Original vintage 1980s Rolex advertisement for the Rolex 1675 GMT-Master watch model.
Dimensions: Roughly 6.50 inches wide by 10 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."
During the 1970s, Polish explorer Janusz Kurbiel's expeditions were undertaken to establish how scientists and technicians could one day utilize the natural resources of the Arctic. In the worst conditions, he tested electronic apparatus, rescue and surveillance systems, survival equipment and...his Rolex.
But science often gives way to adventures that tested him - when the magnetic field rendered his sophisticated navigational equipment useless, he simply navigated by his Rolex. Again, after capsizing near Greenland and losing all his instruments, he got back to France by taking a bearing on the dial of his Rolex.
Today, Kurbiel is planning new expeditions along the same tracks of Eric the Red, who discovered Greenland in 982 and in the footsteps of Amundsen, who opened up the North-West Passage. As usual, he will wear a Rolex, "Because in the Arctic, he says, "a watch is the basic equipment of survival.”