First released in 1954, the GMT-Master reference 6542 was designed for pilots to use in their line of work. With the rise of international travel in the 1950s, Rolex initially created the model for Pan Am airlines to track dual time zones. This ingenious design featured an immediately recognizable Bakelite bezel with the twenty-four hour radium numerals painted on the underside, made to glow in any weather condition. Bakelite was Rolex's material of choice, due to its low reflectivity and high readability. The additional luminous 24-hour tipped hand allowed the viewer to immediately track a second time zone. In 1959, Rolex introduced a metal bezel insert as it was more durable. Given that the GMT-Master was created for specific, work-related purposes, most examples were cased in stainless steel. These watches were worn in the most practical sense and made to withstand the elements. Yet, Rolex also manufactured a very limited number of watches cased in yellow gold.

Rolex is known for having realized, in extremely rare occurrences, left-handed pieces. While it is easy to rotate the movement in order to fraudulently create a left-handed watch, Rolex vintage sports pieces all share one feature: the reference number is invariably, even in left-handed pieces, engraved between the lugs at 12 o’ clock, and the serial number at 6. If one were to rotate the case, the location of serial number and reference number would be inverted. The present piece correctly presents the numbers where one would expect them to be.

In addition to the reference and case number being in the correct position, the inside caseback is even more compelling. Engraved with the serial number, it also displays Glasgow hallmarks for 1959, corresponding to the serial number of this watch. It is commonly accepted that such details are specifications of a special issued watch, which this timepiece most probably was. Furthermore, there are English hallmarks punched between the lugs. They are still crisp and legible, evidence that the numbers between the lugs have never been tampered with and were born this way.

This timepiece is most notably fitted with metal bezel insert. Considering that it was produced the very year that reference 1675 was first launched, it is entirely possible that it left the factory in its current state. While Phillips has had the pleasure of selling a stainless steel left-handed reference 6542, this is the first time a gold example has ever appeared on the market. Its importance cannot be overstated.