Original vintage 1980s Rolex advertisement for the Rolex 1675 GMT-Master watch model.
Dimensions: Roughly 7.50 inches wide by 10.50 inches high.
As told masterfully by Charlie Dunne, "There’s no other watch like the Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675. 1675s are incomparable to any other watch as the variety of dials and beautiful bezels can be profoundly different across years of production and manner in which they have aged over time. No other Rolex has the distinguishable bezel like a “Pepsi”, and the 1675 has the longest production duration for any Rolex GMT-Master."
"Rolex introduced the GMT-Master in circa 1959 and the reference remained in production until circa 1980. This two-decade period represents a significant portion of the Rolex’s history and is recognized by most watch collectors as the golden era of vintage-sports watches from any manufacturer."
"The story for the GMT-Master begins when Pan American Airways (Pan Am) and another world-renowned aviation company purportedly commissioned Rolex to create a wristwatch suitable for their pilots: one that allowed them to efficiently tell two time zones simultaneously. Pan Am cites their President Juan Trippe had approached Rolex to create a watch for the airline pilots which resulted in the reference 6542."
"Throughout the 1950s to 1970s, Pan Am was regarded as a preeminent airline and became one of the largest international air carriers. T he company took pride in equipping their pilots with the best amenities - the GMT-Master being one of them! Rolex was thrilled to highlight this relationship with Pan Am in marketing materials. It is akin to the way Rolex highlights their relationships with events such as the PGA Championship, Wimbledon, and the Academy Awards. As you can see later in the article, the manufacturer showcased this relationship within advertisements and catalogs for many years."
Tom Sheppard is a legendary icon of overlanding and one of the most accomplished desert explorers in history. With overland projects and many solo, remote region, off-tracks Sahara expeditions to his name, he also led the eight-man, first coast-to-coast Sahara crossing and gravity survey, later recognized by a Royal Geographical Society award.
Sheppard is an exceptional practitioner of the craft, and authored numerous volumes on the subject, including the preeminent reference manual of overlanding, the “Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide.” Find a great podcast 2023 interview of Shepard, “Expedition Portal: Episode 157 - Tom Sheppard on the Nobility of Wilderness, Crossing the Sahara, and Overlanding the Deserts,” on his 90th birthday, here.