1968 Rolex Gold GMT-Master 'Flying the Concorde' 

A full-color 1960s watch advertisement is something to behold — and when the watch being advertised is gold, it becomes something more entirely. Some fifty years ago, when this ad was freshly printed, no one was splitting hairs when it came to Rolex. They were aspirational things, certainly, but they were all just watches first and foremost. However at a certain point, collectors and dealers started to look for subtleties to differentiate certain models.

While nicknames for watches typically come from the iconic figures who owned and wore them, the 1675/8, known to the collector community as the “Concorde” GMT, owes its distinction to this advertising campaign. If you look closely at the watch you’ll notice the unique stick-shaped hour and minute hands. In all advertisements that have a solid gold and brown GMT-Master  — and that feature a Concorde — these are the hands you’ll find on the watch. A subtle difference, to be sure, but it’s these small details that differentiate Rolex watches (and that collectors go crazy for). And though the Concorde may no longer be operational, this vibrant  advertisement perfectly captures its time in the zeitgeist.

A fun fact: Not only is this piece of legendary marketing in color, but it’s also the first Rolex ad to feature the GMT-Master and Concorde. 

About our collaboration with Ad Patina

We're thrilled to be collaborating once again with our longtime friend Nick at Ad Patina to bring you a selection of the most-popular and hard to find original vintage magazine advertisements curated specifically for Analog:Shift!

Scouring the world for forgotten marketing treasures, Ad Patina's raison de être very much mimics our own - to hunt down these wonderful bits of history, preserve and restore them as needed, and share them with an enthusiastic community.

These documents of horological and advertising history have entered the collecting conversation as the ultimate accompanying accessory to go along with hobbies and passions. They have found themselves framed in homes and offices around the world. 

Every one of these wonderful pieces is a genuine, vintage advertisement that has been professionally framed to ensure years of enjoyment to come - no reprints or reproductions here!

Much like a traditional piece of art - a painting or photograph - an original advertisement can be appreciated for its design as well as for its power to evoke nostalgia. Something vintage enthusiasts know all about!