By Brent Robillard
A love child of practical icons
If the Rolex GMT-Master II and the Seiko Turtle ever had a love child, it would probably come out looking a lot like the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier. And after spending time with the Frontier on the wrist, I’m convinced this is exactly the kind of watch Jack Mason should be making right now.
The Strat-o-timer GMT has always been one of Jack Mason’s most compelling offerings. I was smitten when I handled the very first prototype back in late 2022. The Frontier, however, tightens the concept. It feels like a more tool-driven evolution of the platform. Less polished desk diver, more modern field instrument for people who actually move through airports, time zones, and different kinds of terrain—whether that’s alpine trails or just the daily urban grind.
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Key Features of the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier
Built, Not Styled
On paper, the dimensions are familiar territory for a modern sports GMT, and unchanged from the original: 40mm in diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, and 13mm thick including the crystal. In practice, it wears comfortably compact with enough visual weight to feel substantial. But due in part to its pebble-like cushion case, it has a way of seating itself into the wrist rather than settling on top of it. The shorter lug-to-lug is doing a lot of work here, as well, especially for smaller to mid-sized wrists, keeping the Frontier planted and balanced.
Where the Frontier really separates itself from the earlier Strat-o-timer models is in finishing and texture. The increased use of brushing gives the case a more utilitarian presence, while the hardness coating (rated up to 1200 Vickers) gives the watch additional protection from scratches and wear. This is a GMT you won’t have to feel precious about. Throw it on. Move. Live.
The bezel also leans into that tool-watch ethos. There’s a tactile confidence to its bidirectional, 48-click operation, and the sunburst brushing adds just enough visual interest without appearing flashy. It looks and feels like a logical extension of the case beneath it.
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Legibility First, Aesthetics Close Second
Jack Mason’s design language has always walked a nice line between modern and approachable, and the Frontier refines that balance with a clearer focus on legibility. The dial is glossy and opaque, which sounds like a contradiction until you see it in the metal. The colour saturation is strong. The result is a dial that reads cleanly at a glance, whether you’re checking local time in an airport terminal or glancing down mid-conversation.
The two colourways—Alpine and Night—make for a sensible dual release. The Alpine variant leans into high-contrast legibility with its bright white dial and black-plated hands and indices. It’s crisp, highly readable, and visually light, making it a strong choice for daytime travel and outdoor use. Frankly, as someone who really leans into black dials, I am surprisingly taken with the Apline. It strikes me very much in the same way as Longines’ summer release of the white Legend Diver did.
The Night version, by contrast, dials up the stealth factor. The glossy black dial lets the indices and lume do the talking. But it’s not stark or remotely sterile. This may have a lot to do with the AR coating and box crystal combo; however, I would often look down at it and think ‘midnight blue.’ It is quite alive as you turn your wrist in the light.
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A Flyer GMT
At the heart of the Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier is the Miyota 9075, regulated in-house by Jack Mason to +/- 5 seconds per day. More importantly, this is a traveller’s GMT movement, meaning the local hour hand can be independently adjusted in one-hour jumps. For anyone who actually crosses time zones (or just appreciates good movement architecture), this is a meaningful difference from office GMT implementations. Of course, you can also get a good look at it through the exhibition caseback, if that’s your thing. It does have a customised rotor.
This is where the Frontier punches above its price point and always has. Flyer GMT functionality is no longer as rare in this segment, as it was a few years ago when Jack Mason first released the Strat-o-timer, but the combination of styling, finish, and functionality still feels like a bargain here.
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On Wrist
The bracelet, complete with a micro-adjusting clasp, reinforces the Frontier’s everyday practicality. It’s comfortable, secure, and easy to fine-tune throughout the day—something you only truly appreciate once you’ve worn a watch through flights, temperature changes, and long stretches on the move. The bracelet is equipped with quick release spring bars and screw pins—which means that sizing up the watch is simple and straightforward, and so is swapping in a strap. The clasp is long, but relatively thin and the microadjustment mechanism is so straightforward.
In fact, what stood out most during my time with the Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier, is just that: how uncomplicated things were. It doesn’t try to rewrite the GMT playbook, and yet, at the same time, everything about it feels thoughtful and refined.
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Specs
| Case | 316L Stainless Steel 40mm Diameter 47mm Lug to Lug 13mm Thickness 20mm Lug Width Screw Down Crown Display Caseback 200m Water Resistance |
| Dial & Crystal | Box Sapphire Crystal Gloss Dials (Black and White) Applied Markers Baton Handset Super-LumiNova |
| Movement | Miyota 9075 Regulated in-house +/- 5 secs/day 24 Jewels 28 8000vph 42-Hour Power Reserve |
| Strap | Stainless Steel Bracelet /w Micro-adjusting Clasp |
Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier
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Final Thoughts & Pricing
At $1,099 USD, the Jack Mason Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier occupies an interesting space in the modern GMT landscape. It’s not chasing luxury cachet, and it’s not pretending to be a heritage reissue—though there are certainly vintage cues that remain from the original. Instead, it feels like a contemporary American brand getting more comfortable with its own identity: practical, design-forward, and—in this case—tool-driven.
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If you like the spirit of the Rolex GMT-Master II, appreciate the rugged charm of something like the Seiko Turtle, and want a watch that you can actually buy, wear hard, and not overthink, the Strat-o-timer GMT Frontier makes a compelling case for itself. Although I am partial to the white, I don’t think that there is a wrong move here either.
The watch opens for pre-order on February 13th with delivery beginning on February 27.
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About the Author
Brent Robillard is a writer, educator, craftsman, and watch enthusiast. He is the author of four novels. You can follow him on Instagram.
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