The 1950s ushered in the golden age of commercial aviation. Modern jetliners revolutionized international travel, connecting distant cities and continents faster than ever before, proving the Sherman Brothers and Walt Disney’s notion that “it’s a small world after all.” As pilots and passengers increasingly crossed multiple time zones, the ability to simultaneously track time both locally and in another part of the world became an increasingly valuable feature in a wristwatch. Then, during the 1959 Christmas season, a remarkable Rolex wristwatch developed specifically for pilots and international travelers unexpectedly captured headlines around the world. That watch was the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542.

Today, the Rolex GMT-Master remains one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable watches ever created.…