Practical Field Watch, Priced to Use: Timex Expedition North GMT Automatic Review

Titanium watches are light and easy on the wrist. Automatic watches are highly regarded for their internal intricacies and consistent functionality. And GMT watches add a complication that gives users access to a third time zone.

It’s a popular combination, but automatic titanium GMT watches tend to be expensive.

Enter Timex with the Expedition North GMT at $550. This tough, lightweight GMT watch is exactly what many adventure travelers want, and its price packs a lot of high-end specs, at least on paper.

In short: The Timex Expedition North GMT Titanium Automatic is a durable, lightweight automatic watch with understated good looks and excellent legibility. It’s ideal for rough outdoor use and adventure travel. If it weren’t for a mediocre strap and slightly subpar timekeeping, it would be an absolute home run for the price. As is, it’s a solid choice with a couple of flaws.

Compare the Timex Expedition North GMT with the best field watches.

Timex Expedition North GMT Titanium Automatic Review

I’ve been wearing the Expedition North GMT Titanium Automatic (henceforth the Expedition North GMT) for about 2 months. It is a workhorse. But a good-looking workhorse at that.

The Expedition North takes design cues from some iconic field watches, like the Rolex Explorer II 16570 GMT and Tudor Black Bay. It’s certainly no replica, but it has a very similar balance and form to these highly regarded, very expensive watches.

That’s to say that the Expedition North GMT will fit in with any clothing choices. Want to wear it with a nice suit? No problem. Pair it with a flannel for a fall picnic? Great. Strap it on with your camo hunting gear? That might be where it’s most at home.

While attractive, the Expedition North GMT is not fancy. The hands are simple baton shapes applied with lume. The hour indices are simple lume circles, squares, and triangles. The rotating bezel is tight and functional, but unpolished. Generally, the watch speaks more work than pleasure, even if you find pleasure in the rugged places it’s meant for.

And while beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the Expedition North GMT is about as neutral as a large field watch can be. It’s not going to draw a lot of attention, good or bad. Personally, I like it. But how does it function?

Timex Expedition North GMT Functionality

During one testing period, I wore the watch nonstop for 2 weeks. In that time, it lost 6 minutes, which is about 26 seconds a day. Realistically, that’s not great, even for an automatic watch. Yes, it’s entirely useable.

But if you wear this watch as a daily driver, you’ll want to adjust the time at least once a week. I can’t be 6 minutes late for a meeting, and I doubt you can, either.

But with an automatic watch, 26 seconds lost a day is not abnormal. It’s OK, but I wish it were a little better, because a lot of this watch is great.

First, the watch face is super-legible even in low light or no light. While not the brightest, the lume is sufficient, and I was able to read the watch in the early morning hours after a full night of darkness.

Winding and setting the watch is a nice tactile experience. While not top-tier, the movement is smooth, with crisp stops when pulling out the crown and a barely audible click when winding. Adjusting the GMT time, as well as the hour and minute hands, is simple and intuitive.

On the Wrist

This is where the Expedition North GMT shines. The watch is light at 2.79 ounces. Even with a significant 41mm case, it’s barely noticeable on the wrist, especially with the included soft silicone strap. It’s one of those larger watches that still disappears easily under a shirt cuff and doesn’t feel blocky.

That’s because of the lightweight titanium case. Timex uses grade two titanium for its case. Could it be better? Absolutely. Does it matter for most wearers? Not at all. After some rather abusive wear while hunting and camping, the watch case and its sapphire crystal are as good as new.

Testing

I also put the watch through some specific tests. I submerged the watch in water for 8 hours, and then put it in the freezer overnight. These two tests replicate real-world scenarios that an outdoor watch needs to survive as a bare minimum: getting wet and getting frozen.

The Expedition North GMT didn’t bat an eye. After 12 hours in the freezer, it had a frosty face, but the minute hand was ticking along perfectly.

I also accidentally dropped the watch a few times from about 5 feet onto concrete. It showed no signs of wear or damage — as seen in all images here.

Expedition North GMT: Adding a Time Zone

So should you buy one? I’d say that comes down to how you’ll use it. The Expedition North GMT certainly stacks up as a high-quality field watch at a good price. And the GMT capability is great for some users.

This is a “caller” style GMT. That means the crown will independently adjust the fourth, 24-hour GMT hand. This is particularly useful for tracking a single time zone separate from your current time.

I used this feature to keep track of the time in Germany, where GearJunkie’s editor-in-chief was covering the ISPO trade show while I was in Denver. Another common use would be to keep track of your time at home while traveling around the world.

It’s a useful feature, but some prefer the “traveler” style GMT, which allows you to independently set the hour hand without scrolling through minutes. Each style has pros and cons, so consider that if you’re shopping around.

If this style does fit your needs, it’s a solid buy as a field watch. My only real disappointment was that it didn’t keep a little better time.

It’s common for automatic watches to gain or lose a little each day, but this particular watch was a little less accurate than I’d expect. That said, the NH34 movement is well regarded as a reliable movement and is widely used on entry-level automatic watches like this.

And if your primary concern is accurate timekeeping, consider a quartz model. Even the best COSC-certified automatics will gain or lose a few seconds a day.

Timex Expedition North GMT Review Wrapup

Beyond that gripe, I really like the Timex Expedition North GMT Titanium Automatic. It’s a tough, light, no-frills field watch that looks nice on the wrist and is easy to read.

The addition of a GMT hand and bidirectional rotating bezel brings utility for travelers and those who manage teams in other time zones. And at its modest price, you shouldn’t worry much about rough use while hiking, camping, hunting, any other outdoor situation.