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Lot Essay
No other watch so immediately evokes the glamorous world of 1950s international air-travel as the Rolex GMT-Master. Advertised at the time as being “the ideal watch for air-pilots, ships’ captains, travelers and businessmen”, the GMT-Master has a fourth arrow-tipped hand for the display of a second time zone with corresponding 24-hour numerals on the bezel.
The reference 6542 model was developed at the instigation of Pan American Airlines (Pan Am) who asked Rolex to produce a watch on which two time zones could be read simultaneously. Originally, pilots set the additional hand to Greenwich Meantime, hence the origin of the model’s name “GMT-Master”.
Following the success of this model, in 1959 Rolex introduced its successor, the reference 1675, which Rolex produced until 1980. This reference 1675 has a well preserved glossy black dial with the correct small triangle GMT hand.
The reference 6542 model was developed at the instigation of Pan American Airlines (Pan Am) who asked Rolex to produce a watch on which two time zones could be read simultaneously. Originally, pilots set the additional hand to Greenwich Meantime, hence the origin of the model’s name “GMT-Master”.
Following the success of this model, in 1959 Rolex introduced its successor, the reference 1675, which Rolex produced until 1980. This reference 1675 has a well preserved glossy black dial with the correct small triangle GMT hand.