Rolex — GMT-Master
GMT-Master 6542
“Pussy Galore”
Produced 1955–1959. The original GMT-Master, developed with Pan American Airways so its pilots could track two time zones on the new transatlantic jets. Its fragile Bakelite 24-hour bezel with radium-lumed numerals was soon replaced by…
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Reference6542
BrandRolex
FamilyGMT-Master
Produced1955–1959
StatusDiscontinued
Editorial context
Stories featuring 6542
Follow this reference into the histories, collector guides, and cultural stories where it matters.
Rolex — 11 min readRolex GMT-Master: The Jet-Age Watch That Learned to TravelA connected history of the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II, from Pan Am, the 6542, and the red-blue pilot's bezel to the long-running 1675, the first independent-hour GMT-Master II, Cerachrom, Batman, Pepsi, Root Beer, Sprite, and the current 3285 generation.
Oyster and Tudor centenary — 8 min readA Hundred Years of the Oyster, and Tudor Turns 100 TooIn 1926 Hans Wilsdorf sealed a watch like a shell and registered a second name for customers who couldn't quite stretch to the first. A hundred years on, Rolex and Tudor are both still throwing parties for the same year.
Rolex nicknames — 9 min readPepsi, Batman and the Names Rolex Will Never PrintRolex says bleu/rouge; everyone else says Pepsi. A field guide to the soda cans, superheroes and Muppets collectors have named their watches after, and to the handful of names the purists still won't say out loud.
Full reference dossier
Specifications, configurations, image gallery, market listings, lineage and notable appearances are part of the full reference.