1675 Rolex GMT-Master

The 1675 is the defining travel watch of its generation. It’s the defining travel watch for many generations after. And gilt dials define many of the ultimate examples. Although the gilt 1675 evolved through numerous dials and even crown guards, the later generations have a subtle charm that makes one lean in closer.

The GMT-Master began with Pan-Am in the mid 1950s, whose pilots found themselves often having to keep track of more than one time zone. It was the dawn of the jet age, and instantly the pilot's GMT-Masters became a symbol of the newly minted jet set. From that initial 6542 design, the GMT-Master has changed all details over the years, but the fundamental design has remained unchanged. The 1675 added the practicality of an aluminum bezel and presided over the transition of gilt to matte dials. It was also the watch that popularized the GMT-Master, where the 6542 was far smaller production. Over the production of the 1675, there are roughly 18 known dial variants. This 1966 serial blends traditional rounded crown guards with a small GMT hand and Swiss T < 25.

This dial came just after the Double Swiss and it’s otherwise non-chapter ring and a touch more modern than Cornino-generation. The end of any gilt print cliché is interesting, as you can note variations within the print that resulted from the cliché becoming more worn over time. And that’s just in the era of production, where most of what’s attractive here is what’s worn and aged since the 60s. That’s particularly evident in some bezels, and while not all the wear you see is genuine, some is. Generally speaking the un-uniformity where the central portion of the bezel is less faded than the outer is a mark in its favor, though if the ghosting carries on that too would be lost. It’s a beautiful object from a more romantic place and time. Surely, that’s four-digit does better than anything else.

This example isn't perfect, but it appears honest. The case has seen a polish, possibly professional. But it's not bad. The dial is beautiful, which is important here. The minute hand has a very light vein of a crack which should probably be stabilized but isn't detracting. It comes from a well-regarded Japanese retailer.