Zelos Horizons GMT v2

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Manufacturer: Zelos Watches | Price: from $749 USD (£615 GBP, €689 EUR)

I reviewed the first version of the Zelos Horizons GMT way back in Spring of last year and although it was a prototype that I received, I still thought it was a superb offering from Zelos. Even if I didn’t go ahead and actually buy one, I still liked it a lot. However, as I’ve been constantly distracted by other offerings from Zelos as well as other brands, and with the constant amount of watches that come through here, I just never got round to acquiring the original Horizons GMT.

Fast forward just over 12 months and here we have the second version of the Horizons GMT. When I first seen the prototype images, it was like hearing “SKADOOSH“, just before being hit square in the face with a f**kin’ fire extinguisher. When looking through them and saw the Frost Edition that I have here today, I thought, oh yes, YOU will be mine!!

Zelos Horizons GMT v2 Review

Specifications

  • Dimensions: Diameter – 40.1mm, Thickness – 13.4mm, Lug to Lug – 45.3mm, Lug Width – 20mm
  • Movement: Swiss ETA 2893 Elaboré, Custom Rotor, 28,800vph, Hackable, Self Winding, 38hr Power Reserve
  • Case Material: Brushed 316L Stainless Steel (Polished Accents)
  • Bracelet: Brushed 316L Stainless Steel (Polished Accents), Solid Links, Screw Pins, Milled Clasp
  • Crystal: Boxed Sapphire, Multiple Anti-Reflective Coatings (Underside)
  • Bezel: 48 Click Bidirectional, Sapphire Insert, Lumed
  • Water Resistance: 200m / 20ATM / 660ft
  • Lume: Swiss Super Luminova® C3 X1 / BGW9
  • Crown: Screw Down, Signed
  • Caseback: Screw Down, Exhibition Display, Sapphire Crystal
  • Warranty: 1 Year    Weight: 142g (Sized)     Where to BuyZelos Watches | Serious Watches
  • Dial Options: Meteorite, Ice, Teal, Midnight Blue, Frost, Blue Meteorite

Zelos - The Brand

"Zelos was founded to offer timepieces with cutting-edge design with materials such as bronze, meteorite and forged carbon. Zelos design and produce watches from the ground up, ensuring that you get a watch that can be found no where else. Since the start of Zelos in 2014, they have launched 3 models on Kickstarter with increasing success. Zelos’ first model, the Helmsman gathered 273% of the targeted funding. The Chroma followed with 350% and finally the Abyss with 650% of funding.

Zelos no longer utilise Kickstarter when releasing a new model, opting to take pre-orders on their own website, with just an average of 2 – 3 weeks wait time before you get the email stating that your watch has been despatched via FedEx. Zelos is based in Singapore and was founded by Elshan Tang, who having been fascinated by mechanical timepieces for many years, building one was the next logical step. I believe that great timepiece design should not be confined to just expensive luxury brands. Shown below are just a very small example of some previously released Zelos', with plenty more on the horizon..."

Case & Crown

The case of the Horizons GMT v2 has a diameter of 40.1mm. The lug to lug is 45.3mm and the overall thickness, including the vintage style, boxed sapphire crystal, I measured in at 13.4mm. Without taking the sapphire crystal into consideration, you’re looking at a thickness of just 11.2mm. The entire case, bezel, crown and bracelet are all 316L stainless steel. The finish of the watch is mostly brushed but with the addition of rather sexy polished chamfered edges that run along and under the side of the case and down the ends of the lugs. I have got to say, I love the way this has been executed, the transition between the two finishings is also simply outstanding!

The Horizons GMT v2 has a water resistance rating of 200m, thanks to the incorporated screw down caseback & crown. The proportions of the watch, in my opinion are absolute perfection for my 6¾″ wrist, due to the relatively short lug to lug length of just a baw-hair over 45mm. It’s also extremely comfortable to wear, so much so, I haven’t taken it off since it arrived. This just shows just how bloody good this watch is, as I usually change my watch every day.

The signed crown is great and very nicely executed with that Zelos logo embossed into it. There is very miniscule wobble when the crown is in use. Flipping the watch over, you’ll see that the Zelos Horizons GMT v2 has an exhibition display caseback, with a sapphire crystal, that shows off the ETA 2893 high beat movement. Not just a standard, off the shelf ETA 2893 either, it’s an Elaboré grade movement with a very nicely done custom rotor from Zelos. More on this later…

Strap / Bracelet

This time around, the Zelos Horizons GMT v2 comes fitted as standard with a 316L stainless steel bracelet. A big plus point from me, as with the original v1, the bracelet was a cost option only. Included within the package you will also find a tropic rubber strap with a custom Zelos buckle, giving you a change from the bracelet, should you feel the need. These rubber straps are a solid choice too, so it’s a great addition to the overall package from Zelos. Oh yeah, if you’ve never owned a Zelos before, you are also given a leather watch roll that’s contained in the usual Zelos branded wooden gift box. The leather watch rolls are also of the new variety from Zelos, gone is the old blue one, enter the new grey one.

For those that regularly read my reviews, should be aware that my first choice of strap with any watch, is a good quality stainless steel bracelet. Trust me when I say, you definately won’t be disappointed with the bracelet that’s fitted to the Horizons GMT v2. It’s a beauty! Solid links throughout, including the end links, screw pins for adjusting and resizing and an excellent milled clasp with six micro-adjustment holes. At both sides of each link you’ll also see polished chamfered edges that match the watch perfectly. This is also continued over both sides of the milled dual button, flip lock clasp.

Movement

The chosen calibre for the Zelos Horizons GMT v2 is the smooth sweep, high beat ETA 2893 Elaboré grade GMT movement. This is a Swiss made 28,800vph, 21 jewel movement with a 38hr power reserve, GMT function with self winding and of course hacking. Checking the accuracy after running the Horizons GMT v2 for just under a week, mainly on my wrist, I was extremely happy with the results, with the Zelos Horizons GMT v2 showing an average of just +2.6spd. Absolutely no complaints on the accuracy front from me on this one, that’s for sure. That’s a superb result!

Oh yeah, you may have expected a more detailed and better decorated movement, but apparently these are the latest Elaboré grade calibres from ETA. Such a shame really, as I was expecting the finishing to be something along the lines of the Steinhart Ocean 39 GMT 500 Premium that I recently reviewed. Ok, that’s got a Sellita SW330-1 inside, but I’m sure you’re aware of what I’m getting at. Anyway, the custom rotor from Zelos is still excellent and a very nice touch indeed.

Dial & Bezel

The Zelos Horizons GMT v2 has a 48 click bidirectional bezel with a lumed sapphire insert. The bottom half of the insert is fully lumed, while the top half, just the arabics and markers are lumed. The bezel itself is of phenomenal quality with a nice tactile action and everything does line up perfectly. The only printed text on the dial is the word GMT with the depth rating of 200m/660ft just below, finished in red, which does work very well, giving a good contrast against the brilliant white of the dial. The Zelos logo is applied, which I always appreciate and it’s placed at just under the 12 o’clock position.

All of the hour marker are applied, with the addition of the hour markers at the 3, 9 & 12 o’clock positions being a slightly larger triangular shape, letting you always know the correct orientation of the watch. The inner minute track is both clean and simple, being printed in a very legible contrasting black. Behind that, the sloped chapter ring has an additional 24 hour marker set up with markings every hour, but with each second hour being in arabics. These are finished in orange, subsequently matching the orange GMT arrowhead. Personally, I would have preferred the orange details to match the red text on the dial, or vice-versa. Not a negative as such, more of just a tiny niggle that I thought was worth mentioning.

As you can see in the images, the hour and minute hands are very nicely done with their very proportionate design. The seconds hand is great too, with it’s wee lumed section and tip that reaches right out to the minute track when sweeping around the dial. The matching GMT hand is also very nicely done with its orange surround on the arrowhead that is also lumed. There is a borderless date window at the 6 o’clock position too, which looks great… and it’s colour-matched! Oh aye, all the other versions of the Horizons GMT v2 also sport a colour-matched date wheel. Sweet!

Lume

The lume on the Horizons GMT v2 is utterly outstanding! Zelos have definitely upped their game over the GMT v1, just look at that lume shot below. The actual lume that’s been used for this Horizons GMT v2 is Swiss Super Luminova® C3 X1 with BGW9 applied to the dial and bezel. I’ve previously experienced fully lumed dials, but none of them are as good as this!

Conclusion

Well, what can I say about this one, other than the Horizons GMT v2 is the best Zelos that I’ve ever had my hands on! I’ve reviewed quite a fair amount of Zelos watches and I’ve also owned pretty much every model that Zelos have released at some point or another. As I stated in my initial introduction of this review, I wasn’t all that upset that I never managed to purchase the v1 of the GMT, but oh man, I’d be utterly devastated if I never managed to own the v2. It’s an absolutely phenomenal watch, and yes, before you ask, I have now paid for this watch. Yep, I’ve put my money where my mouth is!

The Zelos Horizons GMT v2 was only released around 2 weeks ago and at the time of writing this review, both the meteorite and this frost edition are now totally sold out. All I can recommend is, if you want to grab one of these, and I recommend that you do, albeit in a different colour, is to get your arse over to zeloswatches.com and pick one up before they are all gone. If there are any left by the 15th of June, then beware, as the price will increase by around $100 depending on the version. To be honest though, I doubt very much that there will be any left by that time.

Zelos Horizons GMT v2 – 110% Recommended! What are you waiting for? Go and blow that dust off your credit card!

ZelosThis isn’t just minor tweeks over the original, it’s a hell of a lot more than that! Well done Elshan and congratulations on winning our first ever Platinum Award!

Design
10/10
Quality
10/10
Value
10/10
TOTAL
10/10
Zelos Horizons GMT v2 1
Zaltek Reviews Gold Award
Zaltek Reviews Platinum Award
10/10 - WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE NICEST WATCH THAT I'VE REVIEWED, RECEIVING ZALTEK REVIEWS' FIRST EVER, EXTREMELY RARE PLATINUM AWARD!
A massive thank you to Elshan at Zelos for sending the Horizons GMT v2 out for review so quickly. Much appreciated.
 
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One Comment

  1. It is an excellent watch. I have the midnight colorway myself. It is the ideal watch that ticks all the boxes for my criteria. I was looking for a watch with BGW9, a Swiss movement, small dimensions (under 40mm diameter), excellent finishing and great bracelet. Very difficult to find a fun, quality, small dive watch exceeding all marks that doesn’t cost a fortune.

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