HISTORIC WAYPOINTS

A timeline of Rolex’s high-flyer shows its enduring legacy.

1955

The Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master joins Rolex’s Professional line of tool watches, featuring a 24hour graduated two-colour insert in Plexiglas.

1982

Rolex introduces a new movement that allows the hour hand to be set independently of other hands. Models with this new calibre were renamed the GMT-Master II.

2002

The aluminium bezel is replaced with monobloc ones with ceramic inserts, and given the name “Cerachrom”.

2014

The iconic red and blue “Pepsi” bezel finally shows up in Cerachrom. Because red ceramic is especially hard to produce as firing it affects the colour, this bezel is the first of its kind in the world.

2018

Rolex celebrates the new calibre 3285 with three new versions of the GMT-Master II in Oystersteel, Oystersteel and Everose gold (pictured), and Everose gold.