Héron brings a welcome complication to the vintage-inspried dress watch with their Mirabel GMT
Tom AustinGMT watches arrived in the 1950s, at a time when the excitement surrounding commercial air travel was at its peak. Today, flying in a jet aircraft across continents and time zones is as ordinary as taking the bus, but back then, it was the pinnacle of glamour and sophistication. Pilots and travellers alike began to use GMT watches to track time across time zones, and for the most part, aside from some dressy dual-time oddites, those watches consistently leaned towards the tool side of the spectrum. Over the preceding decades, this trend persisted, with the GMT complication being more prevalent in watches with a more sporty or tool-like edge today.
Montréal-based brand Héron are here to change that, with their latest release, a vintage-inspired travel watch called the Mirabel GMT. Indeed, while there are a few dressy GMT options out there on the market from brands such as Grand Seiko, Chopard and Cartier, the vintage-themed end of the GMT watch market is not a crowded one. The Mirabel takes advantage of this trend and utilises the vintage style popular with microbrands, while also incorporating a complication that’s rarely combined with pre-1950s aesthetics.
The case
One of the first things that is interesting about the Mirabel is the case design. Modelled on the C-case shape made popular by the iconic Genta-designed Omega Constellation from the late 60s, it suits the Mirabel extremely well, despite the watch leaning towards a more 1950s aesthetic. Crafted from 316L stainless steel, the attractive case is styled in a 37.5mm diameter, blending vintage style with contemporary proportions. There are two options: one features a softly polished stainless steel finish, and the other features a warm, gold PVD coating. Each finish is paired with different dial options, offering a distinct style with each variation.
The attention to detail is solid, with elements like a resin cabochon set into the crown, and the case finished with a classic box sapphire crystal featuring an anti-reflective coating. Even with that crystal, the watch’s thickness is a commendable 11.8mm, thanks to Héron skipping the opportunity to use an exhibition case back. Instead of going down that uninspiring route, the brand decided to use the case back as a canvas to add more interesting details: engraved with world timer-style details, it also features a small hand-enamelled centrepiece, signifying night and day. It’s also interesting to note that the inside of the case back features perlage machining, with Héron nodding to the fact that caseback removal is something more likely to happen on vintage watches. The first 200 watches will also be numbered, bringing a touch of exclusivity to the watch.
The dial
There are four variations in the Héron Mirabel GMT collection, with the two steel-finished watches featuring white or blue sunburst dials, and the two gold PVD-finished watches paired with brown or black dials. Laid out in a sector style, each dial features an inner ring with applied Roman numerals, followed by an outer GMT scale that lacks any night/day colour variation, keeping the dial looking dressy and formal. Each dial is enamel-painted for that deep, highly polished quality. Although it may appear busy at first glance, it does a good job of being legible and clear, and is beautifully finished, especially the blue, with its sunburst inner ring.
Gold-coloured dial furniture adorns the gold PVD-coated versions, while the blue-dialled, steel watch features bright, highly polished silver elements. The white dial features contrasting black printing and markers, along with heat-blued, faceted alpha hands. The unique look of each dial will make picking a favourite quite a challenge, because they all look great in their own way.
The strap
Sometimes, brands go to great lengths with the design of the watch head, only to fall short at the last hurdle and pay little attention to the final touches, such as the strap. Héron did no such thing with the Mirabel, partnering with strap masters Delugs for their selection of straps. Each Mirabel GMT comes supplied with a Delugs Baranil strap, made from calfskin leather sourced from Tanneries Haas in France. The brown dial is paired with a tan coloured strap, the black dial comes with a matching black strap, and the blue and white dials arrive on a deep blue strap, each one in a smooth, fine-grain finish and hand-stitched with linen thread. These top-quality straps retail at around $110 alone, adding even more value to the Mirabel GMT.
The movement
Of course, being a GMT, each watch features an extra hand on the dial, which can be set to your home time zone. The Mirabel is a “true” GMT watch, meaning the main hour hand is independently adjustable to be easily changed to whatever time zone you’re travelling to. This is thanks to the Japanese Miyota 9075 movement hiding inside, a robust automatic movement that is finding its way into several strong competitors in the GMT market. Beating at 28,800 bph, it offers a 42-hour power reserve and a parashock anti-shock system. Being a movement usually seen in more tool-like watches, it’s good to see Héron utilising it for its robustness, but even better that they chose to conceal it with a solid case back.
Héron Mirabel GMT price and availability
The Héron Mirabel GMT is available for pre-order on the Héron website starting June 9th 2025. Price: US$690
| Brand | Héron |
| Model | Mirabel GMT |
| Case Dimensions | 37.5mm (D) x 11.8mm (T) x 43.5mm (LTL) |
| Case Material | 316L stainless steel (optional gold PVD coating) |
| Water Resistance | 50 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire box crystal |
| Dial | Enamel painted black, white, brown or blue sunburst |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Delugs Baranil calfskin strap in brown, black or dark blue |
| Movement | Miyota 9075, automatic “true” GMT |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, GMT |
| Availability | June 9th, first 200 cases numbered |
| Price | US$690 |
Made in partnership with Héron. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.