Description

Rolex invites you to discover the Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master. This exclusive exhibition celebrates the tool watch that accompanied the rise of commercial aviation and globetrotters. A cosmopolitan timepiece, the GMT-Master has become a symbol of humanity’s ongoing journey of exploration and connection.

Following its successful debut in Geneva, the exhibit arrives at Freespace, West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong, its first stopover destination from 26 May to 8 June 2025. The exhibition consists of a series of thematic panels accompanied by a short documentary film.

INTRODUCTION

Since its introduction, the GMT-Master has accompanied numerous adventures in the skies and beyond. Designed to navigate the globe and bridge time zones effortlessly, 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.

This exhibition celebrates the incredible journey of the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II, highlighting their technical and design breakthroughs. Visitors will have the opportunity to discover the key milestones in the evolution of these watches.

They will also admire different versions of the model, including several vintage watches preserved inside Rolex’s Heritage Department.

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

The visit will conclude with a short documentary film that traces the journey of the GMT-Master.

THE ULTIMATE TOOL WATCH FOR GLOBETROTTER

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 watch’s dial displays the enduring ties that connect people with the world.

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 ICON IN PERPETUAL EVOLUTION

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, Rolesor, or 18 ct 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.

General Admission is Free for the public with prior online registration. To book a visit, please find the URL for registration site: https://gmt-exhibition-hk.rolex.com