11 March 2015

A classic for the great traveler returns in an “authentic” guise: with the fabled red-and-blue bezel, just like the original. First brought out in 1955, the Rolex GMT-Master was designed for use as a professional timepiece on intercontinental flights. It soon became the official watch of Pan Am pilots, who appreciated its inclusion of a second time zone on the bezel (with the daytime hours in red, to distinguish them from the nighttime ones in blue), indicated by a special central hand. Initially made of Plexiglas, and then of anodized aluminum, the top ring of the bezel is now made of Cerachrom, the exclusive Rolex ceramic which is presented for the first time ever in a two-color version in the new GMT-Master II (it should be stressed that no one had previously been able to produce red ceramic, which is moreover clearly separated from the blue). This demonstrates the watchmaker’s perfect mastery of the entire process of manufacture of this hi-tech material, resistant to scratches as well as to the effects of time, light and corrosion. Made entirely of white gold, with a 40-mm-diameter case that is waterproof up to 10 ATM, the GMT-Master II has a self-winding in-house movement, with a second time zone that can be rapidly set (the hour hand is independent). The official chronometer certificate issued by COSC attests to its accuracy.