♛ ♛ Rare INCREDIBLE Rolex GMT Master Bakelite bezel insert Vintage Mens Watch 6542 from 50's♛ ♛

Rare complet 50's Vintage Rolex part set bakelite bezel and Pepsi insert 6542 from 50's.

History of the Rolex GMT Master watch

The first version of the GMT Master series, 6542 had a bakelite bezel insert. As this bezel was likely to crack, it got replaced by a metal bezel in 1956. The bakelite bezel was luminous. The standard GMT Master series was waterproof to 50m/165 ft. 

The GMT Master was originally designed in 1955 in collaboration with Pan American World Airways for use by their pilots during World War II. As a result of their rigorous flight schedules for the U.S military, Pan Am pilots were the first afflicted by “jet lag,” a condition caused by making frequent jumps between time zones.

Pan Am’s founder, Juan Trippe, theorized that if the pilots had a watch that would help them keep track of the time in their current time zone as well as their home time zone, the effects of jet lag would be milder. The original Rolex GMT master watch was developed by Rolex and Pan Am exclusively for Pam Am pilots, first officers, and navigators.

This model featured a fourth hand and adjustable 24-hour bezel, enabling pilots to know their "home" time as well as the local time of any destination in a different time zone.

Rolex introduced the GMT Master in the mid 1950's with this reference 6542 which was discontinued in 1959.

The 6542 case has no crown guards and was originally outfitted with a Bakelite bezel insert.

The Bakelite bezel inserts proved to be fragile, and over the years the vast majority of 6542s came to have replacement inserts.

Now the price of a bakelit 6542 and a 6542 with steel insert is very different !!

6542 bakelit rating twice that 6542 bezel insert steel.

It's a LEGENDARY and probably one of most collectible part of the world.

DESCRIPTION OF THE 6542 BAKELITE BEZEL :

This bezel is stunning condition, measures outside diameter is 38.40mm.

bicolor, the blue is very dark and the red, purple color.

Very nice, estimated year : 1956.

condition : Perfect exept 1-2 slighty scratches on 4-6 numbers ( cf pics )

Bezel is crispy with gold color on contours;

this a very rare and special part hard to find !

don't miss it !!

GUARANTEED FULLY 1OOOOOO% AUTHENTIC