191 Rolex A highly attractive, historically important and well preserved, GMT Master, automatic wristwatch in stainless steel, with red GMT signature, bakelite bezel, reference 6542.
Estimate: € 120.000 – 240.000
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- Model GMT-Master
- Year Circa 1955
- Reference 6542
- Case Material Stainless steel
- Case Number 112'932
- Bracelet Material Stanless steel Rolex bracelet, approximate length 200mm
- Movement Automatic, cal. 1065, 25 jewels
- Dimension 38mm Diameter
- Signed Case, dial and movement
Among the most historically significant Rolex sports watches ever produced, the reference 6542 occupies a place of singular importance. Introduced in 1954, it was the first reference of the now legendary GMT-Master, remaining in production until approximately 1959 and establishing a design language that would define Rolex’s dual-time watches for decades to come. Conceived in close connection with Pan American Airways, the model was developed to meet the needs of pilots and crews navigating the increasingly global routes of the jet age. The ability to read two time zones simultaneously was revolutionary: the conventional hour hand indicated local time, while the additional 24-hour hand, read against the graduated bidirectional bezel, displayed a second time zone. In stainless steel, the reference 6542 was fitted exclusively with the instantly recognisable two-colour red and blue Bakelite bezel, its 24-hour graduation allowing the wearer to distinguish day from night at a glance. Fragile, highly distinctive and prone to fading and damage, original examples of these bezels have become among the most coveted components in vintage Rolex collecting. Yet it is the exceptional dial configuration of the present watch that truly sets it apart. Originally executed with the words “GMT-MASTER” in red, the particular pigments employed during the period have naturally faded over the decades, transforming the colour into a remarkably delicate, almost pink hue. Importantly, the lettering retains its crisp white depth, creating a subtle and highly attractive contrast with the faded red inscription. This configuration is regarded as one of the rarest and most desirable GMT-Master dial variations. In the vast majority of surviving examples featuring red “GMT-MASTER” lettering, the red inscription is found without the distinctive white depth, or with the depth itself executed in red.Adding further historical significance is the exceptionally low case number 112'932. Placed within the earliest known 112.xxx serial range of the reference to our knowledge. The present example therefore represents a particularly elusive combination of exceptionally early serial number, rare dial configuration and extraordinary natural ageing. Few vintage Rolexes capture the pioneering spirit of the 1950s quite like the reference 6542: the first GMT-Master, born from the dawn of intercontinental air travel, and today one of the most passionately collected icons of the Rolex canon.
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GENEVA
Eternity Gallery Geneva, 19 Place de Longemalle
HONG KONG
Opera Gallery Hong Kong, 1 Duddell Street, Unit 01, 11/F, Central
MILANO
Portrait Milano Hotel, Corso Venezia, 11
BOLOGNA
Time on Show Bologna, Viale della Fiera, 20