1964 Rolex GMT Master (Ref. 1675) Gilt

The Rolex GMT is the jet-setting icon of the Rolex sports watch family. The history of this sophisticated, versatile style dates back to 1954 when Rolex received a request from Pan Am to create a technical pilots watch that could indicate two time zones simultaneously.   As advances in aviation made transcontinental flights commercially available Pan Am needed a watch that could be issued to their crews on the long-haul international flights.

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time - the time zone which regulates world clocks and is required for all aviation planning and schedules. The Rolex GMT Master has a fourth 24-hour hand that directly displays the same time zone as the standard 12-hour hand but on a 24-hour scale. The addition of this GMT hand enabled crews to set the watch to GMT or another time zone, and, using the rotating 24-hour scale bezel, correct the offset to display a second time zone on the 24-hour scale.

This feature is just as useful today, allowing the modern traveler to easily keep track of his home time zone, no matter how far he may have journeyed.

This 1964 Rolex GMT Ref. 1675 possesses an early gilt dial with stunning matching lume on the dial and hands which remains in near flawless condition. This specific example retains its original fat font insert which has taken on a wonderful and highly sought after ghost-like fade.  Additionally the case bevels can be clearly on the lugs. This piece checks all the desirable vintage Rolex GMT boxes