BANGKOK MEETS THE ROLEX GMT-MASTER

Few watches carry the weight of genuine history. The GMT-Master is one that does. Conceived in 1955 at the precise moment when commercial aviation was shrinking the globe, it arrived not as an ornamental accessory but as an answer to a very real problem: how does one track a second time zone with precision, reliability, and ease, tens of thousands of feet above the earth? Its solution — a 24-hour hand and a two-colour rotatable bezel — was as logical as it was enduring.

Earlier this month, that story came to Bangkok. PMT The Hour Glass were proud to present From Time Zone to Time Zone, a special exhibition dedicated to the GMT-Master and its successor, the GMT-Master II as it details its remarkable journey over seven decades. It took place at Level 1 of the Siam Paragon Fashion Hall from 6 to 22 March 2026. This special exhibition will give visitors an immersive look at a watch that began in the cockpit and would go on to circle the globe.

Since its introduction, the GMT-Master has accompanied numerous adventures in the skies and beyond. Designed to navigate the globe and effortlessly bridge time zones, this cosmopolitan watch has become the tool of choice for globetrotters – actors, explorers, artists, and adventurers alike.

Launched in 1955, the GMT-Master is instantly recognizable thanks to its two-colour bezel. As for its name, it echoes the idea of travel as much as its distinctive watchmaking function: the display of a second time zone in 24-hour format.

The exhibition celebrated the incredible journey of the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II, highlighting their technical and design breakthroughs. Visitors had the opportunity to discover the key milestones in the evolution of these watches.

They also managed to admire various versions of the GMT-Master II that were currently available in the catalogue.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors uncovered the stories of famous figures who, with the GMT-Master on their wrist, shaped the history of aviation and contemporary personalities who continued to build on its legendary status in various fields.

From the 1950s onwards, the rise of intercontinental aviation made distant destinations more accessible. Travelling habits were profoundly changed, allowing people to cross multiple time zones and reach places thousands of kilometres away in a matter of hours.

In 1955, the launch of the GMT-Master offered an answer to this new problem presented by the changing perception of distance. Thanks to its precise movement and its 24-hour hand, wearers could easily and reliably read a second time zone. From the start, the two-colour, 24-hour graduated bezel of the GMT-Master reflected the changes of its time.

This is how it became the watch of choice for great travellers — a benchmark in commercial and experimental aviation as well as space exploration.

The GMT-Master has since left the cockpit to establish itself as the ultimate cosmopolitan watch. A Professional watch that is just as reliable on land and at sea as it is in the air, it has become an icon that accompanies those who follow the movement of the world yet always remember the importance of maintaining strong ties.

An emblematic two-colour rotatable bezel, a signature dial, and four distinctive hands — since its launch in 1955, the GMT-Master has remained true to its essence. Yet, it has been refined and enhanced many times over.

Today, the bezel comes in various colour combinations and has undergone several material changes: first Plexiglas, then aluminium from 1959, and ceramic since 2005. The Chromalight display has also evolved, with hands and indices coated in luminescent material that, since 2021, emit a brighter blue glow for enhanced legibility in the dark. In 2018, the Jubilee bracelet made its return alongside the Oyster bracelet. It is now available on different versions of the GMT-Master II, whether in Oystersteel, yellow Rolesor, or 18 ct yellow gold.

The movement, too, has evolved eleven times, from the 1955 calibre 1036 GMT to the current calibre 3285. The 1982 calibre 3085 introduced an independently adjustable hour hand – a breakthrough that coincided with the renaming of the watch: the GMT-Master equipped with this new movement became the GMT-Master II.

Throughout its history, the GMT-Master has consistently gained from Rolex’s watchmaking innovations. Paradoxically, the technical and aesthetic advancements have improved the watch while preserving its iconic status.