Rolex has upgraded its popular travel watch, the GMT-Master II, in stainless steel with a blue and black “Batman” bezel. We tested one of the first pieces with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement in this feature.
The blue and black color scheme on the bezel of this fake Rolex GMT-Master II has led its fans to call it “Batman”. The current version comes with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement, launching in 2019. Its predecessor in the same colors as these appeared in 2013 and was the first Rolex model to feature a two-tone ceramic bezel. This particular color combination did not exist before; the first GMT-Master II in 1954 featured a blue and red 24-hour scale, and later became known as the “Pepsi” because of this color combination.
Today, the GMT-Master II in steel is available in two versions that differ only in the color of the bezel: the Pepsi and the Batman, our test watch. Both feature a new movement and the five-row Jubilee bracelet was once reserved only for the Datejust model. Rolex previously equipped the GMT-Master II Gold and Rolesor (steel and gold) GMT-Master II models with a sportier three-row Oyster bracelet. Replica Rolex designed the Jubilee bracelet for the Datejust in 1945, but as early as 1959, the GMT-Master was also available with a Jubilee bracelet as an option. Like the GMT-Master II’s Oyster bracelet, the inner links are polished and the outer links are brushed.
These colors were originally chosen to more clearly distinguish day and night times in a second-time zone. These and other specifications originated with Pan Am, who requested this model. New jet aircraft made intercontinental flights shorter and more popular, and as the number of flights increased, so did the demand for cheap replica watches with dual time zone capability. The popularity of the GMT-Master came from its pilot’s watch style and colorful, instantly recognizable bezel. Later, there were reserved versions such as the black and red “Coke” model.
The Jubilee bracelet is very comfortable to wear. The small links fit snugly around the wrist and do not pull on the delicate wrist hair. The Oyster bracelet is also comfortable thanks to its curved links. The bracelet and case are still made of non-corrosive 904L stainless steel, which Rolex has recently started calling “Oystersteel”.