Rolex GMT-Master

The “GMT” in its name refers to Greenwich Mean Time, which was the global standard for aviation and navigation. Although GMT has since been replaced by Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the name stuck and the watch has become a legend in its own right.

The original GMT-Master featured a fourth hand, the 24-hour GMT hand that moved once around the dial every 24 hours and was synchronized with the main 12-hour timekeeping hands. Combined with the rotating 24-hour bezel, this setup allowed pilots and travelers to easily reference a second time zone, like GMT or their destination’s local time, without any guesswork. This was especially important since GMT/UTC is still the standard reference for all aviation-related planning, weather reporting, and international flight coordination.

In the early 1980s, Rolex introduced the GMT-Master II. At first glance, it looked nearly identical to the original, but inside it featured a new movement with a major technical upgrade: an independently adjustable local hour hand. This meant users could now change the local time without stopping the watch or affecting the minute and 24-hour hands, a huge convenience for travelers changing time zones on the go. With this design, wearers could track not just two, but potentially three time zones by rotating the bezel accordingly.

One popular model from this era is the GMT-Master II reference 16710, particularly the version with the red and blue “Pepsi” bezel, which remains a fan favorite among collectors and enthusiasts to this day.

With its roots in aviation and its evolution into one of Rolex’s most iconic and practical watches, the GMT-Master II remains a symbol of global travel, precision engineering, and timeless style.