Rolex GMT Master II

You might get a little dizzy if you let the history of the Rolex GMT Master II roll off your tongue. Born in 1955, completely redesigned in 2005, always flying high and becoming a must-have above the clouds. The high-flyer also somewhat reflects the post-war decades. The Rolex GMT Master II shows how traveling in an airplane developed from a luxury for a few to a regular habit for (almost) everyone. How the perception of speed, altitude and distance changed, continents moved closer together and luxury watches adapted to the changing habits of frequent flyers. The watch manufacturer and innovator Rolex played a significant role in this.

Launching into a new watch era at supersonic speed

Flight distances became longer and longer from the 1940s onward. The fact that several time zones were broken in the process particularly tested pilots. Pan American Airlines was the first airline to recognize the need to equip its flight crews with watches that could display different time zones simultaneously. In a bidding process, Rolex came out on top with a design for a special pilot's watch that used a fourth hand to represent a second time zone. The Rolex Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), with its classic 1954 look, quickly gained cult status in the era of transcontinental flights. Although Universal Time (UTC) was introduced in 1972, the familiar Rolex GMT endured.

When the Rolex world showed its colors....

It wouldn't be a Rolex if the GMT Master II didn't make a sensation with its looks in addition to its terrific technology. In 2005, the time had come to update the legendary navigation chronometer. At first glance, the GMT Master II looks little different from the original version. The bezel no longer comes in aluminum, but in scratch-resistant (harder than steel!) black ceramic. The numerals are milled in platinum on the stainless steel model, and in gold on the gold model. In 2013, the two-tone ceramic bezels in black-blue and green caused a sensation at BASELWORLD. In 2014, the GMT Pepsi appeared on the market in red-blue (on the white gold version). Those who can't live without brilliants will get a particularly glittering model. We can assume that collectors can already look forward to the gain of their colored GMT Master II. HORANDO strives to give its customers access to the most sought-after models when buying watches on the internet.

Rolex GMT Master II - exquisite but not out of the ordinary

Despite all the admiration for its noble look, the GMT Master II cannot hide the fact that it has remained a functional watch that does not shy away from daily use. Sure, its wearer doesn't necessarily have to be a pilot of a commercial or private aircraft, but a little desire to fly high can't hurt. Business frequent flyers who feel right at home on long hauls also appreciate the functionality of the GMT. With a little imagination, you might have the sonorous hum of engines taking off in your ear as soon as you tighten the clasp. Even in the 21st century, long-distance flights spanning continents and oceans still mean high excitement with a touch of adventure.

The navigating Rolex in focus

Its hallmark: a bi-directional rotating bezel with a Cerachrom numerical disc, with 24-hour graduation and a separate 24-hour hand. There's no faster way to set a new (additional) time zone. The fourth hand with triangular tip rotates completely across the dial every 24 hours. The ordinary 12-hour hand is set in one-hour increments, with the minute and second indications and the 24-hour hand still fixed to the time of the starting point. When aligned, the 24-hour hand also functions as a compass, provided that both hands are in the exact local time.