Vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675/8 Pilot Watch: VIDEO BLOG

The Rolex GMT-Master is the prince of pilot watches. And an 18-karat GMT-Master 1675/8 is a “crown prince” among them. The GMT-Master may have gotten off the ground with Pan-Am, but this immaculate gold vintage GMT-Master 1675/8 looks ready to soar with the Concorde.

The classic GMT-Master is the father of all serious aviation watches. Upon its debut in 1955, it became the first watch to combine a bi-directional 24-hour bezel, automatic winding, and a fourth hand moving at half-speed (a “24-hour” hand).

This combination granted pilots the unprecedented ability to view universal time (GMT) while retaining easy access to local times via the rotating bezel.

This example of the second generation Rolex GMT, the GMT-Master 1675/8, features a number of outstanding vintage highlights. With a serial number in the 2.6 million range, this watch can be dated to approximately 1970.

Its “big arrow” 24-hour hand and larger crown guards are characteristic of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675 from the late 1960s onward, and both features present in outstanding condition.

The highlight of this example is the “root beer” dial and matching bezel. Both are radiant relics from a more romantic era of aviation when flight was glamorous and professional pilots inspired the public imagination. Exquisite 18-karat gold hands and “nipple” indexes were exclusive to the upscale Rolex GMT-Master 1675/8 gold reference; steel models made do with printed dials and corrosion-prone hands.

This Rolex GMT-Master 1675/8 in 18-karate yellow gold is available in outstanding condition with extensive Rolex factory accessories on www.watchuwant.com.