Chicago-based watch brand Oak & Oscar celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. I've been a fan of the brand since the founder, Chase, hosted an event in my city almost that long ago, but I haven't spent any significant time with one. Luckily, I was able to borrow on the brand's staples, the Humboldt GMT, for an extended review.
Thanks to Random Rob for loaning me the watch. You can also read this article about my favorite GMT watches, written before this review.
Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT First Impressions
Oak & Oscar watches come packaged in an attractive zippered canvas watch wallet, complete with a strap-changing tool and storage for additional straps. The watch and bracelet are heavy and solid, giving a high-quality feel. The bezel clicks are sharp and precise.
Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT Details
The case and even the bezel insert are entirely brushed steel, giving a utilitarian look. While it's well proportioned, under the ever-so-slightly domed crystal is where Oak & Oscar's design language is on display.
The hands are both functionally legible and stylized. The long and thin second hand is in bright orange, with a rectangular tip riding just inside the chapter ring. Often, I dislike it when brands use their logos as a counterbalance, but because the Oak & Oscar logo is so clean and simple, I like it in this application. The hour and minute hands are black and lume-filled, while the black GMT hand features an orange tip and similarly long counterbalance.
The matte white dial resembles a clean sheet of paper, with black hour markers recessed in a sandwich construction. Minimal, clean text is symmetric down the dial, sitting above a white date wheel at 6 o'clock with custom typeface. 24 hours are displayed on the bezel as well as a fixed chapter ring, allowing for the indication of a third time zone.
Wearing the Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT
The Humboldt's case is listed as 39.5mm wide, or 40mm at the bezel. Either way, it's a good size to have wrist presence without feeling too large.
It took half a beat to get used to reading the time at a glance due to the unconventional GMT and second hands' designs, but now it's no problem. I usually prefer the entire GMT hand to be a contrasting color, making it more distinctive from the main hands. In this case, however, the second hand is already orange, and I wouldn't want to add more colors. The orange tip does help once you get used to looking for it.
While the hour markers are not lumed, Oak & Oscar does apply a blue luminous ring to the inner circle of the sandwich dial. This looks cool, and also makes it possible to find 12 and 6 in the dark. The bezel also has a small lume pip.
Bracelet and Replacement Straps for the Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT
The Humboldt's optional bracelet appears at first to be a standard oyster style. Upon closer inspection, it's an H-link design with excellent articulation. This gives it a traditional look with that extra bit of comfort.
It tapers from 20mm down to 16mm at the quick-adjust clasp. Open the clasp, lift the inner link, and slide it to one of six positions. A secure solution that allows for a slim clasp.
A green nylon strap with orange stitching is the standard option for the Humboldt.
I like the way orange straps bring out the "pops of color" from the hands. An orange Deployant Sailcloth gives it a classy look.
A Ribbed Rubber Pass-Through is great to accentuate the field watch look.
It also looks great on a Men Wear Pink strap!
Here is a list of some other straps that will complement this watch well. At the end of the article, you'll also find photos of some of our favorite combinations. You can also view our Guide to Choosing a Watch Strap.
-Hook and Loop Elastic
-Pro Diver
-Deployant Rubber
-Ribbed Rubber Pass-Through
-Ridge Rubber
-Extra Long Ridge Rubber
-Tropical Rubber
-Premium Sailcloth
-Rubber and Sailcloth Hybrid Straps
-Vented Rubber
-Slim Ridge Rubber
-Waffle Rubber
-Elastic
Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT Movement
The Sellita 330 movement beats inside the Humboldt. While I'm a fan of traveler GMT, this is what's known as a "Caller GMT." This allows for the 24-hour hand to be quickly adjusted when you're tracking other time zones from home. It provides 56 hours of power reserve with a 28,800 beat rate.
Oak & Oscar adds an anti-magnetic enclosure and a rubber bumper to increase resistance to shocks. These are nice features, and don't add much thickness to the watch, as 12.5mm is slim for a 4-hand GMT watch with 200m of water resistance.
Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT Conclusion
I greatly enjoyed my time with the Humboldt GMT. The brand has clearly invested effort in providing a high-quality feel and construction, as well as developing its own distinct design language. At over $2,000, it's not inexpensive for what you'll see on its spec list. But as I've said before, watches are more than only their movements. Oak and Oscar is an example of a brand involved in the American watch community, building products that need to be held in the hand to be fully appreciated.
Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT Specifications
Name: Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT
MSRP: $1,975 (strap), $2,175 (bracelet)
Diameter: 40mm
Height: 46.8mm
Thickness: 12.5mm
Lug Width: 20mm
Movement: Sellita 330
Power Reserve: 56 hours
Water Resistance: 200m
Crystal: Double-domed sapphire with anti-reflective coating
Crown: Screw-down
Bezel: Stainless steel, 120 click bi-directional with ceramic ball bearings
Bracelet: Stainless steel with on-the-fly micro-adjust clasp
Shop Replacement Straps for the Oak & Oscar Humboldt GMT
Men Wear Pink
Ribbed FKM Rubber Pass-Through
Deployant Sailcloth
Deployant FKM Rubber
Hook and Loop Elastic
