Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master II 126710BLRO “Pepsi”

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT Master II 126710BLRO “Pepsi” Automatic, 40mm steel case which is water resistant up to 100 metres. Blue and Red Cerachrom ceramic (24-hour scale) bezel, Black dial with luminescent hour markers and hands. Date function at the 3 o’clock position with cyclops lens. Power reserve of approximate 70 hours. On a steel Oyster bracelet. Box and Papers dated April 2022.

The story of the Rolex Pepsi begins in the early 1950s, during what is often called the “Jet Age.” Commercial air travel was expanding rapidly, and pilots were flying longer routes across multiple time zones. This created a practical problem: how could pilots easily track more than one time zone simultaneously?

The solution came through a collaboration between Rolex and Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), one of the most prestigious airlines of the time. Pan Am approached Rolex with a request for a watch specifically designed for their pilots—something robust, legible, and capable of tracking dual time zones.

In response, Rolex introduced the GMT-Master in 1954, with the reference 6542. This watch featured a fourth hand (the GMT hand) that circled the dial once every 24 hours, paired with a rotating 24-hour bezel. This allowed the wearer to track a second time zone easily.