After being approached by Pan American Airlines in the early 1950s, Rolex began developing a timepiece to address the needs of commercial pilots wishing to track multiple time zones throughout their frequent travels. First introduced in 1954, the first reference 6542 GMT Master ushered in a new era of complication for the legendary watchmaker, allowing pilots and travellers alike to monitor home and local times using a 24 hour hand, paired with a distinctive bidirectional rotating bezel. Now enjoying nearly seven decades of rich history, the GMT Master, and subsequent GMT Master II have transcended their status as purpose-built tool watches, and now exist as fixtures of sophisticated, worldly living.