Time and time again, the watch gods prove to that they have a sense of humor. Back in April, Rolex walked into Watches & Wonders and retired the GMT-Master II “Pepsi,” the red-and-blue travel watch that launched a thousand waitlists. Seven months later, Timex, of all brands, is the one filling that void. We’ve been tracking Giorgio Galli’s upmarket Atelier experiment since day one, and loved the GMT24 when we reviewed it at launch. Now that very watch has been handed horology’s most famous color combo with the new Timex Atelier GMT24 M1a “Pepsi.”
A Pepsi Served Under Glass
Here’s the twist that makes this more than just a simple paint job. The red-and-blue 24-hour scale doesn’t live on a rotating bezel like it has since the first GMT-Master in 1955.
Instead, the fully lumed ring sits inside the case, beneath the domed glass-box sapphire, hovering above the fired black enamel dial like it’s frozen mid-air.
Timex also swapped the original’s orange GMT hand for a proper red arrow to tie the whole look together, while the date window stays put beside 3 o’clock.
The Same Bones We Raved About
Everything underneath is the watch we already fell for during our initial review. That means a 40mm skeletonized stainless steel case with a gunmetal IP-coated mid-case, a screw-down crown, and 100 meters of water resistance in a very wearable 12.7mm profile.
The Swiss-made Landeron L24 GMT automatic still beats away behind the exhibition caseback, running 28 jewels, a roughly 40-hour reserve, and caller-style second time zone tracking. And the self-adjusting bracelet remains one of our favorites in the category, letting you resize without any tools.
It follows September’s 38mm “Sprite” GMT Première, and a blue Marine M1a diver dropped right alongside it.
Doing the Pepsi Math
Before Rolex pulled the plug, the steel Pepsi retailed for $11,800 (good luck finding one at that number today).
Timex’s take lands at $1,450 on the bracelet or $1,350 on rubber, and it’s exactly the kind of math that’s made Atelier such a fun story to follow.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Timex Atelier
Model: GMT24 M1a “Pepsi”
References: TW6A20600 (bracelet), TW6A20700 (rubber)
Case Size: 40mm
Lug-to-Lug: 48.11mm
Case Thickness: 12.7mm
Movement: Swiss-made Landeron L24 GMT automatic
Power Reserve: ~40 hours
Crystal: Glass-box sapphire, triple anti-reflective coating
Water Resistance: 100m
Band: Self-adjustable stainless steel bracelet or black NBR rubber strap
Pricing & Availability
The Timex Atelier GMT24 M1a “Pepsi” is available now directly from Timex, priced at $1,450 on the self-adjusting stainless steel bracelet or $1,350 on the black NBR rubber strap. Given how quickly the original Atelier releases moved, we wouldn’t sit on this one.
Recap
Timex Atelier GMT24 M1a “Pepsi”
Seven months after Rolex retired the Pepsi, Timex drops a $1,450 Swiss-made take with its red-and-blue scale floating under glass.
