70 Years of Rolex GMT-Master: The Icon of Frequent Flyers
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the GMT-Master, we would like to pay tribute to one of the most popular models from Rolex – a watch originally developed for the needs of intercontinental pilots and long established as a cult object among sporty stainless steel watches. In this article, we take a look at the technical development of the GMT-Master and explain the functionality of the time zone mechanism of the GMT-Master II.
The birth of the GMT-Master
1955: The legendary airline Pan American World Airways – or Pan Am for short – was looking for a solution for its pilots, who had to keep an eye on both local and home time while flying across multiple time zones. Rolex provided the perfect answer with the GMT-Master: a watch equipped with an additional 24-hour hand and a rotating bezel to display two time zones simultaneously. A milestone that even accompanied the first nonstop flight from New York to Moscow in 1959 – on the wrist of pilot Clarence Warren.
GMT-Master vs. GMT-Master II: What has changed?
The first generation of the GMT-Master was technically closely linked: the 12-hour hand (local time) always moved together with the 24-hour GMT hand. If you wanted to change the local time, you had to reset the entire time. Cumbersome? Absolutely.
The solution came in 1982 with the GMT-Master II: Here, the hour hand could finally be set independently of the 24-hour hand. This meant: Changing time zones? No problem – you could simply move the hour hand forward without stopping the watch or losing the reference time.
How do you set the GMT-Master II? Example: Stuttgart, Dubai, São Paulo
Imagine you are in Stuttgart and want to keep track of the local time as well as the times of your business partners in Dubai and São Paulo on your GMT-Master II.
Here's how to proceed:
1. Set reference time (GMT hand) – Dubai (UTC+4)
Dubai is four hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+4). Since the 24-hour hand is set to the reference time, we choose Dubai as the reference time.
• Unscrew the crown and pull it to position 2 (the second hand stops).
• Turn the minute and the 24-hour hand so that they show the time in Dubai.
Example: It is currently 12:10 in Dubai – so set the 24-hour hand to "12".
2. Set local time (Stuttgart, UTC+2)
Now set the hour hand separately, without changing the reference time:
• Bring the crown to position 1 (the seconds hand runs again).
• Turn the hour hand to the current Stuttgart time.
Assuming it is 10:10 in Stuttgart – so set the hour hand to "10".
Your watch now shows:
• Stuttgart (local): 10:10 AM (12-hour clock)
• Dubai (Reference): 12:10 (24-hour hand)
3. Read the third time zone (São Paulo, UTC-3)
For the third time zone, use the rotating bezel. São Paulo is 7 hours behind Dubai (UTC+4 → UTC-3 = -7 hours).
• Turn the bezel 7 clicks counterclockwise (for -7 hours).
• Now the 24-hour hand on the bezel shows the time in São Paulo.
Example:
• The 24-hour hand is set to "12" → by turning the bezel 7 hours back → to "5" → it is 5:10 AM in São Paulo.
Briefly explained:
1. 24-hour hand = reference time (Dubai)
2. 12-hour hand = local time (Stuttgart)
3. Third time zone = readable via the rotating bezel (São Paulo)
And this is exactly where the strength of the GMT-Master II lies: It keeps the times of Stuttgart, Dubai, and São Paulo at a glance – ideal when your business is connected around the globe.
Fulfill your dream: Discover the GMT-Master now in our webshop and find your personal highlight – just a few clicks away!
