Watches and Wonders 2024: Rolex stuns with new iteration of GMT-Master II

"...Rolex is on a roll with its Watches and Wonders 2024 offerings. Gloria Fung reports..."

In the months and weeks ahead of Watches and Wonder 2024, eyes were on Rolex as watch enthusiasts chimed in on their predictions for the year’s new release. The watchmaker has released some unexpected references over the past few years. And since everything Rolex touches turns to gold, the super colourful range of Oyster Perpetual set off a chain reaction and started the trend for more spirited and vibrant dials. The watchmaker also surprised everyone with its first enamel dial, featuring colour puzzle pieces and emojis instead of the date function in the Day-Date reference.

Fans can make predictions all they want, but the truth is that Rolex always manages to catch us off guard. This year is no different, with the house’s star novelties defying most predictions

Among the pieces on everyone’s mind prior to the watch fair was a ‘Coke GMT’, which would feature a black and red bezel. The popularity of the GMT reference nicknamed Pepsi, which features a red and blue bezel, left fans thirsty for more. Many thought the Coke GMT had to be in the works.

The watchmaker did unveil a GMT at Watches and Wonders 2024. However, it hit a sweet spot different from the Coke version, so many had wrongly predicted.

The new GMT features the same two-time zone function as its predecessor from the range. Featuring a black and silver bezel, the reference comes in as a softer, more demure example of the design that so often displays a combination of more vibrant shades across its bezel.

The GMT-Master II in Oystersteel has a Cerachrom bezel insert in black and grey ceramic for the first time. The reference is presented in two versions, one with an Oyster bracelet and the other with a Jubilee one. The green 24-hour hand that doubles to indicate a second location brings a pop of colour to the otherwise muted design. The black and grey ceramic bezel is said to evoke the emotion of night to day.

The piece is powered by the Rolex 3285 calibre, which powers the self-winding movement and its functions. All functions are set using the winding crown, and any local time adjustments can be made without affecting the 24-hour hand. The calibre 3285 gives this piece a 70-hour power reserved.

Also see: Watches and Wonders 2024: The Tortue comes out of its shell as the star novelty at Cartier