Rolex GMT-Master 6542 Bakelite Bezel 18k YG Near-Mint
Released in 1954, the Rolex GMT-Master is the iconic result of Pan Am and Rolex's collaborative effort to design a watch that could tell the time in two different places at once. With the popularization of commercial flying, the distances flown were only getting greater, which meant pilots crossed time zones during flights more frequently, and hence a need for uniformity across the industry was created. As a result, the aviation industry began to use a standard time-zone to eliminate timing errors and the like. Greenwich Mean Time was decided upon as this standard, and as such, the GMT-Master's fourth hand, the 2nd hour hand, was to stay on Greenwich Mean Time - which is where the name for the watch comes from. Produced between 1954 and 1988, the GMT-Master is perhaps one of Rolex's most iconic models, and its first reference; one of the best known. Produced from 1954 until 1959, the ref. 6542 was a regular Rolex Turn-O-Graph with a modified movement, an additional hour hand, and its famous bi-colored Pepsi bezel. Unfortunately, this bezel, made from an early form of plastic, Bakelite, would famously crack and break due to its fragility. To solve this, Rolex swapped these Bakelite bezels in 1956 for anodized aluminum bezels, which they kept until the introduction of Cerachrom in 2007. However, as you can see on this example, it retains its original maroon bakelite bezel in uncracked condition. Further to that detail, this watch also comes an extremely rare 18kt yellow gold bracelet made for Rolex by EJ Clewley of Birmingham UK. Reminiscent of Rolex's jubilee bracelet, this bracelet's design where its endlink meets the top of the is slightly different to what we would normally expect.
Brand : Rolex
Dimensions : 38mm
Model : GMT-Master
Movement : Automatic cal. 1030
Reference : 6542
Bracelet : 18k yellow gold Jubilee bracelet made for Rolex by EJ Clewly & Co Birmingham
Year : 1959
Condition : Near-Mint
Material : 18kt yellow gold
Included : Watch only
Dial Color : Brown
THE DIAL Featuring the GMT-Master's iconic brown "nipple" dial, so-called thanks to its uniquely-shaped hour markers, the ref. 6542's aesthetic is entirely monochromatic as it wonderfully complements its warm 18k yellow gold case and brown bakelite bezel insert.
THE CONSTRUCTION Offered in near-mint condition, this ref. 6542 features a perfectly preserved bakelite bezel insert, thick lugs, and an incredibly rare 18kt yellow gold Jubilee bracelet made for Rolex by EJ Clewly & Co in Birmingham, England that gives this watch a slightly different stance on the wrist to the Jubilee bracelets that we normally see on the GMT-Master and other watches in Rolex's repertoire.
TIMING MACHINE READOUT This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information. 
