A watch, a record, a legend: How the Rolex GMT-Master II honors Chuck Yeager’s historic triumph
How did the modern Rolex GMT-Master II become the face of a historical moment that happened several decades earlier? Find out here! The sponsorships between Rolex and the sporting world are endless. In tennis alone, there’s Wimbledon, the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open. Then there’s the brand’s involvement in golf, sailing, motorsport and equine sports.
And let’s not forget the promotional boosters Rolex got for supplying its watches to athletes and sports professionals when breaking world records. The Rolex Oyster was the watch that saw British long-distance swimmer Mercedes Gleitze cross the English Channel in 1927 as the first woman to do so, wearing the watch around her neck. Simultaneously, that feat cemented the Oyster watch’s reputation for superior watch resistance, leveraging Rolex’s reputation even further.
Eight years later, Rolex supplied the British racing driver and speed record holder Sir Malcolm Cambell with a Rolex Oyster as he broke the world speed record in Daytona. One of the most important milestones in Rolex’s history, however, was in 1947 when the brand issued Chuck Yeager with a watch whilst breaking the sound barrier. He did it by flying the X-1 Jet.
Chuck Yeager and his Bell X-1 rocket plane
The fastest man in history
What a title to lay claim to – the fastest man in history. But that’s exactly what he was. A look back: Passionate about mechanics, Yeager always knew he wanted to pursue his love of generators and engines. When he saw an advertisement for the US Army Air Forces in 1941, he applied – and was accepted. Yeager became a successful fighter pilot and remained loyal to the Air Force as a test pilot after the Second World War. Over the years in his role, he clocked up countless hours of flight time on a wide variety of models and was chosen for Bell’s experimental aircraft X-1 challenge. The idea was to break the wall of sound, something considered completely impossible. Chuck succeeded.
Chuck Yeager proved that the impossible was possible – and became the fastest man in the world.
On 14 October 1947, the Bell X-1 with Yeager inside, broke the wall of sound at an altitude of 13,100 meters in the Mojave Desert, producing a frightening thunderous sound as it soared through the air. Chuck was awarded the Collier Trophy – the most coveted award for outstanding achievements in the field of aviation and aerospace at the time -, catapulting him into fame overnight. Despite the success of the mission, Chuck’s work was not done. Yeager later took command of various combat squadrons around the world and eventually rose to the rank of brigadier general.
“No one knew if the mission would be a success…”
The GMT-Master watch is an icon in itself, but what does it have to do with the moment that mankind broke the sound barrier? Well, loved for its versatility as a daily beater and for its solid purpose-built design, models that feature the red and blue “Pepsi bezel” and the blue and black “Batman” iteration are among some of the Crown brand’s most collectible investments.
At the time of Chuck Yeager’s feat in 1947, no one knew if the mission would be a success. No one even knew if the pilot would survive it. Yet when Yeager created the first man-made sonic boom he became a sensation and inevitably went down in history. As a regular wearer of a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner Big Crown watch in steel, Rolex seemed a natural fit for the wrist of the sound wall barrier breaker.
The GMT-Master II – inspired by legends like Chuck Yeager
The significance of the Rolex GMT-Master II
The GMT-Master has always been synonymous with air travel. It was designed in collaboration with Pan American World Airways, serving as a simple solution to telling time in different destinations. Its red and blue 24-hour bezel proved to be the preferred watch of pilots across the globe and became an icon of the jet age.
The “GMT Chuck Yeager” watch that people talk about today refers to the model that marked the 50th anniversary of the record-breaking moment. The Rolex GMT-Master 16700 became a collector’s item in 1997, especially those released by The Real McCoy’s – a Japanese manufacturer of high-quality repro fashion – who customised 50 of these models, complete with Chuck Yeager’s name on the dial to mark 50 years of the historical moment. Some of these coveted collectables bear the “Bell X-1” aircraft engraving on the surface of their steel casebacks, along with the date: 14 October 1947. Some were even released in the iconic red and black “Coke” version.
The 3285 automatic movement of the Rolex GMT-Master II
By the way: The “GMT Chuck Yeager” watch is not an official Rolex special model. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer neither produced nor sold the timepieces in this version. The Real McCoy’s acquired regular Rolex models and had them finished externally. Nevertheless, these pieces are extremely rare and sought-after in collectors’ circles today – but they are not officially Rolex special editions.
Either way, these references serve to pay tribute to one of the greatest pilots of all time. They embody the spirit of innovation and courage that defined Chuck Yeager’s legacy, and even today, the GMT-Master II continues to underscore one of mankind’s finest moments with its distinguishable design.
Short & sweet
- Pilot watch: Rolex GMT-Master II
- Case: Stainless steel, ⌀ 40 millimetres, sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 10 bar
- Movement: Automatic, caliber 3285, 70-hour power reserve
- Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, 24-hour display, GMT function, date, stop seconds
- Strap: Stainless steel
- Price: 11,250 Euro
- Year: 2025
More information at rolex.com
