Icons Who Love the Rolex GMT Master

The Rolex GMT Master is arguably the most popular GMT watch of all time. Introduced by Rolex in 1955, it was created to help pilots tell different timezones simultaneously, as the aviation industry took off and long-haul flights became more frequent. While it initially served a practical purpose, its appeal spread beyond the pilot community and into watch circles around the world.

Jetsetters and celebrities alike have taken a liking to the GMT Master – aside from being a reliable tool for aviation, weather forecasts and schedules, it also has a classic style that can go from sporty to formal. Here are some famous men who love their Rolex GMT Master:

Clint Eastwood

One of the most famous GMT Master watches to grace the silver screen is Clint Eastwood’s “Rootbeer” GMT Master. As he rose to fame in the 1960’s, Eastwood was given the two-tone brown and gold watch by one of Rolex’s long-time executives, T. Walker Lloyd.

It has been spotted in several films including the 1982 thriller, Firefox, and the 1993 thriller In the Line of Fire. The watch has been so closely associated with him that it is also sometimes called the “Clint Eastwood”. Video from Rotten Tomatoes Movie Clips on YouTube

Tom Selleck

Best known for playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the hit 80’s television series Magnum P.I., Tom Selleck’s career has spanned 40 years and at age 72, he shows no signs of stopping.

Fans of Magnum P.I. would know that his trademark watch is the “Pepsi” GMT Master, as the red and blue watch has made countless appearances on the show. Decades after, he was still seen wearing the watch in some episodes of his television crime drama Jesse Stone, which ran from 2005-2015. Video from Entertainment Tonight on YouTube

Roger Federer

You know a watch is special to an athlete if he wears it while celebrating a record, the way Roger Federer wore his Rolex GMT Master “Batman” watch when he won the 2017 Australian Open. Despite having missed six months of competition earlier in the year, he defeated Rafael Nadal in the finals and clinched his 18^th grand slam title. The “Batman” watch was a nice touch when he hoisted the trophy on top of his head. Photo from Roger Federer on Instagram

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Marlon Brando

Before his death in 2004, Marlon Brando had an illustrious 50-year career. Best known for his Academy Award-winning performance in The Godfather (1972), he is widely considered as one of the most influential actors of all time.

In real life, he was very fond of Rolex GMT Master watches, having owned several of them, including a “Coke” GMT Master with an Oyster bracelet, a GMT Master with a Jubilee bracelet, and the iconic bezel-less GMT Master that he wore in Apocalypse Now (1979). Photo from Phillips Watches on Twitter

Marlon Brando on the set of Apocalypse Now, wearing the iconic and bezel-ess Rolex GMT. Credit: Mary Ellen Mark pic.twitter.com/V18OcFCwPj
— PHILLIPS Watches (@phillipswatches) July 17, 2019