THE QUIRKY BACKSTORY OF . THE QUIRKY BACKSTORY OF . THE QUIRKY BACKSTORY OF . THE QUIRKY BACKSTORY OF . THE QUIRKY BACKSTORY OF
AIRLINE-BRANDED WATCHES. AIRLINE-BRANDED WATCHES. AIRLINE-BRANDED WATCHES. AIRLINE-BRANDED WATCHES
28 April 2025
The Quirky Backstory of Airline-Branded Watches
Long before the era of budget airlines and digital boarding passes, the skies belonged to the bold.
And on the wrists (and walls) of pilots and passengers alike were timepieces born from unique collaborations between watchmakers and airlines.
Among them, the universal geneve Polerouter De Luxe was famously developed by a young Gérald Genta for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) to accompany pilots on polar flights—a route that demanded exceptional anti-magnetic resistance.
One little-known detail: these watches were designed to withstand the intense magnetic fields encountered when flying over the North Pole, which was cutting-edge for the time.
As for Pan Am’s legendary status, it lives on not only through the rolex GMT-Master, but also through rare Rolex wall clocks once displayed in first-class lounges and airline offices. Many were quartz-powered with Pan Am’s unmistakable blue globe logo—true icons of aviation décor, now highly sought-after by collectors.
