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Rolex GMT Master II

World War II pilots had a consistent piece of fashion worn on their arm for a reason.  Read to find out what this was.

Pan American World Airways needed a specialty watch for their pilots during World War II, the Rolex GMT Master was created in 1955 for this unique purpose. As a result of their harsh flight schedules for the U.S. military, Pan Am pilots were the first afflicted by “jet lag,” a condition caused by making frequent jumps between time zones. Pan Am’s founder, Juan Trippe, theorized that if the pilots had a watch that would help them keep track of the time in their current time zone as well as their home time zone, the effects of jet lag would be milder. The original watch called the Rolex GMT Master was developed by Rolex and Pan Am exclusively for Pam Am pilots, first officers, and navigators. Featuring a fourth hand (GMT hand) and adjustable 24-hour bezel, this model allowed pilots to know their “home” time as well as the local time of any other destination.

Many Rolex connoisseurs miss the convex crystals observed on these older Rolex GMT Master watches.

The 1st version of the GMT Master series, 6542 had a bakelite bezel insert. As this bezel was likely to crack, it got renewed by a metal bezel in 1956. The bakelite bezel could glow in the dark. The standard GMT Master series was waterproof to 50m/165 ft.

In 1964 the GMT Master series 6542 was worn in the James Bond Movie, “GoldFinger” by Honor Blackman, a female actress.

The GMT Master acquired more press in 1970 when a GMT Rolex Master was worn by Jack Schweigert, an astronaut. Not just any astronaut, but the one who helped Apollo 13 return safely to Earth after an oxygen tank ruptured.

In 1981 the waterproof depth was increased to 100m/330 ft. The models from 1981 and up are easier to find & are a solid refelection of the Rolex GMT master series now.

In 1983, a new model of the GMT Master came out that featured a sapphire crystal. This crystal not be easily scratched. This model was named the GMT Master II. In 2006 it was updated with the Parachrom hairspring which is unaffected by any magnetic field & 10x more resistance to shocks than standard hairsprings. In 2007 the bezel was updated to the nearly indestructibleceramic bezel, the most durable bezel in the world.

The GMT can display time in two different time zones and the GMT II in three. Using the additional “GMT” hand which completes a 24 hour cycle in a single rotation, the GMT (and GMT II) uses a bi-directional rotatable bezel marked zero to twenty three allowing for a second time zone to be displayed with the GMT hand pointing to the bezel hour. The GMT II allows the additional GMT hand to be set serperately from the hour hand for a third time zone.

If you need to know what year your Rolex GMT Master is use this guide: