Rolex

At the dawn of the jet age in the 1950s, Pan American World Airways emerged as a leader in transcontinental travel. With pilots now flying long distances at sub-sonic speeds, the airline required a wristwatch capable of displaying both local time and home time with absolute clarity. Rolex was the natural partner for the project.

In 1954 the manufacture introduced the first GMT-Master, reference 6542. While its case echoed the lines of the Submariner, the model was distinguished by a fourth hand and a red-and-blue Bakelite bezel calibrated to 24 hours. The design quickly became one of the most recognizable in modern watchmaking.

The reference 6542 was an immediate success and remains the only GMT-Master to feature the fragile Bakelite insert, which Rolex soon replaced with metal due to its susceptibility to cracking. Surviving examples with original Bakelite bezels are therefore exceptionally rare and keenly sought after, their vivid red-and-blue coloration holding enduring appeal for Rolex collectors.