Supposed 'Tooliness' of the GMT lineup

[ADR1982]

So with all the discussion regarding how Rolex has moved away from being a tool watch maker at one point to now producing flashy jewelry, this question popped up.

Of the professional series of watches, the GMT was initially developed for pilots and subsequently for WORLD travelers. Both of whom are relatively more 'well heeled' so to speak. Only in the recent past (by rolex timelines) has world travel really become more accessible to the masses. So while the GMT has had the durability of other more hardcore Sports models like the Sub or EXP (Which were actually intended to be used in harsh environments) , would it not make sense to add a little more Bling to the watch given its original demographic? Doesnt this fit in line with the other 'travelers watch' the SkyD which is also quite flashy?

I personally prefer brushed oyster on the GMT line, but I think in keeping with their original brief, blinging up the GMT in comparison to other sports may make sense?

[Vamp]

That’s what the PCLs were for, but I completely understand, and somewhat agree with what you’re saying. The watch was never meant to be a rugged watch.

[Onikage]

Yeah but it's always been nice for it to still work after you crash your plane.

[miatang]

Originally Posted by Onikage

Yeah but it's always been nice for it to still work after you crash your plane.

[Vamp]

Originally Posted by Onikage

Yeah but it's always been nice for it to still work after you crash your plane.

Touché

[brandrea]

They kind of already have with the jubilee bracelet.

[VacherObsessive]

PCL to me means not a tool watch. Even as a travellers watch I don’t wear mine because of PCL. Getting in and out of a chair on a plane and using the cramped bathrooms and taking it on/off/on/off/on/off in security, busy airports people brushing past you etc. Falling asleep in the chair and a trolly brushing past it. No way. It’s a dress watch

[abozz]

The day Rolex makes a Submariner that get damaged in the pool, or a GMT without a second time zone, or a Daytona without a chrono function, then I will say that Rolex stop to be a tool watch, until that day I know my SD or SubC is a jewlery with tool properties.

[amh]

Originally Posted by VacherObsessive

PCL to me means not a tool watch. Even as a travellers watch I don’t wear mine because of PCL.

Getting in and out of a chair on a plane ...

...and using the cramped bathrooms ...

... and taking it on/off/on/off/on/off in security...

... busy airports people brushing past you etc....

...Falling asleep in the chair and a trolly brushing past it...

No way. It’s a dress watch

Yeah you better leave the Rolex in the safe and wear your G-shock. That booze cart will destroy a watch before you know it!

[Rashid.bk]

Tool watch smool watch. This term is completely over used and piggy backed by a bunch of weird wis that act as if they are going to do a tough mudder, climb Everest in a covert operation under night vision goggles....or God forbid actually "dive" beyond 20 feet to weld underwater support beams.
No one is doing crap with a $10k watch that has years wait list except sit at a desk, go to work a normal job and then vacation, and finally the most extreme of modern events, take a million macro photos where by chance you notice there is a speck of paint on the vertical side of the hour hand which you zoomed in with a 100 million power micron scope and then complain, "is that normal" and raise hell about quality control.....

Yes a Rolex was a "tool" watch many decades ago. But people, wake up, by default everything nearly created in the 50's was an actual tool. People in that day were being exposed to actually new advancements in modern society and they actually used sh&t. Like flying for example, on a plane, that was revolutionary, and yes, a little thing like a wrist watch that is actually "water proof" and can be used to time dives to help save your actual life, was a huge advancement in technology, a real "tool".

Today things like cars, planes, watches and even sneakers are stuff people don't even use, they buy it and horde it and try to make a buck on it.
A Rolex is a shiny piece of valuable man jewelry that is expensive and shows status(admit it or not) that by default of it's heritage and quality can in effect do all the things it says it can and very reliably well. But if you are an underwater welder or chopping down trees with an ax for a living, the chances are extremely high that you are not walking into a Rolex store to buy a two tone SD43 or Skydweller to keep track of time...I mean solely on that pesky detail that they have pcls right...
Ridiculous.

[Vamp]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Tool watch smool watch. This term is completely over used and piggy backed by a bunch of weird wis that act as if they are going to do a tough mudder, climb Everest in a covert operation under night vision goggles....or God forbid actually "dive" beyond 20 feet to weld underwater support beams.
No one is doing crap with a $10k watch that has years wait list except sit at a desk, go to work a normal job and then vacation, and finally the most extreme of modern events, take a million macro photos where by chance you notice there is a speck of paint on the vertical side of the hour hand which you zoomed in with a 100 million power micron scope and then complain, "is that normal" and raise hell about quality control.....

Yes a Rolex was a "tool" watch many decades ago. But people, wake up, by default everything nearly created in the 50's was an actual tool. People in that day were being exposed to actually new advancements in modern society and they actually used sh&t. Like flying for example, on a plane, that was revolutionary, and yes, a little thing like a wrist watch that is actually "water proof" and can be used to time dives to help save your actual life, was a huge advancement in technology, a real "tool".

Today things like cars, planes, watches and even sneakers are stuff people don't even use, they buy it and horde it and try to make a buck on it.
A Rolex is a shiny piece of valuable man jewelry that is expensive and shows status(admit it or not) that by default of it's heritage and quality can in effect do all the things it says it can and very reliably well. But if you are an underwater welder or chopping down trees with an ax for a living, the chances are extremely high that you are not walking into a Rolex store to buy a two tone SD43 or Skydweller to keep track of time...I mean solely on that pesky detail that they have pcls right...
Ridiculous.

Thanks for that! Lol sometimes people just need to be reminded

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by VacherObsessive

PCL to me means not a tool watch. Even as a travellers watch I don’t wear mine because of PCL. Getting in and out of a chair on a plane and using the cramped bathrooms and taking it on/off/on/off/on/off in security, busy airports people brushing past you etc. Falling asleep in the chair and a trolly brushing past it. No way. It’s a dress watch

Laughable. Yet in the vintage section there are Rolex watches 50 years old with people that will stab you in the mouth if you mention polishing it or replacing parts, because that old beat up patina look is what makes it special.

You really need to get yourself and apple watch imo. Rolex isn't for you, too shiny and dainty. I'll stay with mine though and risk all the dramas of life through the next 40 years if I should live that long because I know sure as hell that my Rolex and it's pcls will still be here.

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by Vamp

Thanks for that! Lol sometimes people just need to be reminded

My perspective is simply life is short. The only thing my watch asks of me is to clean and lubricate it every ten years. I'll have maybe four of these during our time together. The rest of my short life on earth needs to be directed at relevant things that make sure my children have a nice quality of life and that I am taken care of when I'm old and feeble.
As we always said in the military..don't worry that'll buff out...in an ironic twist, so will the worries of pcls. I for one love them.

I'll take this watch any freaking day over some brushed up dull watch...
If only I could afford it lols.

[1William]

Rolex has moved away from its roots along time ago and that is just a progression. A lot of watches have taken on the tool status though. Look to Seiko, Tudor and a few others.

[Etschell]

the pelagos is a tool watch. nothing and i mean nothing rolex produces qualifies in my mind. they've evolved. and it appears that tudor is trying to take on the status. the P01 is an indication. no other watch company on earth would dare produce something like that. none, zero, nada, zip, zilcho.

[Tha Baron]

Gotta be rugged for today’s travel!!!

https://youtu.be/658ousDvHFU

[Tha Baron]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Tool watch smool watch. This term is completely over used and piggy backed by a bunch of weird wis that act as if they are going to do a tough mudder, climb Everest in a covert operation under night vision goggles....or God forbid actually "dive" beyond 20 feet to weld underwater support beams.
No one is doing crap with a $10k watch that has years wait list except sit at a desk, go to work a normal job and then vacation, and finally the most extreme of modern events, take a million macro photos where by chance you notice there is a speck of paint on the vertical side of the hour hand which you zoomed in with a 100 million power micron scope and then complain, "is that normal" and raise hell about quality control.....

Yes a Rolex was a "tool" watch many decades ago. But people, wake up, by default everything nearly created in the 50's was an actual tool. People in that day were being exposed to actually new advancements in modern society and they actually used sh&t. Like flying for example, on a plane, that was revolutionary, and yes, a little thing like a wrist watch that is actually "water proof" and can be used to time dives to help save your actual life, was a huge advancement in technology, a real "tool".

Today things like cars, planes, watches and even sneakers are stuff people don't even use, they buy it and horde it and try to make a buck on it.
A Rolex is a shiny piece of valuable man jewelry that is expensive and shows status(admit it or not) that by default of it's heritage and quality can in effect do all the things it says it can and very reliably well. But if you are an underwater welder or chopping down trees with an ax for a living, the chances are extremely high that you are not walking into a Rolex store to buy a two tone SD43 or Skydweller to keep track of time...I mean solely on that pesky detail that they have pcls right...
Ridiculous.

[ADR1982]

Originally Posted by Onikage

Yeah but it's always been nice for it to still work after you crash your plane.

[ADR1982]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

Tool watch smool watch. This term is completely over used and piggy backed by a bunch of weird wis that act as if they are going to do a tough mudder, climb Everest in a covert operation under night vision goggles....or God forbid actually "dive" beyond 20 feet to weld underwater support beams.
No one is doing crap with a $10k watch that has years wait list except sit at a desk, go to work a normal job and then vacation, and finally the most extreme of modern events, take a million macro photos where by chance you notice there is a speck of paint on the vertical side of the hour hand which you zoomed in with a 100 million power micron scope and then complain, "is that normal" and raise hell about quality control.....

Yes a Rolex was a "tool" watch many decades ago. But people, wake up, by default everything nearly created in the 50's was an actual tool. People in that day were being exposed to actually new advancements in modern society and they actually used sh&t. Like flying for example, on a plane, that was revolutionary, and yes, a little thing like a wrist watch that is actually "water proof" and can be used to time dives to help save your actual life, was a huge advancement in technology, a real "tool".

Today things like cars, planes, watches and even sneakers are stuff people don't even use, they buy it and horde it and try to make a buck on it.
A Rolex is a shiny piece of valuable man jewelry that is expensive and shows status(admit it or not) that by default of it's heritage and quality can in effect do all the things it says it can and very reliably well. But if you are an underwater welder or chopping down trees with an ax for a living, the chances are extremely high that you are not walking into a Rolex store to buy a two tone SD43 or Skydweller to keep track of time...I mean solely on that pesky detail that they have pcls right...
Ridiculous.

I agree. So then why so much fuss from WIS over a new jubilee over the older oyster. Its just slightly flashier jewellry

[ADR1982]

Originally Posted by brandrea

They kind of already have with the jubilee bracelet.

This was my point. The jubilee on the GMT seems like a natural extension of this line... but still so many WIS upset over its deviation from so called "tool watch" dna

[Vamp]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

My perspective is simply life is short. The only thing my watch asks of me is to clean and lubricate it every ten years. I'll have maybe four of these during our time together. The rest of my short life on earth needs to be directed at relevant things that make sure my children have a nice quality of life and that I am taken care of when I'm old and feeble.
As we always said in the military..don't worry that'll buff out...in an ironic twist, so will the worries of pcls. I for one love them.

I'll take this watch any freaking day over some brushed up dull watch...
If only I could afford it lols.

Great principles to live by! I mean essentially all these watches are, are “Toys” to the majority of us! Expensive Toys, but nonetheless the less an object we love to obsess over and play with!

[glamorama]

Originally Posted by ADR1982

So with all the discussion regarding how Rolex has moved away from being a tool watch maker at one point to now producing flashy jewelry, this question popped up.

Of the professional series of watches, the GMT was initially developed for pilots and subsequently for WORLD travelers. Both of whom are relatively more 'well heeled' so to speak. Only in the recent past (by rolex timelines) has world travel really become more accessible to the masses. So while the GMT has had the durability of other more hardcore Sports models like the Sub or EXP (Which were actually intended to be used in harsh environments) , would it not make sense to add a little more Bling to the watch given its original demographic? Doesnt this fit in line with the other 'travelers watch' the SkyD which is also quite flashy?

I personally prefer brushed oyster on the GMT line, but I think in keeping with their original brief, blinging up the GMT in comparison to other sports may make sense?

Yes, I've been saying that all the time.. GMT and Daytona makes sense to have a little bling, if any sport models. Imao the Explorer and divers the least.

[rtalk]

The watches are not tools though the owners are .., :)

[Nepats81]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

My perspective is simply life is short. The only thing my watch asks of me is to clean and lubricate it every ten years. I'll have maybe four of these during our time together. The rest of my short life on earth needs to be directed at relevant things that make sure my children have a nice quality of life and that I am taken care of when I'm old and feeble.
As we always said in the military..don't worry that'll buff out...in an ironic twist, so will the worries of pcls. I for one love them.

I'll take this watch any freaking day over some brushed up dull watch...
If only I could afford it lols.

Great post.

I’m sure this isn’t you... but did you notice this guy shaved his arm hair? SAD!

[VacherObsessive]

Originally Posted by amh

Yeah you better leave the Rolex in the safe and wear your G-shock. That booze cart will destroy a watch before you know it!

Actually I wear an Explorer 1 (and as of last week) an Explorer 2, for all work travel. They have seen their fair share of dings and knocks from turbulent drinks carts...

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by Nepats81

Great post.

I’m sure this isn’t you... but did you notice this guy shaved his arm hair? SAD!

That is proudly me. I don't do body hair, for those hairy apes out there that rock the back fur at the beach, more power to you.

[Vamp]

Originally Posted by Rashid.bk

That is proudly me. I don't do body hair, for those hairy apes out there that rock the back fur at the beach, more power to you.

Haha more and more guys rocking the no hair on arms and legs! I mean I shave my chest and stomach but I just can’t bring myself to shave my forearms! You’re just more metro than I

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by ADR1982

So with all the discussion regarding how Rolex has moved away from being a tool watch maker at one point to now producing flashy jewelry, this question popped up.

Of the professional series of watches, the GMT was initially developed for pilots and subsequently for WORLD travelers. Both of whom are relatively more 'well heeled' so to speak. Only in the recent past (by rolex timelines) has world travel really become more accessible to the masses. So while the GMT has had the durability of other more hardcore Sports models like the Sub or EXP (Which were actually intended to be used in harsh environments) , would it not make sense to add a little more Bling to the watch given its original demographic? Doesnt this fit in line with the other 'travelers watch' the SkyD which is also quite flashy?

I personally prefer brushed oyster on the GMT line, but I think in keeping with their original brief, blinging up the GMT in comparison to other sports may make sense?

This is a good point, I’m not a huge fan of the pcl’s but that does not take away from The functionality of the watch, in fact may make it a bit more versatile for folks. I have less a problem with the pcl’s and more with the ceramic-yes people are going to jump on me and get defensive about this but no, ceramic does not have a place on a tool watch. Ceramic belongs in a kitchen.

Someone posted a pic with a ceramic gmt a couple weeks back, fiddled around with the things and bam, broken insert likely to the tune of 600 bills or more. Yes the old aluminum ones get scratched and faded, albeit after years of use. Cost to replace-60 bucks and no chance of out right failure.

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by Vamp

Haha more and more guys rocking the no hair on arms and legs! I mean I shave my chest and stomach but I just can’t bring myself to shave my forearms! You’re just more metro than I

And I rock my little LV district pm man purse on travels....oops I mean satchel. Indiana Jones had one so it's cool.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by ADR1982

This was my point. The jubilee on the GMT seems like a natural extension of this line... but still so many WIS upset over its deviation from so called "tool watch" dna

Well the jubilee is part of the GMT heritage... so I'm good

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