Rolex GMT-Master
The GMT-Master is a wristwatch model from the Rolex company . It has been in production since 1954.
Creation of this clock
The GMT-Master was presented in 1954. It was the result of a tender by Pan Am . They wanted a wristwatch for their pilots and flight crew that could display at least two time zones at the same time. Rolex then designed a watch that could display a second time zone with the help of a fourth hand.
Second time zone (GMT function)
The fourth hand is a characteristic feature of this watch. It is a second hour hand with a triangular tip. This does not rotate every 12 hours, but only once completely over the dial every 24 hours. This second hour hand does not show the time on the normal dial of the watch, but on a bezel attached around the dial . Accordingly, this bezel also has a 24 hour scale. The "normal" 12 hour hand can be adjusted in one-hour jumps without affecting the display of minutes, seconds and the 24 hour hand. With this quick adjustment of the "normal" hour hand, the wearer of this watch is able to quickly switch to a new, local time zone without the clock stopping and the 24 hour hand continuing to show the home time.
The bezel can be rotated in both directions. By turning the bezel clockwise or counterclockwise, you can quickly capture other time zones with the help of the 24 hour hand. In its original version, the bezel was blue and red to evoke day and night.
The 24 hour hand can also be used to find out pretty much where north is. You align the normal hour hand with the sun and the 24 hour hand then points north. Of course, this only works if both hands show the exact local time.
The current GMT master
At first glance, the current GMT-Master II since 2007 doesn't look much like the old GMT-Master. The bezel of aluminum was replaced with a black bezel made of ceramic, in which milled the numbers and are vapor-coated with platinum (for stainless steel model) or gold (on models in gold). This should make it more scratch-resistant. The other functions, such as the step-by-step changeover of the hour hand, have been retained. The watch is also chronometer certified and, according to the manufacturer, waterproof to 100 m (10 bar).
In 2013, a version of the GMT Master II was presented at Baselworld, in which the two-tone ceramic bezel is black and blue (night-day) and the GMT hand is accordingly also colored blue. In 2014 a new version was presented again at Baselworld. The new edition of the GMT Pepsi with a red-blue ceramic bezel (Ref. 116719), but so far this is only available in 18kt white gold.
New launch of Baselworld 2018, as Ref. 126710BLRO with red-blue ceramic bezel in stainless steel.
Web links
- oysterinfo.de - Homepage for watch lovers with a detailed history of the Rolex GMT Master
- Gmtmasterhistory.com - Good overview of the development of the Rolex GMT Master