The replica Rolex GMT-Master was made particularly for Pan-Am Airlines after the company applied a reliable watch that was capable of displaying multiple time zones at the same time – for use on transatlantic flights. By adding a 24-hour hand and a rotating bezel with 24-hour markings, pilots could quickly reference another time zone by simply switching the bezel and using the 24-hour hand as an indicator.
The fake Rolex released an update to their GMT-Master line with the new model in 1959. In addition to a new movement and a slightly re-designed dial, the most obvious difference was the addition of crown guards to the case of the fake watch. Initially, the watch had a case with pointed crown guards; however, around the mid-1960s, Rolex fake watch changed the design to the more traditional crown guard shape that can be found on later renditions of the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II lines of replica watches.
Early examples of the watches were fitted with gloss dials, small 24-hour hands, and Rolex’s Caliber 1565 movement, while later examples received matte dials, large 24-hour hands, and the Caliber 1575 movement. What’s more, while the GMT-Master was originally fitted with a red and blue bezel insert – to match the company colors of Pan-Am Airlines – Rolex watch introduced the option of an entirely black bezel insert during the early 1970s.
These various changes were not all implemented uniformly; and since Rolex manufactured the fake GMT-Master for over two decades until production ceased in 1980, surviving examples of the watch can be found with a wide variety of different dial, case, bezel, handset, and bracelet variations. These numerous yet subtle differences, along with the overall condition of the watch, can be responsible for great differences in resale value for seemingly very similar watches.
While the fake Rolex’s latest iteration of the GMT-Master has received a large, Triplock winding crown to match many of their other sport watch lines, the GMT-Master was fitted with a smaller, Twinlock crown that was similar in size to those found on the Datejust and Day-Date watches. The superior water-resistance of the Triplock crown was initially not deemed necessary for a pilot’s watch.
Given that GMT-Master is a vintage watch, brand-new examples have been unavailable through authorized dealers for several decades. While the pre-owned market is currently the only place to find a model like this, examples can still be found in pristine and unworn condition, with all of their original boxes and packaging materials. Due to its remarkably long production run and the numerous variations in dials, hands, movements, bracelets, and bezel inserts that were fitted to the Rolex replica GMT-Master, prices can range surprisingly depending on the individual watch and its overall condition.