Rolex Oyster Perpetual Gmt-master II
The Evolution of an Icon
The cosmopolitan watch par excellence, the Oyster Perpetual Gmt-master II allows travellers to read the time in two different time zones simultaneously. In function as well as in name, the Gmt-master II evokes intercontinental travel across time zones. Precise, reliable, robust and functional, it is a reference among watches with multiple time zones.
This year Rolex introduced three new versions of the Gmt-master II with a brand new movement, the new-generation calibre 3285, and a new image. The first, in Oystersteel, combines an Oyster case and Jubilee bracelet with a bidirectional rotatable bezel and a 24-hour graduated two-colour Cerachrom insert in red and blue ceramic. Two further versions bring 18 ct Everose gold to the Gmt-master II range, along with a two-colour Cerachrom insert in brown and black ceramic.
For Long Haul Travel and Adventure
Launched in 1955, the Oyster Perpetual Gmt-master witnessed the rapid expansion of intercontinental travel in the latter half of the 20th century. It even became the official watch of Pan American World Airways, better known worldwide as Pan Am, the most prominent American intercontinental airline at the time. In 1959, a major event marked the partnership when the first nonstop Pan Am Jet Clipper flight from New York to Moscow saw the captain wearing the Gmt-master as a flight navigational aid.
The Gmt-master, a true “tool watch”, evolved continually to offer increasing technical performance. The Gmt-master II has won over a much wider audience, proving itself to be an ideal watch for crisscrossing the globe.
1982 Independent hour hand
On the original Gmt-master, the conventional hour hand, the minute hand and the 24-hour hand were synchronized. In 1982, Rolex introduced a new movement that allowed the hour hand to be set independently of the other hands. To clearly mark this evolution, and to avoid any confusion with the existing Gmt-master watches, the models fitted with the optimized movement were named the Gmt-master II. From then on, using and setting the watch became easier and more intuitive.
Emblematic design
The bidirectional rotatable bezel and 24-hour graduated two-colour or singlecolour insert are central to the design of the Gmt-master II. On the original 1955 model, the insert was divided into two halves; one red, to correspond with daylight hours, and one blue, for night-time hours. Over the years, the 24-hour graduated insert has been made available in a range of other colours.
At the beginning, the bezel's 24-hour graduated insert was made from Plexiglas, with the colours, numerals and graduations painted on the reverse. In 1959, the Plexiglas was replaced with aluminium, and the colours and inscriptions were created using anodization, increasing the metal's scratch resistance.
2005
In 2005, Rolex replaced the aluminium with ceramic, developing its own knowledge and expertise to produce its monobloc bezels and ceramic inserts in-house. In 2007, the brand registered the name “Cerachrom”, and the components have since been known as the “Cerachrom bezel” and “Cerachrom insert”. For optimal legibility, the numerals and graduations are moulded into the ceramic and then coated with a thin layer of gold or platinum via Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD), to be virtually scratch-proof and unaffected by the sun's ultraviolet rays.
The case and bracelet, symbols of safety and comfort
The Oyster Perpetual Gmt-master has been equipped with the Oyster case since its conception. This case is one of the defining elements of a Rolex watch, with exemplary shock-resistance and waterproofness. In addition, for easy reading of the date, the crystal is fitted with another Rolex innovation, a Cyclops lens at 3 o'clock. As of 1959, a crown guard has been stamped as an integral part of the middle case to protect the winding crown. Although the original Gmt-master was fitted onto an Oyster bracelet, over time some variants have featured the celebrated five-link Jubilee bracelet that was first launched in 1945.
The Gmt-master, started life as a tool watch, and through its ingenious functionality gained cosmopolitan acceptance, carved its niche in history, and today, it is the much loved and desired icon that it is, the Gmt-master II.