製造商: Rolex 年份: Circa 1960 型號: 1675 機芯編號: D44'700 錶殼號碼: 624'179, inside caseback interior stamped IV.60 型號名稱: GMT-Master 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Automatic, cal. 1560, 26 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster riveted bracelet stamped 7206 and 80 to the endlinks, max length 200mm 錶扣: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp 尺寸: 39mm Diameter 簽名: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
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The Rolex GMT-Master was born from a joint effort between Pan American Airlines and Rolex to create a pilot’s wristwatch being able to keep track of “home” and “local” time simultaneously. First introduced in 1954 with the reference 6542, the watches enabled its wearer to keep track of two time zones by incorporating a rotating Bakelite bezel that worked in conjunction with a fourth, 24-hour centre hand. The reference would soon be upgraded and replaced by the reference 1675 in 1959, building on the model’s tool watch lineage. It now had crown guards to prevent damage to the crown, and the fragile Bakelite bezel insert was replaced with a more robust metal insert.
The present example with serial number 624'179 from circa 1960 flaunts a beautiful gilt black lacquer dial featuring a rare exclamation mark, and pointed crown guards, correct for this early reference. In the early 60s, the use of radium was progressively banned, and watchmakers had to find new ways to differentiate watches with lower radiation level. The exclamation mark was one of the signs used to denote the transition from the use of radium for luminous hour markers and hands to a less harmful material, a small detail that is now most exciting for the Rolex connoisseurs.
This early GMT-Master is in great overall condition, with perfectly attractive luminous plots which have aged uniformly with the luminous material on the hands to a beautiful yellow hue giving the present example an attractive vintage appeal.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.
