As with the waterproof watch, the self-winding watch, the watch with date function, the chronometer-certified watch, you name it, one watchmaker was there first: Rolex. And when it came to the world time-telling GMT, the Swiss brand struck again with its GMT-Master of 1955.

Local time display, a secondary, arrow-tipped ‘GMT’ hand that completes a sweep of the dial every 24 hours, plus a 24-hour bezel that rotates should you want to set a third time reference. It’s a simple set-up that’s barely changed since, just tweaked and fine-tuned as is Rolex’s want, unhampered by competition, and right all along.

If you’re in the market for a GMT, chances are you’ve come across this fabled model once or twice, not least because the most recent iteration is a belter.

Not sure if you want one? Read on to learn about its heritage, the newest model and just what makes it so special.

Why Is the Rolex GMT-Master II So Good?

Despite being a byword for luxury watches – the one brand everyone knows – Rolex has never strayed from its singular, and surprisingly affordable mission to make the finest, most reliable ‘tool watches’ on the market. Just as well, because our fine planet boasts a total of 38 timezones, meaning other finicky worldtimer watches can barely keep up technologically, let alone squeeze Nepal (+05:45) or the Chatham Islands (+12:45) onto their dials.

Rolex meanwhile has stuck stoically to keeping pilots on schedule, guilty businessmen aware of another missed bedtime and watch collectors rabidly obsessed over those tiny iterations. But it’s not just globetrotters that are drawn to this unique piece. As 2018’s boom in GMT watches proves, it’s a particularly popular tool for the everyman, and one that will always be wedded to its nostalgic nomenclature.

Rolex GMT-Master II

Sure, you can whip out your iPhone for guaranteed accuracy wherever you’ve touched down, but how many fiddly taps will it take to work out whether it’s too late to phone the office back home? A GMT watch takes just a flick of the wrist. Not only that, but the variety of creative, colourful ways to display that second time-zone means a world of different looks. And Rolex’s new blue-and-red ‘Pepsi’ configuration is the ultimate; the reference among time references if you like.