Rolex GMT Master ref.6542 Albino

[StefanoMazzariol]

http://stefanomazzariol.blogspot.com...42-albino.html



English version coming soon..

Ciao Stefano

[steboe]

Thank you!
Impressive comparison of crown print imperfections
...these are the days of miracles and wonders...

[Prof. Rolex]

Caro Stefano,
mille gracie! At first sight a very impressive comparison, but unfortunately my italian is not good enough to fully understand your writing and I´m waiting eagerly for the english version.

Nevertheless I think, that only Rolex can give 100% security about the authenticity of the shown watch. We can discuss and research over many pages the printings, logos and all the other details, but we will never come to a final conclusion. Therefore, if I were you, I would make a trip to Geneva and would show the watch to the Rolex-Service-Department. If they say “yes”, than the shown white 6542 is authentic, if they say “no”, we only have another example of a non-authentic 6542-bianco.

Several years ago, we had a RLX-member from inside Rolex and sometimes he gave some “kryptic” information. During a discussion about the white 6542, a well known GMT-specialist wrote: “The white GMT does not exist!” and our friend answered: “What I can see in reality in a certain company and what can be read in the archive of a certain company is not congruent with your opinion”. Reading between the lines gives the impression, that Rolex really made a white GMT-Master. But how does it really looks like, were there only a very few examples, where are those white GMTs today?

May be you have really found one of those, but in my opinion security about the authenticity can only give Rolex in Geneva.

Best Regards to Italy
Matthias

[StefanoMazzariol]

... is on line!!

[WUM]

very interesting, thank you !!



greets



Wum

[GeorgB]

Original von Prof. Rolex

Nevertheless I think, that only Rolex can give 100% security about the authenticity of the shown watch. We can discuss and research over many pages the printings, logos and all the other details, but we will never come to a final conclusion. Therefore, if I were you, I would make a trip to Geneva and would show the watch to the Rolex-Service-Department. If they say “yes”, than the shown white 6542 is authentic, if they say “no”, we only have another example of a non-authentic 6542-bianco.

Several years ago, we had a RLX-member from inside Rolex and sometimes he gave some “kryptic” information. During a discussion about the white 6542, a well known GMT-specialist wrote: “The white GMT does not exist!” and our friend answered: “What I can see in reality in a certain company and what can be read in the archive of a certain company is not congruent with your opinion”. Reading between the lines gives the impression, that Rolex really made a white GMT-Master. But how does it really looks like, were there only a very few examples, where are those white GMTs today?

May be you have really found one of those, but in my opinion security about the authenticity can only give Rolex in Geneva.

Hi Matthias - how are you?

I agree 100% !!

Rolex has produced many prototypes of watches and many different type of dials. Maybe there is a white out there, but only Rolex can verify this.

3 month ago I have seen a white GMT (italian owner) in the netherlands called "100% authentic". It was a GMT Ref 1675 PCG, early 60ths.

I have seen many rare diving watches with direct documented link to the original owner. But I have never seen one of the aprox. 100-200 white GMTs with a documented link to the owner.

btw:
Why are in theese days only bakelite-6542 GMTs out there? Even with a high serial number? In case of a simple Red-Sub everybody takes care that there is a correct serial number range belonging to the red dial. In case of old GMT everybody assembles Bakelite to wrong (higher) serial numbers ... arghhh!


.

[newharry]

I have to agree with Matthias and Georg, but nevertheless that's great investigative work!

[PCS]

Oh! I was very curious about this story. Fantastic work, perfect comparsions.

And YES





but still have doubts.

[ehemaliges mitglied 18773]

Hallo Stefano,

thank you for sharing the link.
Would be great if the white GMT is authentic.

At least it looks great

Kind regards

Frank

[Vanessa]

Hmmmm, thast was my post in VRF....

"First, too me that dial in combination with the words "PAN AM" was always the Yeti- everyone claims he exists but noone has ever seen him. So, I was the biggest sceptical like JB and Viper when this showed up.

Second: Stefano never showed the caseback of the watch and there is still a myth.

Third: "Rinaldi-style" indeces...writing on the dial

Fourth: The "SWISS"

All these points were abolished in that way:

1. Stefano did not mention "Pan Am"
2. Still to show but here we are talking about the dial
3. Ok, as the scans proofed with the overlay and other dials
4. Same as "3"

Concerning the "ink-dripping" in the coronet I had a look in my database of the company and what did I find? (As some of you may know I am involved in plastic/carbon/ business and therefore in colours especially translucent ones)

ALL colours from that age have nearly the same chemical attitude regarding Thixotrophy!!!!! (based on the colour making ingredients) Means the thickness of the colour itself when being poured (ok, very rude and simple description)

However, BLACK is about 30% thinner (still today, if not adjusted) as black is easily to get as a colour. Assuming that the dial was printed with the same technology in a series of just 1 (?) to maybe x, using the same tampon printing process, it is possible that the black colour is more dripping and you see the result....not much time to adjust the process regarding colour quantity when you have only one dial or maybe 5 or 10- this needs to be done within the 50s or even 100s. And yes, I know what I am talking about, we use Tampon print here. New colour means new adjustment!

As a conclusion: I buy that dial....the combination of this dial and Pan Am has to be investigated further.....separate Pan AM from that dial, guys....

[StefanoMazzariol]

...i separate Pan Am

Rolex GMT – Master 6542 ALBINO

The name GMT – Master was registered by Rolex on April 21, 1955 and immediately after commercialised during the following 4 years.
During the production years many and continuing modifications and adjustments were made regarding the mechanism, engravings, winding crowns, hands and dials variations.
Usually the dials dedicated to this stainless steel reference were produced with the “galvanic” procedure.




Briefly, the dial plate was immersed in a golden galvanic solution, in the next step with the help of a tampon pad was positioned a “DECAL” or “TRANSFER” for graphics and everything which had to remain in gold.
After that, the dial was again immersed in a black galvanic solution, which covers everything except on the Decal.
At the end, to obtain a mirror glossy finishing, a very thin transparent paint, called ZAPON, was applied and, as last step, the luminous material was positioned.


All the above for the universally known dials; but the legend of the White GMT was already alive.
Everybody heard about that, but anybody has never seen it.
Somebody said there was a connection with the world famous airline company Pan-am (Panamerican Airways), which logo had the white colour as dominant, but honestly, I cannot confirm if this correlation is a truth.




What is certain, of this reference not less than 5 different guilt variations: GMT – MASTER in red, with the graphics and the depth, big luminous dots and small luminous dots, glossy silver version…
As all legends hide a little truth and, unexpectedly I had the pleasure, during my researches in the vintage watches world, to hit with a Rolex GMT – MASTER ref. 6542 produced in 1958 with the WHITE DIAL.




Unlike the above mentioned galvanic dials, this white dial was realized with the pad printing method.
The pad printing is a non direct offset print, which allows to reproduce in a not complicated way, but in high resolution, pictures, graphics and decorations, both in flat surfaces and concave, convex and in any case irregular ones.
Basically it is a system that allows to transfer images and graphics 2D on 3D items and surfaces. With a flexible and soft tampon (generally made in silicon) a small indelible ink is transferred on a metal place (copperplate cliché) directly on the surface.
This surface could also be not flat, but using the soft tampon is possible to adapt it to not regular surfaces .
The copperplate allows to obtain a very high definition print, very similar to the silkscreen, it is a very sharp definition method, in multicolour if needed, also with a “wet on wet” system.
We can resume the above in 5 main points:

1. An image is engraved on a metal made cliché, in the pad printing machine.
2. An indelible ink is put on the cliché surface, carefully cleaning the exceeding ink,.
3. A tampon (today made in silicon) is pressed on the cliché to fill the “shaped” ink.
4. The tampon is positioned on the item to be printed, until it joins perfectly the surface.
5. Removing the tampon, the item is printed.

This in a short exemplificative description is how the dials were and are today handmade.
Obviously, the graphic results are different depending on the different surfaces.
We can confirm the full dial originality comparing the small defects and variations among different clichés.




Please, note the clichés used in one of the last version of the guilt dials is substantially the same used to realize the “ALBINO” dial here illustrated.
As always, the small usual “defects” (e.g. the small flaw on the crown logo, the graphics on the engravings …) help us to confirm the indisputable originality of this piece.




Everything surrounded by an original bezel in “bakelite”, in the best conditions I have ever seen.




It is really exciting for me to have in my hands what for everybody was just a legend.
It is my great pleasure and I m proud to introduce and share with you, without any doubt and fear of contradiction, one of the rarest original Rolex GMT – MASTER reference 6542 “ALBINO”.


Stefano Mazzariol

[Eddm]

I have read everything and although I unfortunately can not contribute anything to this topic, i nevertheless find it very interesting. Many thanks for your hard work and everyones explanations!