Rolex

amanico
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Rolex GMT-Master: Why do we love it so much? Rolex / Pan AM Part One

Differently said, if we want to understand why we love the GMT Master so much, we have to try to find what's behind this watch.

Do the test: Don't you intuitively feel there is something really, deeply special and highly attractive which happens each time you are in presence of a GMT Master?

I for one, felt it... It was the watch which started it all, and still is one of my strongest horological adventure.

For me, the GMT Master is 3 things:

- A toolwatch.

- Travels.

- Adventure.

These 3 things being intimately linked: A toolwatch for travels which are part of Adventures.

It is not uninteresting to remind that the birth of the very first Rolex GMT-Master, the Reference 6542, has something to see with Rolex, of course, but also with the Pan Am, this company wanting, for their pilots, a toolwatch whiich would help them to know the exact time under diferent time zones, an useful informations when you are in charge of intercontinental flights.

Better, the GMT-Master became the official of Pan American World Airways!

And if you travel through the advertising campaigns made by Rolex, you will notice that the brand was, over the years, associated to the Pan Am, and generally to Pilots.

Even very recently. The Pan Am died, but the link with the Pilots World remains.

Do you still have in mind the ad of the 116710 Ceramic Bezel in Yellow Gold, worn by a Pilot in uniform?

If you don't, here it is:



From the Pilots to the International Travelers, nobody is forgotten, at Rolex:



Back to Pilots, and especially Pan Am, here is another ad from 1980:





The famous " How a Pan Am Pilot tells the Time " series:

From the end of the 70ies:



Ten years before:



And earlier, in 1963:



All these ads have a common goal: To promote the cardinal virtues of the GMT-Master: A GMT / A Chronometer / and an Oyster Case.

Functionality / Precision / Solidity, traduced in human words.

Pan Am had an important role in the GMT-Master glory and myth, but was the Pan Am the only company?

Here is an extract found in the " Man with the Radio 6542 Booklet ( 1958 ) :

" The GMT-Master was created by Rolex to meet the very special and exacting needs of the flying personnel of two ( TWO! ) renowned aviation companies.
Its success was immediate, 20 out of 21 captains declaring that the revolving rim and twenty four hour hand constitute an important aid to airline operations. "





TWO Aviation Companies?

Which is the other one???

That is a mystery to me, still, but I am investigating...

Here is another booklet, a later one, from 1967, which clearly states: " Rolex, Official Chronometer of the Pan American World Airways. "


 

Travels and adventures... The GMT-Master is the faithful companion.

For the avid collectors, who are always on the hunt for the most complete sets, here are two small things you can find, from time to time.

The Full Set Rolex / Pan Am GMTs. ( Credit pictures: Antiquorum )

A 6542:



And a 1675 Gilt from 1963, which, cherry on the cake, is also underline:



" Imagine you are a Pan Am Pilot " said the ad...

Here is what you would see and live, if you were a Pan Am Pilot...











Working at / for the Pan Am doesn't prohibit sense of humour. Look at these 2 ads, and specially this one:

" Fly a headache remedy to Paris. Of course! Drug manufacturers have proven Pan Am Clipper Cargo is the surest, easiest and in terms of total cost, the most economical way to ship aboad. "



The Vizier of Baalbek is not bad, either...



Here we are... Through these watches, we discover the world, and some unexpected horizons...

Yes, watches are much more than just watches.

I hope there will be a suit to this chapter.

In the meantime, all the best.

Nicolas. This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-10-01 00:09:56 This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-10-01 00:32:15 This message has been edited by amanico on 2013-10-05 05:19:19

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