Holton Auto GMT: Black Whiteout, a Firm Office Favourite
It all started when we were creating a mood board for ideas for an automatic GMT version of the Holton. We got very excited—because, of course, we’re grown-ups.
The initial list of models included: black dial, NIVO dial, white dial… wait, a white dial? We had never considered a Holton with a white dial before, but the idea intrigued us. We sketched it out, and despite our initial reservations, it worked—really well. As with any new collection, we kept refining and honing the details, and then THE idea came: the white dial could be fully lumed, appearing white by day and blue by night. We got excited. Again. And agreed it was the perfect addition to this mil-spec Holton. We had to make it happen.
Fast forward to November 2023, at the WatchPro Salon, London. We introduced a highly limited 36-hour sales window for the original WHITEOUT in an arctic warfare style: a pale matte steel vapour-blasted case, matching bracelet, and white fully lumed dial. The response exceeded our expectations, and we sold hundreds of them in just 36 hours. It turns out that our initial excitement was justified.
We’ve loved seeing and sharing your images of the WHITEOUT in the wild. However, we miss it since it was a one-time limited batch and is no longer part of our everyday lineup at EB HQ. Earlier this year, with the success of the OG WHITEOUT still fresh in our minds (no pun intended), a spare fully lumed dial was sitting on Alex’s desk. Before we knew it, he had built it into a dark gunmetal Holton case just to see what it would look like
Like any professional business, we always have launches and new models planned well in advance, eagerly awaiting their arrival into our hands and yours. However, we had to make space for this piece because it simply looked exceptional. The prototypes arrived, and we examined them with our loops and tested them for wear. It felt great to get a fully lumed Holton on our wrists again, but this one had a character all its own, offering high contrast and elegance thanks to the tried-and-tested Holton aesthetics.
It’s the yin to the original WHITEOUTE’s yang, with a dial entirely flooded with the brightest SuperLuminova BGW9, which glows a cool blue for up to eight hours, just like the original. What’s particularly lovely to see in this model, as well as in the original Whiteout, is how well the reversed colour scheme works just as well as the dark dial Holtons, maintaining clarity and instant recognition that’s arguably stronger.
We’re advocates of the "less is more" design principle, believing that well-considered design elegance outlasts more complex or colourful styles. With this in mind, we added only a subtle touch of colour; a thin red keyline around the 12-hour triangle marker and a matching tip on the seconds hand. It’s surprising how much this small detail changes the overall vibe, instantly softening the otherwise monochrome palette.
Something we’ve not written much about is how easy it is to set the time for a second time zone with all the GMT Holtons. The external bezel is your ally in this case. Regardless of the GMT hand's position, the bezel can be simply rotated so that the GMT hand points to the desired time in the second time zone—like the time at home whilst away on an international trip.
Alternatively, you can unscrew the crown, pull it out to the first position, and rotate it, which will move the GMT hand to the required time indicated on the external 24-hour bezel. This setup is ideal for those who prefer precise alignment, with the 24-hour bezel triangle at 12 o’clock. The reduced visual weight of the bezel markings, compared to the other Holton variants, gives the Holton GMT a more sophisticated appearance—an aspect we absolutely love.
