Rolex

The enduring popularity of the Rolex GMT-Master series is a testament to the timeless design of the reference that started it all, the reference 6542. Widely regarded as the archetype of the GMT-Master line, the 6542 was introduced in 1955 and produced for just four years before being discontinued in 1959.

Rooted in the mid-century glamour of air travel, the watch was originally created for Pan Am pilots during the golden age of flight. Its cultural impact was further cemented when it appeared on the wrist of Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore in the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger.

The reference 6542 is iconic for being the first watch to feature the now-legendary blue and red “Pepsi” bezel, a design element that has contributed greatly to its devoted collector following. Uniquely, it was the only Rolex reference fitted with a Bakelite bezel insert. Though the material proved somewhat impractical due to its tendency to crack, it imparts a remarkable depth and character to the bezel that is absent in later models, which employed metal or ceramic inserts.