There are some partnerships that are forever seared into the collective memories of the watch-collecting universe, be it Omega and NASA, Tudor and the Marine Nationale or TAG Heuer and the Carrera Panamericana motor race. However, it’s a unique 1950s partnership between Rolex and Pan American Airways that sets the scene for the Zodiac x Pan Am GMT, which might be one of the best travel watches of 2022.
Back in the early ’50s, Rolex began a relationship with Pan Am when the airline was looking to design a watch that could display multiple timezones at one time, and the resulting partnership would eventually give birth to the Rolex GMT-Master. Now, more than half a century later the good folks at Zodiac have taken the Super Sea Wolf GMT (which was originally born not long after the iconic GMT from Rolex in 1966) and created a limited edition tribute to the world’s most famous Jet Age airline in the Zodiac x Pan Am GMT.
Featuring a 40mm brushed stainless steel case that stands 13.6mm tall, this limited edition of 182 pieces is a quintessential traveller’s sport watch, arriving on a matching brushed stepped oyster-style steel bracelet. What really catches the eye, however, is the blue world time bezel with 24 cities around its circumference, which when combined with the matching dark blue GMT hand allow its owner to see the time anywhere in the world.
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The silvered dial serves as the perfect blank canvas for this information to be communicated, boasting a date window at 3 o’clock, applied steel hour markers and the instantly recognisable blue Pan Am logo at the bottom of the dial. Framed by a dark blue 24-hour ring that neatly tucks inside the lighter blue bezel, the visual impression it offers is one of thoughtful design that suggests a compelling purity of purpose.
Powering the Zodiac x Pan Am GMT is the automatic Swiss Soprod C125 movement, which allows for quick setting of the GMT hand and a decent 42 hours of power reserve. With the promise of 200m of water resistance, this is a watch that looks great from every angle, with a serious bit of history behind it.
The Zodiac x Pan Am GMT is currently available on Hodinkee with an approachable RRP of US$1,795 (AU$2,647).
