Timex’s Latest Pan Am Collab Is a Slice of Watchmaking History

2 min readThere are a few logos in the history of aviation quite as instantly recognizable as Pan Am’s blue globe. The airline disappeared from the skies more than three decades ago, but its midcentury branding still has enough cultural mileage to make watch collaborations particularly appealing.The new Pan Am x Timex Automatic GMT—part of the watchmaker’s ongoing collab with the defunct airline—takes the familiar blue-and-white branding and puts it on a proper mechanical GMT, with a two-tone black-and-blue bezel, stainless-steel bracelet and Pan Am’s globe logo sitting proudly on the dial.And if you’re thinking it looks a bit familiar, then keen eyes, Captain!TimexThe watch has a direct connection to one of the most famous pilot’s watches ever made: the Rolex GMT-Master. In the 1950s, Pan Am worked with Rolex on a watch that allowed pilots to keep track of two time zones while flying long-haul routes. Rolex launched the GMT-Master in 1955, with the now-famous 24-hour bezel designed to work alongside an additional GMT hand. Pan Am subsequently became the watch’s official airline partner, with its pilots wearing branded GMT-Masters.TimexSo, yes, this Timex is not only looking ‘“fly”—but is also carrying a little bit of horological history.The new Waterbury Automatic GMT is 41.5mm across and 13.5mm thick, with a brushed stainless-steel case and a double-domed K1 mineral crystal with anti-reflective treatment. Around the dial is a bidirectional 24-hour bezel in black and blue, while the blue-and-white GMT hand points you towards a second time zone.The dial itself is silver-white, with luminous hour markers, a date window at 3 o’clock, and the Pan Am globe at 9 o’clock. There is another little hit of airline nostalgia on the oversized crown, while the exhibition case back gives you a look at the automatic movement.timexAnd this is where the new watch differs from some of Timex’s previous Pan Am pieces. Rather than quartz, the Waterbury Automatic GMT uses Timex’s M10V automatic movement. It has 24 jewels, beats at 21,600 vibrations per hour, and offers around 41 hours of power reserve.The integrated 20mm steel bracelet keeps things pilot-watch-meets-1970s-airline-lounge, with quick-release bars, a push-button butterfly clasp, and tool-free adjustments.TimexFor now, there is a catch. The Pan Am x Timex Waterbury Automatic GMT (TW2Y94300X6) has launched in India for INR64,995, which is roughly $688 at current exchange rates. The model is not currently listed on Timex's U. S. collection, although Timex does sell other Pan Am collaborations here.The Timex obviously isn't trying to be a Rolex, and at this price it doesn't need to. What it does offer is the same basic visual language: an automatic GMT, a rotating 24-hour bezel, an airline connection, and a good-looking bracelet.Timex has not yet confirmed a wider release, so American watch fans will have to wait a little longer to find out if this particular piece of Pan Am nostalgia lands closer to home.