Pilots in World War II had a no nonsense piece of fashion worn on their arm for a reason.  Read to find out what this was.

Originally designed in 1955, the GMT Master was made in collaboration with Pan American World Airways for use by their pilots during World War II. As a result of their brutal flight schedules for the U.S. military, Pan Am pilots coined the term “jet lag,” a condition caused by making frequent jumps between time zones. Pan Am’s founder, Juan Trippe, theorized that if the pilots had a watch that would help them keep track of the time in their current time zone as well as their home time zone, the effects of jet lag would be milder. The original Rolex GMT Master timepiece was developed by Rolex and Pan Am exclusively for Pam Am pilots, first officers, and navigators. This model featured a fourth hand and adjustable 24-hour bezel, enabling pilots to know their “home” time as well as the local time of any destination in a different time zone.

Many Rolex connoisseurs miss the convex crystals discovered on these older Rolex GMT Master watches.

The 1st version of the GMT Master series, 6542 had a bakelite bezel insert. As this bezel was likely to crack, it got replaced by a metal bezel in 1956. The bakelite bezel could glow in the dark. Even at 165 ft the GMT Master series could get submerged and come back ticking.

In 1964 the GMT Master series 6542 was seen in the “Goldfinger” James Bond Movie by Honor Blackman.

The GMT Master acquired more press in 1970 when a GMT Rolex Master was worn by Jack Schweigert, an astronaut. Not just any astronaut, but the one who helped Apollo 13 return safely to Earth after an oxygen tank ruptured.

In 1981 the waterproof depth was increased to 100m/330 ft. The models from 1981 and up are more common and best represent the Rolex GMT master series today.

A new model of the GMT Master came out in 1983 that features a sapphire crystal which cannot easily be scratched. This model was named the GMT Master II. In 2006 it was updated with the Parachrom hairspring which is unaffected by any magnetic field & 10x more resistance to shocks than standard hairsprings. In 2007 the bezel was updated to the nearly indestructibleceramic bezel, the most durable bezel in the world.

The GMT can display time in two different time zones and the GMT II in three. Using the additional “GMT” hand which completes a 24 hour cycle in a single rotation, the GMT (and GMT II) uses a bi-directional rotatable bezel marked zero to twenty three allowing for a second time zone to be displayed with the GMT hand pointing to the bezel hour. The GMT II allows the GMT hand to be set independently from the hour hand thus allowing a third time zone.

If you need to know what year your Rolex GMT Master is use this guide:

If the time has come in your life {when you want to get a luxury brand name, excellent quality timepiece, it is [good to] recognize what is significant.}~Being cognizant of what is and is not important is important|essential|key] before you set out to purchase a luxury quality timepiece..Things like watch parts, nomenclature and a knowledge about who are the well-known, watch designers is a good place to start. Having a good practical knowledge of the the different luxury watch manufacturers will not only help you make good choices; it will also garner you respect, get you better discounts and establish a good rapport with your jewelry maker.

What are the parts of a fine watch?

The main methods are:

• The Band of the watch – this is the portion that goes around your wrist. There are various varieties including bracelet-types that are made of silver, as well as straps that are made of cloth, rubber or leather
• Bezel – the ring that binds the watch glass to the watch case.
• Face – the frame that holds the mechanics.
• Case Back – the removable back that allows access to the mechanics.
• Clasp – the buckle
• The Crown – the knob used to set the time and date, and as well to wind up a mechanical timepiece.
• Crystal – The clear {cover|covering} over the dial, either plexiglas or mineral disc.
• The Dial – the face of the watch which displays the time.
• Lugs – the linking hardware.
• Subdial – smallish watch faces within the dial that display other purposes.

That wasn’t too intense, was it?

Knowing what you want and are looking for in a timepiece is key.

Do you want a particular metallic element, unusual functions, diamonds? Will this be your every day watch or a timekeeper only for special events? Shopping at a reputable dealer is important, and it also lends credence to the brand. The resale value is essential exclusively if you are an investor or a collector. Watch movement details are not essential unless you are an expert. The number of jewels is not important, as they are not precious stones.

So you recognize what you want, what is crucial, and what the varied parts of exquisite timepieces consist of.. Once you have some terminology down, you will be ready to talk over fine watches with any jeweler.

– Analogue – conventional set up with the hands that point to the time.
– Digital – this shows the time and any other features on an LCD (liquid crystal display) or LED (light emitting diode) display.
– Calendar – this displays a day, date and year as well as the hour
– Chronograph:This is a watch that has many functions that measure specific time durations down to fractions of a second and comes with a stopwatch function.
– Dual Time – display that shows two time zones on the dial.
– Countdown Timer – another chronograph function employed to measure the time lapsed of a preset period.
– Aperture – the date display.
– Caliber – size of the watch motion.
– Jewels – these are not precious gemstones but bearings that are in a mechanized or automatic watch. The movement generally will have at least 17 jewels.
– Mechanical – watch movement using a spring that must be wound by hand.
– Perpetual Calendar – automatically resets the day at the finish of the month or year, including leap years.
– Sweep Hand – this denotes seconds as it sweeps or moves around the dial of an automated watch

You are now prepared to go shopping. There are many high-quality fine wristwatches. Here are a a couple of of the best:

– A. Lange & Sohne – known for their one of a kind creative thinking, commitment to tradition and technical cleverness
– Audemars Piguet – their signature trend is one of bold designs and luxurious components, in business since 1985
– Baume et Mercier – timepieces that are both innovative and elegant; located in Switzerland
– Leon Breitling – chronographs and precision counters since 1884 in Switzerland
– Abraham Louis Breguet – giving us incredible artistry since 1775
– Bvlgari – pronounced Bulgary; debuted its high-class watches in the 1970s
– Louis-Francois Cartier – most influential designs of the 20th century
– Jaeger-LeCoultre – the best combination of invention and style
– Lucien Piccard – genuine Swiss Quartz motion for top-quality precision
– Movado – although it’s been around since 1881, Movado continues to impress and amaze with innovation and cutting-edge artistry
– Omega – for 150 years it has maintained tradition of excellence and invention
– Panerai – Italian style and Swiss workmanship since 1860
– Patek Philippe – epitome of authentic [elegant] and refinement; finest timepieces in the world
– George Piaget – beautiful and breathtaking watches since 1974; Swiss
– Rado – {extraordinary in trend-setting looks, groundbreaking style and comfortableness from 1917; 1960, came out with the world’s original scratchproof watch}
– Raymond Weil – {fine art and high tech, gorgeous designs; Switzerland |from Switzerland, these watches combine high technology with fine art to create exquisite designs}
– Rolex – first in design, Rolex created the first watertight watch in 1926, and the first automatic winding timepiece; one and the same with luxury and innovation
– Seiko – began in 1881; by 1938 was selling over 1 million watches per year; first quartz watch
– Tag Heuer – Swiss watch making legend, most exact measuring instruments and sports timepieces
– Urwerk – novel and avant-garde; considered the future of watch making.

A couple of last sentiments before you go shopping. Fakes abound in the watch world. If a watch is priced at around $20,000, you can be kind of comfortable in thinking that it’s handcrafted Not being handcrafted doesn’t make it bad …just don’t believe it is on that level. Avoid shopping discount or department stores for a high-class watch. And the most crucial of all …if a deal looks too good to be {true|authentic|real} …IT IS!

Heres afew mens fashion accessories to go with those designer clothes for the guys.

• Belts. Not only keeping our trousers up, but making a fashion statement at the same time. Standard buckles can be replaced with a number of themed of buckles, from led light buckles to coffin shaped ones that open up. Theres also the web belt, which admittedly after a year you’ll have trouble getting it to lock down. Oh, and if you do have a hairy chest, watch out that they dont get caught in the mechanism -ow.
• Watches. A classic, the watch seems to have been replaced slighty by the fact that people can now see the time on there mobile phone, but some people still stand by them. Digital watches have advanced with rest of technology. From a neon pink watch that gives you the sea tides anywhere in the world for 15 years to one digital watch with 2gb of memory to listen to music on. Hopefully very water absorbant is the sweatband watch, with has a watch face placed onto the actual sweatband- great if you play sports. Perfect for the more sporting guys amongst us. I just hope with all the sweating youll be doing that the sweatband watch is very absorbant? Then theres the classic watch, in either a sleek metal design or a leather more lived in design to give you a touch of class.
• Cufflinks. Another classic, cufflinks can be customised for a more personal touch yet still retaining some individuality.
• Wallets. We all need something to put or money in and the purse doesnt match our pint. More often than not made from leather to allow for some sturdiness but flexibility, the wallet can come with a chain to attach to your trousers so it cant be lost/ stolen or without one, if you dont fancy the biker look of a wallet chain.