Project GMT: Name discussion

[Yao]

The discussion regarding the name for this project is now open. Looking forward to your ideas!

[messenius]

I'll start

Time Traveler.

I like the idea (with double meaning) but not sure if it would look on the dial.

[enkidu]

I like "Clipper" from the previous suggestions. Orion (after the 2001 Pan Am space ship) is sadly not an option since Nomos already has a (quite wonderful) watch by that name. We could continue the Kingston, Nassau, theme with "Montego" after MBJ, Montego Bay Jamaica, the airport in Jamaica where Ian Fleming wrote most of his books, including Goldfinger, the movie version of which features a classic Rolex GMT Master, the crown-guardless 6542 which this project references. Actually, I like this the best: Montego​.

[Thieuster]

KEY WEST

Being the birthplace of PanAm. The town of KW has a Caribbean look and feel, so I think it's in line with the other names like Nassau and Kingston. And tbh, an American watch with an American history needs an American name. Although being European, I can see the point of that.

Menno

[kkmark]

KEY WEST

Being the birthplace of PanAm. The town of KW has a Caribbean look and feel, so I think it's in line with the other names like Nassau and Kingston. And tbh, an American watch with an American history needs an American name. Although being European, I can see the point of that.

Menno

I'd agree with Menno - Key West has my vote. I think "travel" when I hear that name.

And Key West is the same length in characters as Kingston if a space is left between the two words.

[magix7]

KEY WEST

Being the birthplace of PanAm. The town of KW has a Caribbean look and feel, so I think it's in line with the other names like Nassau and Kingston. And tbh, an American watch with an American history needs an American name. Although being European, I can see the point of that.

Menno

Gotta go with the above as well! Key West is fitting with the current theme of this series of watches by MKII.

[cpotters]

I must confess that, while I've always been a fan of the "Clipper" name, Menno's point is well taken. We have a "Kingston", a "Nassau" and now - perhaps - a "Key West". All the these watches SHARE so much. They share the same early R*l*x DNA ca. 1953, same cases, same bracelets, same hint of adventure in the names (James Bond or otherwise, the Caribbean has hinted at adventure since privateers plied their waters for Queen Elizabeth) and much more.

If you think of these watches as part of the same series, then it makes even more sense. However, Pan Am's headquarters were only briefly in Key West, and only for those first few months so they wouldn't lose the "Pan-American Mail" contract from the US Government:

"The airline was started by Juan Terry Trippe. His goal was, “To provide mass air transportation for the average man at rates he can afford to pay.”
Juan Trippe received the contract for US – Cuba mail service. In order to hold this air-mail contract Pan Am had to fly the Key West – Havana mail route by October 19, 1927. But the F-7 they ordered was not due to be delivered until September 30^th. Pan Am chartered a West Indian Aerial Express Fairchild for $145.50.

Service was started October 18, 1927 when La Nina flew 90 miles from Key West to Havana. January 16, 1928 seven passengers aboard a Fokker F-7 inaugurated the first scheduled US flag commercial passenger service between Key West and Havana, a distance of 90 miles".

a quote from the Pan Am Airways website ( Pan Am History: Early Days of Pan Am ).

Therefore, I'd like to throw "Havana" in there as a possible name, as it was the Havana run - pushing service outside the US - , that put the "Pan" in PanAm". My $0.02

[Yao]

I like "Clipper" from the previous suggestions. Orion (after the 2001 Pan Am space ship) is sadly not an option since Nomos already has a (quite wonderful) watch by that name. We could continue the Kingston, Nassau, theme with "Montego" after MBJ, Montego Bay Jamaica, the airport in Jamaica where Ian Fleming wrote most of his books, including Goldfinger, the movie version of which features a classic Rolex GMT Master, the crown-guardless 6542 which this project references. Actually, I like this the best: Montego​.

I would be surprised if "Clipper" wasn't a PanAm trademark in some respect, may be not for watches in particular but frankly I would prefer not to even broach the issue.

[Jim C.]

My first thought when I saw the thread was Greenwich, but Menno's suggestion of Key West does seem to continue with the established theme.

[tomr]

While the reference to "PanAm" and "Clipper" might be restricted, the watch is based upon a GMT model, and Key West, Montego, Havana, etc., just don't connote the GMT concept enough. Names such as "Greenwich", "Meridian", and "Zulu Time" better convey this reference. I have also suggested a simple " MKII GMT" in the past, which I think is a clean and straight forward moniker.