It’s been a long three years since we had Mercer on our pages (you can see that here). It’s not that we’ve been ignoring them, it’s just, well, life marches on and things can fall off the radar. But I’ll say, I got some very strong pings when I caught word of the Mercer Nomad GMT hitting Kickstarter.
Just so we’re on the same page – and in case you’re a new reader – I’ve got a thing for GMT complications. Even though I don’t travel as much these days, I still just plain love the complication. Chronograph? I could consign that to the dustbin of history. A 24-hour hand? You, sir, have my attention. That’s just table stakes. If you can wrap that into a compact case (40.5mm by 11mm thick), then sir, you have my undivided attention.
For me, the Mercer Nomad GMT hits all of the good, classic, GMT notes. You’ve got the 24-hour scale printed on the bezel – which looks to be fixed in place. Some may sigh, but I applaud, as that makes for a slimmer height. The dial comes in either charcoal black or polar white (just like the Crown does). The GMT (and seconds) hand? In orange, also like that brand. It’s even driven by a Swiss movement – the Soprod C125. This is not one I’ve experienced myself, but Soprod isn’t know for turning out a bad movement – so you’ll be good to go here.
The case profile on the Mercer Nomad GMT is a standard look, and paired as it is to a tapering Oyster-style bracelet (with a very slick-looking clasp), you’ve got the classic steel sports watch look, sans crown guards. Things are topped off by a sapphire crystal, and you get a 100m WR rating, so the watch is definitely one that should be ready for most anything your travels will throw at it.
In my book, everything looks to be well-sorted on the Mercer Nomad GMT (even color-matched date discs!) Better, yet, with the Kickstarter, you can get in at just $449 which seems a steal. There’s one slot left at that price, and then it bumps up to $499 which still is a great price for a Swiss-powered GMT with this look and feel. The campaign is running until July 16th, and stands at 78% funded as of this writing. And, fun wrinkle, it they hit the $70k mark, then there will be a third color coming into play (my vote is for a nice sapphire blue). You can check out all the details – and get your pledge in – right here: campaign page
Tech Specs from Mercer
- 40.5 mm 316L stainless steel case; 11mm thick
- Fixed 24 hour bezel
- Flat high-top sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
- Soprod C125 automatic; independent GMT hand
- Matte dial with SuperLuminova BG W9
- Embossed case back
- Embossed screw down crown
- 100 meter water resistance
- 2 year limited warranty
- 316L oyster bracelet with screw in pins and ratcheting clasp for precise adjustment
