A Pan Am Pilot’s 6542

[askdanny]

Thank you all for the compliments!

[dannyp]

[QUOTE=jake;12594051]

Originally Posted by Haywood_Milton

Great post; thankyou for sharing.

Here's Pussy wearing hers :



The image above of Honor Blackman wearing a GMT-Master is FAKE!!!!!!

It was created by an online publication because they could not find any previously unpublished photos of her wearing her GMT-Master, so they created and published this fake composite image.

You can see the original image that was used for making the composite image here:

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/...james-21823289

You can see many REAL images of Honor Blackman as Pussy Galore in the James Bond movie titled Goldfinger wearing her GMT-Master here:

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/search...nor%20Blackman

I was wondering why a watch from the 60s, supposedly from a photo taken in the 60s, looks like it’s 50 years old in said photo… looks like whomever created it took a present day image of the period-correct watch.

[Sunny Arizona]

We flew back from the first Gulf War on Pan Am. Didn’t appreciate the history at the time. They were out of business within months. This was April 1991.

[emersm]

Originally Posted by Kowaco

He died young, what happened?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I don't know how he died.

There is an article announcing his death in the July 1961 Pan Am newsletter (pg 6)

https://digitalcollections.library.m...73353/download

[H25B]

Originally Posted by askdanny

Hello, I rarely come here to recommend a story. But I’ve just finished researching and writing about the man (on the right) in the ad. It turns out he wasn’t just any Pan Am pilot, he had an amazing career. I was able to interview his family, and I found his watch!!!



That ad is still used today on Rolex website and can be (briefly) seen on Rolex latest social media posts advertising the new GMT.

My story (just published today) here:

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2023/0...ence-jooj.html

I hope you like it.

Grew up always wanting a Submariner, so that’s the 1st watch I bought but as a pilot also wanted a GMT. Had no idea that once I could afford it they’d be nearly impossible to get.

I was recently told Breitling did some special watches for Delta pilots.

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by H25B

I was recently told Breitling did some special watches for Delta pilots.

True. It’s a Breitling Avenger 43 blue dial with the Delta logo (“red widget”) instead of the marker at 9 o’clock.

https://twitter.com/piloteus/status/...InE-9PLb12T5Gg

[askdanny]

Following my article, the family of the Pan Am pilot decided to put the watch up for sale. Though I'm sad to see the watch leave the family, someone else might give it a second life and enjoy it more. Sotheby's did a good with the pictures.






Ref: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auct...6542-an-advert

[askdanny]

Last update about Captain Warren's GMT-Master 6542: It was sold on Sunday for 177,800 CHF. The buyer was, according to Hodinkee, Rolex itself.

Ref: https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ro...geneva-auction

I'm glad the watch is back where it belongs. Hopefully, we will all be able to see it in a Rolex museum someday.

[swish77]

Originally Posted by emersm

I don't know how he died.

There is an article announcing his death in the July 1961 Pan Am newsletter (pg 6)

https://digitalcollections.library.m...73353/download

There's an old New York Times article that he was shot in the head at his home, and it implies that it might have been suicide. I can't get the full article from the newspaper's online archive because I don't subscribe.


https://www.nytimes.com/1961/05/26/a...by-him-in.html

[Kowaco]

I read the article and some others. I got from all of them it was suicide.


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[EzraPound]

Originally Posted by swish77

There's an old New York Times article that he was shot in the head at his home, and it implies that it might have been suicide. I can't get the full article from the newspaper's online archive because I don't subscribe.

[swish77]

Wow. Super sad story, but I'm now very curious to know what the heck happened to an extremely talented, famous pilot who seemingly had so much going for him. And his daughter found him. Yikes.

A good Hollywood script writer could have field day writing about him for a movie. Odd that this info wasn't in the magazine article about his life.

[EzraPound]

New York Times May 27, 1961...

[Jackie Daytona]

Rough follow up to that story.

You never know what happens in peoples lives that lead them down the paths and to take the choices that they take. Terrible the bit on his daughter finding him.

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by Dontknow

Rough follow up to that story.

You never know what happens in peoples lives that lead them down the paths and to take the choices that they take. Terrible the bit on his daughter finding him.

Karen is the daughter who inherited the watch. That’s why I wonder if she ever wore it. She has passed now.

[GMT Aviator]

I like these articles for the nostalgia they bring to the Marque, but the reality of being an Airline pilot in his position is very different from the romantic notions and imaginations both these articles promote and most people think or realise.
That’s a tragic ending to what was otherwise a star studded career as viewed from the outside and a real life changing horror for his daughter that found him.
I’m glad the watch ended up back with its maker where it will be preserved.

[subx]

glad it went back to Rolex:

just want to take 2 seconds and acknowledge that @askdanny and RolexMagazine.com has been putting out really great content about Rolex and Rolex users if you like vintage Rolex, thanks Danny ( and Jake ).

no affiliation whatsoever, just kudos.

[cleger]

Brilliant work, OP. Thanks.

[SS Oyster]

Today at breakfast at San Jose Marriott a pilot approached me to compliment my 126610LV sub, stating he has a GMT Master II “Pepsi” the new on on jubilee. I looked to see it on his wrist, but he explained he hasn’t worn it yet. I said, “What are you waiting on? Life is short. If anyone should be wearing one, it should be you!”

Shame … these were made to be worn. He needs to make his own history flying with it.


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[jatco]

Originally Posted by ss oyster

today at breakfast at san jose marriott a pilot approached me to compliment my 126610lv sub, stating he has a gmt master ii “pepsi” the new on on jubilee. I looked to see it on his wrist, but he explained he hasn’t worn it yet. I said, “what are you waiting on? Life is short. If anyone should be wearing one, it should be you!”

shame … these were made to be worn. He needs to make his own history flying with it.


Sent from my iphone using tapatalk

x2

[Dan S]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

Today at breakfast at San Jose Marriott a pilot approached me to compliment my 126610LV sub, stating he has a GMT Master II “Pepsi” the new on on jubilee. I looked to see it on his wrist, but he explained he hasn’t worn it yet. I said, “What are you waiting on? Life is short. If anyone should be wearing one, it should be you!”

Shame … these were made to be worn. He needs to make his own history flying with it.

It's probably in his safe deposit box. Everyone's an "investor" these days.

[andover16a]

Read the thread this morning, great memories…
During my college summer breaks, Pan Am had a summer program for “Friends and Family” to work as a plane cleaner. As an aspiring pilot, who happened to be dating the daughter of the MX Director at IDL, it was nirvana!

“Water wagon” 707’s; DC-8’s; navigator’s with sextants and the infamous Pan Am Captain…”Sky God!” And the recently constructed terminal.

One of the duties of a cleaner was to station at the end of the jetway (not enclosed but underneath the terminal overhang) if the “Stewardess’s) needed a last minute clean-up of something in the cabin.

And then the “Sky God” would appear.
The crew was aboard, pax were boarding and as the “Sky God” walked from inside the terminal and down the jetway, the “river of people parted” to make way for the Captain!
He would tip his hat as he passed; “Yes, Mrs. xxx, good to see you again. No, flight will be on-time and smooth”; all the way until he entered the cockpit (as it was called then.)

WOW, that’s me…what I aspire to…tall, thin, slightly greying and four stripes on my sleeve! Well, I got 2 out of the 4… slightly grey and retired with the 4 stripes 😂
Many more memories and still searching for a Pan Am watch, 6542.
Thanks for reading.

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

Today at breakfast at San Jose Marriott a pilot approached me to compliment my 126610LV sub, stating he has a GMT Master II “Pepsi” the new on on jubilee. I looked to see it on his wrist, but he explained he hasn’t worn it yet. I said, “What are you waiting on? Life is short. If anyone should be wearing one, it should be you!”

Shame … these were made to be worn. He needs to make his own history flying with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Couple of my old pals (both captained 747 cargo planes ('like flying don't like punters/they're not people persons' their explanation btw).....say the tried the 'newer' Rolex GMT....and by that they meant a green gmt hand 116710, and said it was too bulky and heavy - both wear 1675s (one a 64, other a 67) on folded link Jubillee's, as it's the lightest option. Maybe he's sussed that out too!

[Tillie]

The best of times.

[STEELINOX]

Nice write up, Danny...

[jatco]

Originally Posted by STEELINOX

Nice write up, Danny...

\/ ..If only.. - my stock would be worth A Lot..'Baby'..

[STEELINOX]

Originally Posted by jatco

\/ ..If only.. - my stock would be worth A Lot..'Baby'..

I feel your pain

[askdanny]

For those of you going to Watches and Wonders this weekend, Rolex has Captain Warren's watch on display.

As I've mentioned above Rolex was the buyer of the watch at the auction.

The brand also features the watch in its latest GMT video, at minute 1:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBSLcje-IPc




And in a PDF document about the GMT released yesterday at: https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...re_english.pdf





I'm glad Rolex has it and is able to care for it, as well as sharing it with the world. I enjoyed hunting down the watch and writing about it.

—Danny

[KY..]

Very cool video and story, Thanks…

Originally Posted by askdanny

For those of you going to Watches and Wonders this weekend, Rolex has Captain Warren's watch on display.

As I've mentioned above Rolex was the buyer of the watch at the auction.

The brand also features the watch in its latest GMT video, at minute 1:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBSLcje-IPc




And in a PDF document about the GMT released yesterday at: https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...re_english.pdf





I'm glad Rolex has it and is able to care for it, as well as sharing it with the world. I enjoyed hunting down the watch and writing about it.

—Danny