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Lot Essay
Originally, GMT-Master was conceived as a steel watch. Consequently, early generations cased in gold are exceedingly rare. The present exemplar is a particularly charismatic representative of this landmark model and it is furthermore preserved in impressive overall original condition.
The most striking feature of this timepiece is certainly the burgundy, chestnut brown so-called "exclamation" dial with gold printing. The "exclamation mark" denomination stems from the additional luminous dot positioned underneath the 6 o'clock hour marker. "Exclamation mark" dials are exceedingly rare. It would seem that only 6542 coming from the first batch produced have this characteristic. Scholarly research on the subject came to a very specific conclusion about the reason for such rarity. It is argued that the radiation emissions from "first batch" 6542s created an issue with the US Atomic Energy commission. Consequently, a recall of the watches concerned was launched and, the dials were marked with a small dot below the six o'clock marker - jointly resembling an exclamation mark - as a marker that the issue had been rectified. From the second batch on, the watches were either fitted with an "underline" or, as for all future generations, with the "Swiss T<25" indicating that tritium was used, visibly reassuring consumers that any health risk was banned.
The case proportions are still intact, as this watch was never exposed to noteworthy polishing, and any Rolex connoisseur will be impressed by its full body, satin finish, sharp angles to the facets of the lugs and the crisp gold mark. It furthermore retains the original bakelite bezel in very good condition, correct hands and crown, magnifying lens for the date and the gold Rolex Oyster period bracelet.
GMT-Master
The success of the Rolex Sports models in the 1950s was extraordinary, so it was no surprise when the world's largest airline - Pan Am - commissioned a specially designed watch allowing their pilots to keep track of time in two locations.
The jet lag, now a common annoyance to travelers worldwide, was unknown before the journey time was reduced from 13 hours to 7. Worried about the possible effects on their pilots, Pan Am commissioned a study on how to mitigate the issue. The result was an advice to keep the pilots on "home" time while away from base. As at the same time they needed to know the local time, a joint Pan Am and Rolex task force was created. The team devised a watch with an additional hour hand, which revolved once every 24 hours, and a rotating bezel marked with those same 24 hours. The model was named "G.M.T.-Master" after the world's standard time, the Greenwich Mean Time.
The first GMT model, reference 6542, was launched in 1954 and was immediately recognizable by the bright acrylic or bakelite bezel - materials that would reduce annoying glares - with the twenty-four hour markings printed on its underside. The bezel ring was also made of acrylic and coated in an alloy to resemble metal. It then turned out that the flexibility of this material could cause the bezel insert to break and that in very warm environments the printing would often flake off. Consequently, Rolex decided to replace the acrylic insert with a more resistant metal version.
Mainly cased in stainless steel, the few examples of the early GMT Master series in gold and with the original bakelite bezel, such as the present watch, are highly coveted trophies for the avid collector.
The most striking feature of this timepiece is certainly the burgundy, chestnut brown so-called "exclamation" dial with gold printing. The "exclamation mark" denomination stems from the additional luminous dot positioned underneath the 6 o'clock hour marker. "Exclamation mark" dials are exceedingly rare. It would seem that only 6542 coming from the first batch produced have this characteristic. Scholarly research on the subject came to a very specific conclusion about the reason for such rarity. It is argued that the radiation emissions from "first batch" 6542s created an issue with the US Atomic Energy commission. Consequently, a recall of the watches concerned was launched and, the dials were marked with a small dot below the six o'clock marker - jointly resembling an exclamation mark - as a marker that the issue had been rectified. From the second batch on, the watches were either fitted with an "underline" or, as for all future generations, with the "Swiss T<25" indicating that tritium was used, visibly reassuring consumers that any health risk was banned.
The case proportions are still intact, as this watch was never exposed to noteworthy polishing, and any Rolex connoisseur will be impressed by its full body, satin finish, sharp angles to the facets of the lugs and the crisp gold mark. It furthermore retains the original bakelite bezel in very good condition, correct hands and crown, magnifying lens for the date and the gold Rolex Oyster period bracelet.
GMT-Master
The success of the Rolex Sports models in the 1950s was extraordinary, so it was no surprise when the world's largest airline - Pan Am - commissioned a specially designed watch allowing their pilots to keep track of time in two locations.
The jet lag, now a common annoyance to travelers worldwide, was unknown before the journey time was reduced from 13 hours to 7. Worried about the possible effects on their pilots, Pan Am commissioned a study on how to mitigate the issue. The result was an advice to keep the pilots on "home" time while away from base. As at the same time they needed to know the local time, a joint Pan Am and Rolex task force was created. The team devised a watch with an additional hour hand, which revolved once every 24 hours, and a rotating bezel marked with those same 24 hours. The model was named "G.M.T.-Master" after the world's standard time, the Greenwich Mean Time.
The first GMT model, reference 6542, was launched in 1954 and was immediately recognizable by the bright acrylic or bakelite bezel - materials that would reduce annoying glares - with the twenty-four hour markings printed on its underside. The bezel ring was also made of acrylic and coated in an alloy to resemble metal. It then turned out that the flexibility of this material could cause the bezel insert to break and that in very warm environments the printing would often flake off. Consequently, Rolex decided to replace the acrylic insert with a more resistant metal version.
Mainly cased in stainless steel, the few examples of the early GMT Master series in gold and with the original bakelite bezel, such as the present watch, are highly coveted trophies for the avid collector.