Farer Palmer GMT is a limited edition explorers watch with Bauhaus influence

Forget the Rolex Explorer II – this affordable British watch has class and style in abundance

The Farer Palmer GMT on a steel bracelet, worn on a wrist
(Image credit: Farer)

I'm a big fan of the GMT complication on watches. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it's the most useful complication you can get on watch – that's part of the reason why my Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT is my go-to timepiece.

Now, another GMT has hit the market from the good folks at Farer. But it's a far cry from the swathes of Rolex Explorer II lookalikes on the market. Instead, Farer have fused a little of that DNA with lashings of Bauhaus-inspired design.

The result is really gorgeous. It's not often you see a GMT without a bezel. Farer have opted to place the 24 hour scale inside the hour markers instead. That gives the whole thing a field watch aesthetic, and takes it further away from the steel sports watch GMT market which is so crowded.

Latest Videos From

I'm also a big fan of the hour markers. The batons themselves are forged from a material called Lumicast. That fuses Super-LumiNova with ceramic, to make for a marker which glows with lume. That's then printed black on top, to make it visible in daylight. A secondary benefit is that the lume appears to glow from underneath the markers themselves, which looks absolutely awesome.

The Palmer is a nicely sized piece. With a case diameter of 39.5mm and a lug-to-lug of 45mm, it should be a good size for most wearers. At just 10.8mm deep, it's also remarkably slim. Quite how they've managed to fit a GMT movement into that thin a case, I don't know, but the result looks great.

The case on the Palmer is 316L stainless steel. Inside, you'll find a reliable Sellita SW330-2 movement. That's good for up to 56 hours of power reserve, while the watch is also rated for 100m of water resistance.

Sam Cross
Senior Staff Writer

Sam Cross is an award-winning journalist, with nine years of experience in the media industry. His work can be found in publications as diverse as Oracle Time, Metro and Last Word on Sports.

Here at T3, Sam is best known as the brand’s go-to guy for all things luxurious – from exquisite watches to fine fragrances; the latest performance vehicles to intricate audio equipment, and more.

He’s often found travelling around the world to test new launches, complete with high-end backpacks and suitcases in tow. And when he’s not adding to his air miles, Sam can be found in front of a video camera, bringing his distinctive brand of storytelling to T3’s social media channels.

Sam also loves all things analogue including listening to music on vinyl or cassette, and photography on vintage film cameras.