With the growth of transatlantic flights, Rolex teamed up with
the world-renowned aircraft company Pan American Airways, also commonly referred to as “Pan Am”, to help their pilots combat the effects of jet lag while traveling through different time zones. As the successor to the first GMT-Master reference 6542 with its fragile Bakelite bezel, reference 1675 was introduced in 1959 with a more practical metallic bezel insert. The bezel featured on the present example is gorgeous, having faded to an even, appealing shade of sky blue and fuchsia. The glossy black dial is absolutely mesmerizing with its glistening lacquer coating that still shines, and gilt text that complements it beautifully. A subtle nuance that serious collectors will notice is the super imposed “underline” marking found beneath the “Officially Certified” designation, indicating the use of tritium instead of radium. Early examples of the GMT-Master are adored amongst collectors. Those fitted with the highly sought after “underline” dial such as the present lot are especially coveted, making this reference 1675 a worthy watch for the discerning collector.