![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1" height="2812px" width="3811px"></svg>)
F ew watch models are as instantly recognizable as the Rolex GMT Master, with perhaps the most distinctive variant being the blue and red colourway long nicknamed "Pepsi" by Rolex afficianados. As with all the Rolex Professional models, their DNA is highly functional and serving a specific need or purpose - in the case of the Rolex GMT professional pilots tracking two timezones. As such it's always a joy for collectors when rugged examples come to auction with fascinating provenance and a sense of honouring the Rolex ethos. Read on to explore four striking Rolex Pepsi examples.
This Rolex GMT Master Reference 1675 was sold in April 2018 for 500,000 HKD.
This rare Rolex Pepsi example featured a tropical gilt dial, making it highly sought after by collectors. Its 39mm case housed a caliber 1560 automatic movement with 25 jewels, providing reliability and precision. The dial, adorned with luminous triangular, dot, and baton indexes, had faded from black to a beautiful tropical brown due to exposure to light over time. This natural aging gave the watch a unique appearance, further enhanced by the gilt chapter ring and luminous hands. The red arrow hand denoted the second time zone, complemented by the magnified date aperture.
Produced between 1959 and 1963, this particular configuration of the Reference 1675 is exceptionally rare. The early models, like this one, came with pointed crown guards, which were eventually phased out, making it even more desirable. The watch also retained its original Oyster case with a rotating bezel calibrated for 24 hours. The watch had been paired with an appropriately functional brown leather strap at the time of auction. With its tropical dial and specific design features, this watch saw a very strong reception among Rolex collectors.
This Rolex GMT Master Pepsi Reference 6542 was sold in May 2023 for 177,800 CHF.
Produced between 1954 and 1959, this Rolex Pepsi watch was the original Rolex GMT Master model designed in collaboration with Pan American Airways for their pilots. It featured a 38mm stainless steel case and initially came with a fragile Bakelite bezel, which was later replaced by an aluminum version. A little known fact about the reference 6542 is that these watches were subject to a recall in the US. The Atomic Energy Commission stated that the levels of radiation from this watch were too high.
This watch came to market with unique provenance, having been originally owned by the prodiginal PanAm Captain Clarence Jooj Warren Jr. It was consigned by his family. Captain Warren Jr.’s influence was felt across the country, as he was often requested personally by the White House and entrusted with the safety of Vice President Nixon in 1959. The above watch was featured in Captain Warren Jr.’s 1959 Pan Am flies on Rolex time advert.
Powered by the Caliber 1036 movement, the Rolex Pepsi Reference 6542 was distinguished by its gilt dial with radium lume and lack of crown guards, making it a highly collectible and historically significant timepiece.
This Rolex GMT Master Reference 6542 was sold in December 2014 for 62,500 USD.
The Reference 6542 is considered one of the finest and rarest Rolex GMT Master Pepsi watches, particularly because of its Bakelite bezel. This 36mm stainless steel model featured a black tropical dial with gilt outer minute tracks and lettering, paired with a red arrow hand for the second time zone. Finding a Reference 6542 with its Bakelite bezel intact and in excellent condition is rare, as the material was brittle and often damaged with use.
The tropical dial had aged beautifully, taking on dark brown hues that enhanced the gilt lettering and minute tracks. Its well-preserved steel bezel had clearly defined teeth, adding to its collector appeal.
This Rolex GMT Master Reference 1675 featured in one of our 2020 Watches sales in New York, one of 35 Rolex examples in the auction.
This superb Rolex Pepsi example was from the 1675 production run, like the first Rolex Pepsi model above, first released in 1959. The rarity of this watch resulted from its "Exclamation Point" dial. This refers to the addition of a luminous dot located under the 6 o'clock marker. Rolex used this on these early dials to indicate that the radiation level had been reduced to satisfy new Atomic Energy Regulations.
At Sotheby’s our Rolex experts have brought a wide range of extraordinary examples to market, making us well placed to advise on the sale of an Rolex watch or for those looking to add a watch to their collection. Work with Sotheby's specialists and in doing so be part of our community of passionate watch enthusiasts and collectors.
Trust our worldwide network of leading Rolex specialists from a globally renowned auction house with a 280 year history.
