The GMT-Master is one of Rolex's most iconic designs. When it debuted, the original GMT-Master 6542 was the official timepiece of Pan Am Airlines, and continued to be through subsequent productions, including the GMT-Master 1675,  introduced in 1959.

The "Pepsi" bezel, as featured on the present lot, is the most well-known and beloved iteration of this design. Aside from adding a pop of color, it provided a quick way for pilots to discern between daytime and nighttime—red indicated the hours 6 AM – 6 PM and blue, 6 PM – 6 AM. The GMT-Master 1675 had the longest run of the series, from 1959 until 1980, when the movement was changed to add a quickset date function.