Designed in 1954 in collaboration with pilots and navigators from the former Pan American Airways. 

In 2007 the model then underwent a transformation, with most of the Rolex ranges, to the new generation of bolder cases with ceramic bezels. It had a black dial and bezel until it was reimagined in 2024 with a half black and half grey bezel. This now brought it in line with the whole design approach of GMT models having split bezel colours which also contributed to their function.

It also saw this new version adopt the nickname of 'Bruce Wayne' as a tie-in with some of the the other GMT models such as the 'Batman' and 'Batgirl'.