Rolex GMT-Master

Why We Love It  Out of the entire Rolex model line, the GMT-Master rises above others as our collective favorite here at A:S. The GMT-Master has a rich history, and there are a wide variety of options on the table when considering a purchase. From the earliest References 6542 & 1675 to the more contemporary pieces such as this 16700; GMT Masters are, for many, the end-all be-all of professional model Rolexes.  This particular example features a classically scaled 39mm 'Holey' lug Oyster case that shares the same design cues that its predecessors inspired. Additionally, this watch falls into the growing "neo-vintage" segment of watches, retaining a Tritium dial with a matching handset - both in fantastic overall condition. With a simple black and steel palette, its red GMT hand adds a dash of color, and offers a more subtle alternative to the slightly louder "Pepsi" bezel variations of this reference. The Story The years following the end of The Second World War saw the world become a much, much smaller place. Advances in aviation technology led to the world’s first nonstop Transatlantic passenger flights between Europe and North America, and the era of the jetsetter began. Along with this new age of travel arose a need for travelers, and more importantly pilots, to have a wristwatch that could display two time zones at once. As a pioneer of transatlantic and transcontinental flight, Pan American Airlines approached Rolex in 1953 looking for a watch specially designed for their pilots, and Rolex agreed to take on the project. The newly designed Submariner became the base for this new watch, and several important complications were 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 a rotating bezel to make tracking a second time zone incredibly simple. When the wearer rotates the bezel so that the numbers around the bezel correspond to a second time zone (such as Greenwich Mean Time, the inspiration for the model’s nomenclature), it allows the watch to track any two time zones in the world at once. Not long after the debut of the GMT-Master at the Basel World Fair in 1954, Pan-Am adopted the GMT Master as its official wristwatch. Decades later, the GMT-Master and its “Pepsi” bezel has become a true icon of the watch world. It is instantly recognizable and eternally stylish – the very best of what Rolex has to offer.