Doe anyone own, seen, or has pics of the white dial GMT issued to PanAm in the 60s

[rkb]

According to my books Rolex manufactured a small run of white dialed GMTs to be issued to Pan-Am ground crews back in the very early days of the watch. I have seen artist's renderings of this timepiece but would love to see an actual photo of one. I can only imagine that this would be the holiest grails for the GMT peoples.

[mcjp6]

Here we go Russell.......not my pic....taken from this excellent post http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=76235

[rkb]

Oh SNAP! Thanks Michael!! I guess it was made in the 50s not the 60s....very cool, I wonder what one of those babies would go for today?

[rkb]

one book says 50s and another says 60s- I guess it does not matter- what a cool watch. I followed the link and the engraved PanAm logo on the back is stunning.

[rkb]

Found another pic- the engraving on the back of this one is a little different- plus no crown guards

[RRGHOST1]

I wish they had always made the option of the white dial, as i think white looks alot classier than black.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by rkb

According to my books Rolex manufactured a small run of white dialed GMTs to be issued to Pan-Am ground crews back in the very early days of the watch. I have seen artist's renderings of this timepiece but would love to see an actual photo of one. I can only imagine that this would be the holiest grails for the GMT peoples.

Well to find,and buy a 100% genuine one,would cost telephone numbers, all in private collection if there are any out there.Most had there dials changed during there life,at normal routine service.



Now the highest price paid for a vintage Rolex was for a 1952 stainless steel Oyster Chronograph known by collectors as the Killy Watch after the French skier Jean-Claude Killy.($197,000).but not sure if that one has been beaten.


History on the white dial GMT.
The GMT was made in conjunction with Rolex and Pan-Am the vast majority of the early watches produced went to the Pan-Am company a great sales boost for Rolex.Now each plane had a Pilot, a First Officer and a Navigator all of whom were issued with GMT Masters. And Pan-Am had several hundred crews all issued with a company GMT Master. These watches had no company logo markings and no special dials. And a strange bunch of 100+ watches made in 1958 especially to solve a problem inside the airline's old Building head office.(they moved early 1960s). The problem was simply that as the watches arrived in the head office before being sent off to the for issue to the flight crew.Now some of these were requisitioned by senior management, who felt that they, rather than the flight crews, were the ones who deserved a new company Rolex.Now one day Juan Trippe, the head of Pan-Am saw one of the watches on the wrist of an executive. And wanted to know why it was not on the wrist of a pilot. The situation was explained to him; the pilots had everything, the gold caps, the titles, and the brand new Boeing jets, and now they even got great watches. The executives felt shunned, they saw themselves as the basis of the company's success but were fed up of being treated as second class citizens. Trippe did not like the situation and ordered that all the GMT Masters in the building should be returned to the operation department for subsequent issue to flight crews. However to modify the executives watches he had Rolex manufacture a batch of 100+ GMT Masters solely for the Desk Pilots. These differed from the flight crew that they had white dials. And are believed to be the only GMTs made with this colour dial,these watches made 1959 with the last of the old model 6542 cases.After that the new model was introduced.

[tkc324]

Wow... very informative thread... thanks~

[andrew79]

what a history from a GMT master watch..... nice information....

[rkb]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well to find,and buy a 100% genuine one,would cost telephone numbers, all in private collection if there are any out there.Most had there dials changed during there life,at normal routine service.



Now the highest price paid for a vintage Rolex was for a 1952 stainless steel Oyster Chronograph known by collectors as the Killy Watch after the French skier Jean-Claude Killy.($197,000).but not sure if that one has been beaten.


History on the white dial GMT.
The GMT was made in conjunction with Rolex and Pan-Am the vast majority of the early watches produced went to the Pan-Am company a great sales boost for Rolex.Now each plane had a Pilot, a First Officer and a Navigator all of whom were issued with GMT Masters. And Pan-Am had several hundred crews all issued with a company GMT Master. These watches had no company logo markings and no special dials. And a strange bunch of 100+ watches made in 1958 especially to solve a problem inside the airline's old Building head office.(they moved early 1960s). The problem was simply that as the watches arrived in the head office before being sent off to the for issue to the flight crew.Now some of these were requisitioned by senior management, who felt that they, rather than the flight crews, were the ones who deserved a new company Rolex.Now one day Juan Trippe, the head of Pan-Am saw one of the watches on the wrist of an executive. And wanted to know why it was not on the wrist of a pilot. The situation was explained to him; the pilots had everything, the gold caps, the titles, and the brand new Boeing jets, and now they even got great watches. The executives felt shunned, they saw themselves as the basis of the company's success but were fed up of being treated as second class citizens. Trippe did not like the situation and ordered that all the GMT Masters in the building should be returned to the operation department for subsequent issue to flight crews. However to modify the executives watches he had Rolex manufacture a batch of 100+ GMT Masters solely for the Desk Pilots. These differed from the flight crew that they had white dials. And are believed to be the only GMTs made with this colour dial,these watches made 1959 with the last of the old model 6542 cases.After that the new model was introduced.

Wow- thanks for the information! That would be a great find!

[BASSETHOUNDS]

Just maybe a little anecdote about the record breaking Rolex 6236 . That watch was made in 1960 and Jean-Claude Killy won Olympic gold in Grenoble 1968 and only then Rolex published an advert for that watch using JC Killy . He actually never wore such watch .