I quite enjoyed the Split GMT in person. Yes, I have my quibbles with some things—like the usage of “true” for the GMT or the fact that the brand calls this a “single pusher GMT” on their website when there is only a crown and no pusher—but this feels like a good watch for the money and in support of a good cause. Other Miyota 9075 watches sell for around the same price, so that’s a check. It’s not too stuffy or serious, but still a solid quality, which is another check. On the wrist, it does feel a bit thicker than I would have expected from the measurements, but I think that comes down to the strap being robust and tapering in thickness starting at the case, giving an integrated-bracelet feel.
While I don’t know that anyone necessarily buys a watch for the charity portion that goes along with it, instead of just donating to charity yourself, I do have to give some extra props to the Split team for partnering with MusiCares. That’s a charity that’s been near and dear to my heart as a music lover, musician, and someone who has known (and lost) too many people to mental health and substance abuse over the years. Sure, a lot of brands donate to causes, but sometimes there’s some hand-waving and a bit of mumbling about how much they donate and to where, but this is a charity you can stand behind. It doesn’t hurt that the watch is cool, too.