The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the most famous sports watches in the world. The blue and red bezel version is commonly referred to as the "Rolex Pepsi", or the "Pepsi bezel" watch, but was it ever associated with the soda brand?
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It all started in the 1950s in the world... of aeronautics. At that time, the airline Pan American Airways was at the height of its glory, and to further solidify its reputation in the face of the emergence of new competitors, decided to carry out a transformation of technicality, safety and luxury. In a post-war society demanding more speed, efficiency and comfort, Pan AM replaced all of its aircrafts, and the Douglas DC6, Lockheed Constellation and Boeing 377 joined the fleet, although they would be replaced by even more efficient machines such as the Boeing 377 and 747 in the following years.
The technological investment having been made, Pan Am then turned to the other most important aspect of its service: its crew. Indeed, who better than its own employees to embody the brand? Focusing on luxury and prestige, Pan AM began by providing its crew with stylish uniforms. The founder of the firm, Juan T. Trippe, completed the ensemble of his employees with a sumptuous accessory: a luxury watch.
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This is where the Rolex comes into play, as it provided the model symbolizing Pan AM's new visual identity. The watch brand then manufactured a watch especially for the occasion under the requirements of Juan T. Trippe. The watch had to, in addition to the incredible performance inherent in Rolex, be able to display two different time zones (an aspect especially important for pilots), as well as the colors of the American flag, a strong symbol of power in the post-war world.
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This is how, in 1954, the Rolex GMT Master was born. The technical specifications of Rolex indicate the design of a watch with an additional red hand, a precise modern movement, a date window, a white dial and a blue and red rotating bezel. The red hand goes around the dial in 24 hours and allows you to set a second time zone by simply turning the bezel, which is made of Bakelite and is graduated in 24 hours. Baptized “GMT” in reference to the “Greenwich Mean Time”, the model received the Rolex reference 6542 and its case is stamped with the Pan American Airways logo.
At first exclusively reserved for the airline, the GMT Master would not be marketed until the following year, in 1955, in small quantities. Production resumed until 1980, but this time the watch sported a white dial and a metal bezel, for more solidity. Its association with the world of travel and luxury, conveyed by Pan AM, made the watch immediately coveted. In 1964, the Rolex Pepsi landed a role on the big screen when it appeared on the wrist of Pussy Galore, the famous James Bond girl played by Honor Blackman in Goldfinger, alongside Sean Connery.
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As a result, the GMT Master with a white dial is extremely rare and even more so if it bears the Pan AM logo, as it symbolizes the origins of a watch that is now emblematic.
So, the Rolex GMT-Master has in fact nothing to do with the famous brand of soda. The nickname, still used today, derives simply from its association with the colors and shape of the Pepsi logo.
In 2007, Rolex created the GMT-Master II, replacing the original bezel with an even stronger ceramic bezel. Further versions of the model followed in 2013 and 2014.
