Rolex GMT-Master 70 years

Rolex's sports watches are legendary and give off an almost magical glow for millions of enthusiasts around the world. One of them is the GMT Master, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. What a fine occasion then to tell the story of this rugged adventure watch and icon among watches with two time zones. 

Text: Filip Ericsson

The originator of the GMT Master was the American airline Pan Am. At the start of the 50s they namely turned to Rolex to develop a wristwatch for their pilots. This was after all a period in history where air traffic exploded, through the arrival of the jet engine in combination with the improved finances of the western world's populations.  

That consequently also led to several time zones often being passed during one and the same flight, which in turn created a need for watches that showed several times at once.  

The result was the Rolex GMT Master, a sporty watch developed out of the diver's watch Submariner from 1953, with a similar Oyster case and a rotating bezel. But instead of the aluminium diving bezel from that one, Rolex had developed one in bakelite with 24-hour graduation as well as an extra hand to measure a second time zone. 

Ever since its launch in 1955 it has been a favourite of many a pilot, soldier, astronaut and film star around the world, while hordes of ordinary mortals have dreamt of it and saved up for it. The GMT Master has even been out in space, on the wrist of Jack Swigert during Apollo 13 and Stuart A. Roosa during Apollo 14. 

The first GMT-Master 

The very first GMT Master, with reference number 6542, measured 38mm in diameter, had 50 metres of water resistance and a two-coloured bezel – the upper half blue and the lower half red (night and day respectively). Here then is the origin of the nickname “Pepsi”, which lives on to this day.  

The bezel executed in bakelite was however problematic for two reasons: it could crack with age and was said to be able to cause cancer by giving off radioactivity! Rolex was even hit by lawsuits because of this. The result was that they replaced them with new bezels in aluminium on existing watches, which makes Masters with a bakelite bezel extremely unusual today. 

Inside ref. 6542 sat first the Rolex Caliber 1036, which was later replaced by the Caliber 1065 and finally the 1066, all automatic, chronometer-certified and of course developed and built by Rolex. A date with the Rolex-typical so-called cyclops eye was there too. 

Further variants of the 6542 were “Big lume” or “Maxi dial”, which had a black/red bezel with heavier numerals, as well as a version in yellow gold and a red bezel. 

The following generations 

The successor to the 6542 – ref. 1675 – came in 1959 with an aluminium bezel and crown guards as the biggest changes, as well as an updated movement in the form of the Caliber 1535 inside. It is one of the very longest living reference numbers from Rolex at all and was produced all the way until 1980.  

Through its long production time an almost countless number of variations were sold, regarding dials and bezels above all. Versions in gold were offered too and the 1675 was moreover the first GMT Master in the today so cherished “Root Beer” variant (ref. 1675/3).  

That meant “two tone” in steel/gold and a bezel in brown/gold, as well as a brown dial. The 1675 Root Beer was made for ten years, 1970–80. 

The next important reference in the GMT Master history is the 16750, made 1980-88. It is seen as a transitional model between the GMT Master and the GMT Master II. Novelties were a bigger case that now measured 40mm as well as an entirely new movement in the form of the Caliber 3075, which boasted quickset of the date as well as an increased beat rate from 19 600 beats per hour to a more modern 28 800. At the same time the water resistance was doubled from 50 to 100 metres. 

The last GMT Master reference (16700) is special in that it was made for so long, from 1988 all the way to 1999, and that it was sold in parallel with the more modern GMT Master II for a long time. That may seem strange but since it was offered as a more economical alternative it still remained relevant.  

GMT-Master II 

The GMT Master II, whose model name remains at Rolex to this day, began its long career in 1982 with reference 16760. The new Master watch was characterised by a thicker case in order to house yet another new movement (Rolex Caliber 3085) as well as by the acrylic crystal having been replaced by a modern sapphire crystal. 

The new movement allowed the twelve-hour hand to be moved one hour at a time forwards or backwards without the watch stopping. With the 16760 the so-called “Coke” bezel was also introduced, with black colour for the dark hours of the day and red for the light ones. In enthusiast circles the 16760 is called the Fat Lady. It was made until 1988. 

The successor ref. 16710 turned out to be all the more long-lived with a production time all the way until 2007. Three bezel choices – Coke, Pepsi and all-black – were available and the case became thinner again thanks to the new Caliber 3185 movement.  

Modern times 

In 2005, just in time for the model's 50th anniversary, a new GMT Master II was introduced. To begin with it consisted of an anniversary model in gold that in 2007 was joined by the unlimited edition in steel (ref. 116710LN). A beefier case, a ceramic bezel in black and a new movement (Caliber 3186) were the main changes. Gold and gold/steel variants in the regular range were also offered as time went on. 

In 2013 a black/blue bezel followed, called “Batman”, while a new “Pepsi” with a red-blue bezel came the year after. This one was however sold exclusively in white gold, for the first time at the GMT Master. 

The GMT-Master today 

Rolex was stingy with model variants for the GMT Master for a long time. When the new generation came in steel in 2007 only a black bezel was offered, and the enthusiasts screamed for Coke, Pepsi and Root Beer.  

Better late than never, because in 2018, to the cheers of the followers, a new Pepsi in steel was released that was however offered exclusively with a Jubilee bracelet. A bit of a letdown after all, when many considered that a GMT Master probably suits the sportier Oyster bracelet best. It did turn up eventually, though.  

Today the GMT Master series has swelled to contain most of what a true GMT Master enthusiast could think to wish for. In steel the model is offered with a black bezel, as the Batman (black-blue bezel) as well as the Pepsi (blue-red bezel), all with a free choice of the Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. The Batman with a Jubilee bracelet goes, by the way, by the nickname “Batgirl”.  

Steel/gold watches are offered as the Root Beer in rose gold and a black/brown bezel as well as in yellow gold with a black bezel.  

The all-gold variants consist of rose gold with an Oyster bracelet, yellow gold with a Jubilée bracelet and white gold with a Pepsi bezel, either with a blue or meteorite dial. In addition to all of these there is a special one in steel with the crown on the left side and a green/black bezel. 

All variants measure 40mm by the way and offer 100 metres of water resistance, while the steel watches are made in the fine 904L steel that Rolex uses. The relatively modest dimensions have thus been retained right up until today, and that also goes for the thickness, which is around a relatively nimble 12mm.  

Inside the current GMT Master II is the Rolex Caliber 3285, in typical Rolex fashion a state-of-the-art automatic movement that through advanced materials in several parts is exceptionally protected against magnetic fields, as well as suitably well protected against shocks.  

Naturally it is certified according to the Rolex Superlative Chronometer standard and is therefore one of the very most exact mechanical movements on the market. The power reserve is a fine 70 hours.  

The Swedish list price starts at the time of writing at 131 700 kronor for a steel watch, from 215 500 kronor for a steel/gold variant and from 528 000 kronor for one in all gold, and then a gold bracelet is included. Now the chance of getting to buy a GMT Master at a Rolex dealer is probably not particularly big, so it is inflated prices at grey market dealers that apply. Sad but still a fact regarding the sports watches from Rolex. 

The GMT-Master on film 

A fun aspect of the GMT Master is that it has been a relatively frequent supporting player in famous films and TV series over the years. Here are a few examples: in the Bond film Goldfinger from 1964, Bond's female opponent Pussy Galore wears precisely a GMT Master. Clint Eastwood for his part used his private Root Beer in several films, among others in the thriller In the Line of Fire from 1993.  

In the 80s cult series Magnum Tom Selleck wears a GMT Master Pepsi throughout the whole series. Selleck too used his film watch privately and has in interviews revealed how rugged it was during the wildest of stunt scenes. That Selleck used his GMT Master in the TV film series Jesse Stone a couple of decades later as well proves how attached the actor still is to his Rolex.  

In modern times a GMT Master II is also frequently seen on the wrist of the lead actor James Spader in the spy series Blacklist. And this is of course no coincidence; the model's image fits so well with decisive men (or women in exceptional cases) with violent professions, something that is confirmed by the film roles mentioned above.  

GMT-Master: Analysis 

In the beginning the GMT Master was a pure professional instrument, developed to serve professional pilots' need for an instrument to measure time in two different zones in their work in as clear, exact and reliable a way as possible. 

Over Time the need for mechanical wristwatches decreased within most professional fields, including aviation, and they instead started being bought by civilians after luxury products. During the 00s the GMT Master also started developing into a more luxurious product with more “bling” and today a GMT Master appears almost like a suitable companion in a black Mercedes G-Wagen AMG in Dubai rather than a tool watch for intelligence operatives in the desert dust of Yemen.  

At least style- and image-wise, because a new GMT Master is likely to take even more of a beating than an original from 1955. The only question is how many really want to subject a shiny, expensive luxury product like a GMT Master from 2025 to that? The prices at Rolex's professional watches have after all shot up too.  

For many it of course still constitutes a dream as an elegant timekeeper during a flight from, say, a European metropolis to some North American big city. But instead of bestowing an adventurous image on its wearer it risks merely revealing yet another rich toff to those around.  

Because a GMT Master of recent cut “screams” more on the wrist than an older watch. Despite the fact that it has kept its restrained dimensions right up until today, it has somehow still beefed up, at least it gives the appearance of it.  

The heavy bezel in ceramic makes it gleam in a luxurious way, something that is accentuated by the thick hands, the indicators and the polished middle section of the bracelet. With a Jubilee bracelet that impression is reinforced further. 

That Rolex has chosen the right path in the development of the GMT Master – and the rest of the instrument watches in the palette for that matter – is however proven by the enormous demand that has led to the non-existent supply at the authorised dealers and the inflated prices on the second hand market. People everywhere simply want them – and the undersigned is no exception.