Rolex GMT Master

There are times when a watch ceases to be a watch and becomes something else.  For many, Rolex has become more than just an emblem of excellence in timekeeping and engineering, it is a symbol of success and a mark of the wearer's class and distinction.  With a global recognition, any Rolex, whether it is a simple time-only Oyster Perpetual or a vintage 'Big Red' Daytona, garners respect.  But some Rolexes have become bigger even than themselves, more myth and story than actual watch. Without a doubt, early 'Big Crown' Submariners and other Mil-spec pieces get attention for more than the crown they wear.  Submariners too, with their connection to Cousteau and the rise of SCUBA, are greater than the sum of their parts.   Reference 1675 GMT-Masters are surprisingly often overlooked by enthusiasts who are on the hunt for something special, something that will set them apart.  But inside collectors' circles, the GMT-Master has a lore all its own and should be on everyone's must-have list.  This particular piece has a 1.8 million serial number, dating it to roughly 1966.  With a beautiful sharp case with crisp beveling, a perfectly patinated dial and handset and a cherry bezel insert, this GMT-Master is sure to turn heads.   History As the legend goes, Pan-Am approached Rolex in 1953 looking for a watch specially designed for their pilots, and a partnership was quickly formed. A Submariner became the base for this new watch, and several important modifications were made to turn a Sub into the GMT-Master that we know today. Rolex added a date function with a cyclops lens magnifier, GMT complication, and two-colored bezel to provide long-haul pilots with the info they needed as they circumnavigated the globe. The GMT-Master’s 24-hour hand works in conjunction with the rotating bezel to make tracking a second time zone incredibly simple. When the bezel’s triangle is aligned to 12 o’clock, the red arrow hand points to the time on a 24-hour military scale, which in itself is valuable as a day/night indicator (at least if you’re a cave explorer). The usefulness of the complication really shines when the wearer rotates the bezel so that the numbers around the bezel correspond the a 2nd time zone (such as Greenwich Mean Time), allowing the watch to track any two time zones in the world at once. Five decades later, the GMT-Master and its “Pepsi” bezel has become a true icon of the watch world. Instantly recognizable and eternally stylish, the watch represents vintage Rolex at its best.