The Rolex GMT Master has always been an essential timepiece for Rolex and the famous bi-colored bezel in red and blue is strongly associated with the company, commonly called “Pepsi”. As a matter of fact, the GMT- Master is one of the most iconic timepieces in the world.

In 2007 the GMT Master II reference 16710 was discontinued and was replaced by the maxi-case GMT Master II reference 116710LN which, for the first time had a bezel insert made in ceramic for the stainless steel GMT Master II. However, this meant that the bi-colored bezel no longer existed, but instead only a full-black bezel insert.

Perhaps was the reason for this that the technique to develop a ceramic bezel insert with two colors was too difficult at the time. The process of combining two different colors in ceramic and creating a razor-sharp line between them is a technique that is exceptionally difficult.

In 2013 Rolex introduced, for the first time, a bi-colored bezel insert for the GMT Master II. After many years of research and development, Rolex had mastered the art.

However, the colors were a surprise for many as the color combination previously hadn’t existed. Instead of coming up with new colors for the GMT, Rolex decided to use two already familiar colors but instead decided to match them together.

The new GMT Master II with a bi-colored bezel insert which was blue and black and had the reference number 116710BLNR but quickly was given the nickname “Batman”. It wasn’t until the year after, in 2014, that Rolex for the first time since 2007 brought back the “Pepsi” insert for the GMT Master II, the catch was that this watch, for the first time ever in the GMT Master line-up, was made in 18K solid white gold which was mass-produced.

The only GMT Master II made in white gold prior was the reference 116769TBR said to have only been made in 10 pieces worldwide. The GMT Master II reference 116719BLRO with an oyster bracelet with polished center links was beautiful and finally, after 8 years, the blue/red color combination was available for the GMT Master II once again.

116719BLRO MK1 Dial → MK2 Dial

The first dial for the re-introduced GMT Master II “Pepsi” was black with white gold hour markers, as seen above. It was also the only available dial for the model until 2018. In 2018 Rolex decided to bring back the “Pepsi” version of the GMT Master II in stainless steel reference 126710BLRO now featuring a jubilee bracelet, which it only was sold with.

However, the dilemma was that the stainless steel version “Pepsi” was introduced with a black dial, and because of this, Rolex decided to change the white gold “Pepsi” dial to matte blue and encouraged all owners of a Rolex GMT Master II in white gold with a black dial to change for a matte blue, free of charge, in case they wanted at a Rolex Authorized Service Center. This was to satisfy customers who had bought white gold GMT-Masters who bought the watch for prestige, and not have them be mixed up with the much-more affordable steel versions. In other words, to differentiate the GMT-Masters in white gold from the GMT-Masters in steel with the Pepsi bezel.

This is a very generous gesture of Rolex and of course, was appealing to a lot of owners with the white gold “Pepsi” because, for the untrained eye, looked just like a stainless steel version. The only difference was the bracelet between the two. With this said, Rolex stuck to the blue dial for every GMT Master II white gold “Pepsi” produced ever after, which makes the black dial rather unique and sought after for collectors -although, of course, there’s just something special about blue dials.

The only way to distinguish a white gold “Pepsi” reference 116719BLRO black dial from a stainless steel “Pepsi” is really the crown placed between “Swiss” and “Made”.

New Reference 126719BLRO Is Introduced

In 2019 Rolex decided to discontinue the Rolex GMT Master II in white gold with the reference 116719BLRO. The blue dial which was available in the first generation white gold GMT Master II “Pepsi” had the text “Swiss Made” at the 6 o’clock position. As the new reference 126719BLRO was introduced with a new generation caliber, the text had a crown added in the middle, which now displayed “Swiss ♛ Made”, which makes it different from the first generation blue dial.

The new generation movement is indicated with a “♛” for the blue dial which is a new feature of the GMT Master line ever. The crown between Swiss and made is now a standard feature in all Rolex watches featuring the new generation Rolex calibers.

Rolex also decided create an extremely special meteorite dial version of the white gold GMT-Master II. What’s unique about this dial is that every dial is different from eachother as they are made from a meteorite. Because of the scarcity, rare nature, and complexity of the material, the dial is largely made by hand to ensure perfection.

A meteorite is a piece of debris from a solid mass such as a meteoroid, comet, or asteroid which survives the fall from space and successfully crashes on earth or the moon. Have in mind that most meteorites that fall to Earth burn before they reach earth.  Various factors such as friction and pressure cause the mass to heat up and gain energy once the debris enters the atmosphere.

This process can be seen from earth and is commonly known as a fallen or shooting star. At this stage, the debris is a meteor and what you see is literally a fireball falling rapidly. Once the meteor has landed on a bigger mass such as the earth or the moon it then becomes a meteorite. Because of this, the material is fairly rare and hard to work with and this is what causes every dial to be unique for the watch.

Caliber 3186 → Caliber 3285

As mentioned, the new model reference 126719BLRO was added with a new generation Caliber 3285. The power reserve was increased to 70 hours, which was previously only about 50 hours. A big difference is also the Paraflex Schock observers which take the precision of this movement to +/- 2 seconds per 24 Hours which previously in the Caliber 3186 were +/- 4 seconds per 24 Hours.

The Paraflex is a tiny component making a huge difference in the accuracy of the movement as its’ function is to firmly position the hairspring and prevent any deformation, this tiny patented component by Rolex does also improve the shock resistance by up to 50 percent. The new Caliber 3285 really is a great movement that is greatly reliable, and because of this Rolex now also gives the recommendation to service your watch every 10 years, which, not too long ago, was recommended every 5 years. In other words, it is a huge technical improvement to the movement that leads to greater service intervals.

The Crown & Its Functions

The crown is made out of 18K solid white gold and is a screw-in crown with crown guards that protects the crown from being damaged.

The crown has a Rolex coronet as a marking and three dots underneath it, meaning that it is a Triplock crown system that prevents water and dust from entering the watch. The Triplock crown was first introduced to the maxi-case GMT Master II, and previously the GMT Master was equipped with a twin lock crown system.

The reason for the change, although it’s not an official statement from Rolex, is likely to be that the Twinlock crown which is smaller than the Triplock crown does not proportionally fit the bigger and more rugged maxi-case, and therefore,  the Triplock crown is a better choice for the model. When unscrewing the crown, the first position is to wind the watch, this function is handy if your watch has stopped and you want to wind the watch up and get it started.

When you pull out the crown an additional step, you control the independent hour-hand which can be set without affecting the minute, GMT, or seconds hand.

The GMT Master II reference 126719BLRO does not have the function to set the date separately, so it would be in the first position when you pull out the crown that adjusts the date by rotating the hour-hand. The second step when you pull out the crown controls the minute hand, which also affects the hour hand, but also the GMT hand.

18K Solid White Gold Case And Bracelet 

The material used for the GMT Master II 126719BLRO is  18K white gold which is made in-house in Rolex’s very own foundry. The case, just like the bracelet is solid which really gives a rugged impression and the weight really does surprise at first, but of course, this is something that the wearer gets used to just like any other watch after some time.

The case of the watch has a brushed finish on the lugs and a polished finish on the sides and measures 40mm in diameter. The bracelet is an Oyster Bracelet, with 20mm end-links, with a classic gold PCL (Polished Centered Links) finished design, with links that are easily removed with screws. This, according to many, makes the polished centered links exposed and easy to scratch which in some cases can be annoying.

However, the PCL construction gives the impression of a fresh and shiny look and does really add a lot to the luxurious overall impression of the watch. After all, a white gold watch should have a sense of elegance.

The bracelet does also have the brilliant Easylink Comfort extension system which offers the function to extend or shorten if it’s already pulled out, the bracelet with 5mm. This becomes extra handy and a must-have function during the summer or any other place where it is hot and your wrist swells and changes in size due to the heat. This allows for a perfect fit at all times. Although the GMT Master II is a rugged case similar to the Submariner, the water resistance is only 100 meters.

According to Rolex, there is no problem swimming with this watch or snorkel, but some may question why the water resistance only is 100 meters when it easily could be 300 meters, just like the Submariner.

Perhaps the reason for this is that the watch is not meant to be in the water as it was originally developed for Pan AM pilots who only needed the function to display separate timezones simultaneously when flying across timezones. It’s not like Rolex doesn’t have the know-how to make the water resistance 200 or even 300 meters. It’s just that they don’t want to and doesn’t think it makes sense.

Bidirectional 24-Hour Bezel 

The bezel is made in white gold and has a Rolex Cerachrome bezel inlay with the iconic blue and red color scheme. The bezel is bidirectional meaning that you can turn it both clockwise and counterclockwise to display a third timezone. Although the GMT Master is known for having the possibility to set two different timezones simultaneously in the watch, it is actually possible to add a third if you wish by rotating the bezel.

The bezel has 24 clicks which means that a full rotation has 1 click for every hour of the day. When turning the bezel, you get the feeling of a genuine and well-made construction, and it is, once again easy to understand why Rolex’s innovative mechanical solutions are the best for their sports watches when it comes to every single detail that you might not think of when looking at the watch, but experience once you start to use the functions of it.

First Timezone: 

The watch has four hands, and in order to display the first timezone, you will only need to set the hour and minute hand to any time you wish. That would perhaps be to display be the time of the timezone in which you currently are.

Second Timezone:

To set a second timezone, the GMT hand which is the fourth hand in red with an arrow at the tip will be set to a different timezone of your choice. In order to make this easier, it is recommended to have the bezel aligned up with the arrow pointing at the 12 o’clock hour marker. The GMT hand will rotate a full turn every 24 hours, meaning that every half-hour gap is an hour.

If the bezel is correctly aligned with the GMT hand, it will help you determine what time it is. This is easy to set and the idea is that the GMT hand should display your “timezone at home” and the independent hour hand can be set without affecting the minutes or GMT hand once you entered a different time-zone.

Third Timezone: 

With the help of the bezel, it is possible to set the third timezone by doing the reversed process of the second timezone, meaning that you align the bezel with the GMT hand to display a third timezone. By doing this the bezel will no longer be aligned according to the second time zone which means that you would have to remember the time the GMT hand is pointing at, which after some time with the watch is easy to remember.

The post Rolex GMT-Master II White Gold 116719BLRO & 126719BLRO Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The GMT-Master is one of Rolex’s most popular models. The watch that features an additional hour hand that enables you to keep track of multiple timezones simultaneously first started out as the GMT-Master, and was then updated to the new GMT-Master II model.

This watch has a legendary and interesting history of being a tool watch, specially developed for airline pilots who flew across time zones. Today, it is an appreciated timepiece amongst collectors as well as enthusiasts. In this post, we share top facts about the Rolex GMT-Master and the GMT-Master II that you may not know about.

Facts about the Rolex GMT-Master and the Rolex GMT-Master II

1. The GMT-Master was developed at the request of Pan American Airways

As the industry for commercial flights took off, planes started flying across time zones. Pan American Airways, one of the most legendary and established airlines at the time approached Rolex to develop a watch for their pilots and navigators. The request from PanAm was that Rolex developed a wristwatch that could enable the wearer to keep track of two timezones simultaneously. Rolex resounded to the company’s request, and born was the GMT-Master.

2. The first GMT-Master was launched in 1954

Rolex released the first GMT-Master in 1954 at the request of Panam. This watch carried the reference number 1954.

3. The first GMT-Master was radioactive

It’s true! The first GMT-Master came with a bakelite bezel inlay with 24-hour numerals. The bezel inlay was made in bakelite in order to be able to incorporate a luminous material inside for the markers, so the wearer could read them even in low-lit conditions (such as in the cockpit). The luminous material used was uranium – a material that is highly radioactive.

4. The first GMT-Master was recalled in the USA

This is a very interesting fact about the GMT-Master that not a lot of people are aware of. The GMT-Master was recalled as a result of its radioactive bezel. 

Concerns regarding the radium used were also raised, and the US after the Atomic Energy Commission found that the watch had too high levels of radioactive radiation. 

As a result of this,  Rolex made a press release where they recalled all of the 605 Bakelite GMT-Masters that had been exported to the United States of America.

As seen in the press release below, Rolex offered to replace the bezels free of charge.

5. The now-iconic GMT-Master with black and red bezel was first released in 1982

The watch that has now become known as the ”coke” was released in 1982. This watch featured a black and red aluminum bezel insert.

6. The GMT-Master II 126710BLRO had 10 patent applications filed over the course of its development

7. A Rolex GMT-Master was worn in the James Bond Movie ”Goldfinger”

In 1964, the actress Honor Blackman, playing the character Pussy Glore wore a GMT-Master reference 6542. This has resulted in the watch acquiring the nickname ”Pussy Galore”.

8. The first GMT-Master II was released in 1983

Previously, the model was called only ”GMT-Master”. With the introduction of reference 16760, the model name was now changed to ”GMT-Master II”.

9. Mel Gibson wore a Pepsi GMT -Master II in the 1990 movie “Air America”

10. The bakelite (plastic) bezel was replaced after two years of production

The main idea of the bakelite bezel was, as mentioned, to be able to incorporate radium in order to make the markers luminous. But plastic, as you know, is prone to cracking. This, together with the fact that it was radioactive, caused Rolex to replace the bakelite bezel two years later, in 1956, with an aluminum one instead.

11. Rolex first introduced the ceramic bezel for the GMT-Master II in 2005

The first GMT-Master II watch to feature the ceramic bezel was the full gold reference 116718.

12. The 116710BLNR was the first GMT-Master II to feature a bi-colored ceramic bezel

The 116710BLNR was the first GMT-Master II watch to have a bi-colored ceramic bezel, released in 2013. Prior to this, Rolex had only made the ceramic bezel in one single color – black.

The reason Rolex had not made them in a bi-color earlier (it does have a benefit, which is that it enables the wearer to distinguish between night and day more easily), was that the technique for doing so was so advanced, and hadn’t been developed yet. But in 2013, Rolex had finally cracked the code.

13. The GMT name derived from Greenwich Mean Time

Greenwich Mean Time is also known as Coordinated Universal Time. This is the time zone that is used for all aviation planning, weather forecasts, schedules, and more.

14. The GMT-Master was only water-resistant to 50 meters up until 1981

In 1981, Rolex doubled the water resistance from 50 to 100 meters, with the release of the reference 16750.

15. The applied indices of the modern GMT-Master Its are made in 18ct gold

Both the steel version and gold versions have indices made in 18ct gold. For steel watches, they are made of white gold.

16. The first GMT-Master had a 38mm case

The first GMT-Master reference 6542 had a 38mm case. All other GMT-Master models have a 40mm case.

17. The first GMT-Master was in production for 5 years but used 3 different movements

Rolex changed the movement for the 6542 3 times over the course of its 5-year production. First, the Caliber 1036, followed by the Caliber 1065, and lastly, Caliber 1066.

18. In 1971, Rolex introduced the hacking seconds function to the GMT-Master

The hacking function makes the seconds hand stop when the crown is pulled out. This allows for more accurate time-setting.

19. The reference 1675 is the longest production GMT-Master

The reference 1675 was introduced in 1959 and was in production until 1980. This makes it the longest-running GMT-Master in Rolex’s history. Over the course of the production period, many changes, upgrades, and refinements were made. This means that it is possible to find 1675s with many different subtle differences on the dial. Some of which are highly collectible.

20. In 1988, Rolex introduced the sapphire crystal to the GMT-Master

Previously, Rolex had only used acrylic crystals for the GMT-Master, but now, Rolex introduced the highly scratch-resistant sapphire crystals.

The post 20 Most Interesting Facts About the Rolex GMT-Master (II) appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Rolex GMT-Master II reference 126710BLNR was released at Baselworld 2019. The watch was – like all modern steel GMT-Master II watches – met with praise and positive reactions.

The watch is an upgrade to the previous reference 116710BLNR – which was discontinued at the same time as the new one was introduced. The differences between them are not huge, but there are a few key changes.

Firstly, the 126710BLNR has a new, upgraded GMT movement that has better performance. Visually, the big difference is the change from an Oyster bracelet to a Jubilee bracelet.

If you are considering buying a Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR, naturally, you want to know the sizes and dimensions of this watch, and how it sits on the wrist. However, due to the extremely high demand, and generally long waiting lists for this watch, it’s not that simple to just walk into an official Rolex retailer and try it on. This is why many people turn to the secondhand market – and this may mean buying it online without ever having tried it on.

In this 126710BLNR sizing guide, we have therefore listed the most important dimensions of this timepiece to help you get a better idea of how it will sit on the wrist.

Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR dimensions and size guide

• Diameter: 40mm
• Height/thickness: 12mm
• Lug to lug: 48mm
• Lug width: 20mm

Note that due to the fact that the watch has been fitted with a Jubilee bracelet, the watch, according to a lot of people, feels smaller than its predecessor. This can be attributed to the fact that the Oyster bracelet is more bulky and robust, as opposed to the neat and elegant Jubilee bracelet, which doesn’t feel as bulky on the wrist.

The dimensions of the 126710BLNR are identical to the dimensions of the 126710BLRO.

Watch the size and dimensions of the 126710BLNR presented in live-action

The post Rolex GMT-master II 126710BLNR Dimensions & Lug to lug Size Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The combination of gold and steel on a Rolex watch is something that has existed from Rolex for a long time.  In fact, Rolex introduced two-tone as well as its own name for the combination (Rolesor) in the 1930s. And while full steel or full gold have been the best options in most people’s eyes, two-tone has gotten very trendy and in-fashion in recent times.

A two-tone watch is upscale from a full steel watch, but far from as flashy as a full gold watch. And this is something that a lot of people appreciate today if you look at where the market is going. Two-tone certainly is “in-fashion” right now.  At Baselworld 2018, Rolex introduced the GMT-Master II 126711CHNR ”Root beer”. This watch is not just any watch, but for collectors and enthusiasts alike, it is so much more than that.

The original Rolex root beer is the GMT-Master 16753 which was first released in around 1963. Now, this watch is by no means identical to the modern interpretation of the Root beer, however, there is still a historical connection that we will look closer at further on.

Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR root beer

The 2018 Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR is certainly not your ordinary monochrome Rolex watch.

The watch is made of Rolesor – the combination of gold and steel.  However, rather than the most common yellow gold, this watch uses Everose gold.

What is most noticeable about this watch is, of course, the bi-color bezel, with half made in brown and the other half in black.

Now, before we go into the specifications of the 126711CHNR, let’s go back to the very beginning.

As mentioned, in 1963, Rolex released a GMT-Master featuring a brown sunburst dial and a bi-color bezel with one half made in brown and the other half in a yellow/goldish color.

This watch came to be referred to as the ”Root beer” by collectors because of its color scheme.

In 2018, Rolex released the watch we are focusing on in this article, which was instantly acquired the same nickname due to its resemblance to the original model. Now, there are a lot of people who argue that they are not very similar, and there is some truth to that. The original root beer has a brown dial, whereas the new reference 126711CHNR has a black ceramic dial.

Furthermore, the original root beer had a bezel which was made in two colors, as mentioned above. The modern interpretation only has half of the bezel made in brown and the other half in black. However, due to the iconic status of the root beer amongst collectors, the 126711CHNR has been a well-received watch that reminds us of a model that has almost been forgotten in favor of the ”Pepsi” GMT in particular.

Something I have to say is that Rolex did a great job in creating unity in this watch. The Everose two-tone matches perfectly with the brown bi-colored bezel, which wouldn’t have matched as well with yellow gold. Furthermore, the use of Everose gold also ensures the watch stays a bit more true to the original.

The original root beer and the modern root beer Rolex are in no way identical to each other, but you can still see the resemblance. Not to mention the fact that it’s the same model (except for the fact that the original is a GMT-Master and the new is a GMT-Master II). This is why today, some people consider it wrong to call the ceramic 126711CHNR for ”Root beer”.

Focusing on the 126711CHNR Root Beer, this has quickly become an incredibly popular watch. It features a bidirectional rotating bezel made with a ceramic bezel. The numerals on the bezel are painted in the same color as the Everose gold on the case and bracelet, which matches perfectly. To further build on the theme of brown/rose gold, the ”GMT-Master print on the dial has been made in a matching color. What is really interesting is that Rolex has decided not to make all the dial printing in gilt as the original has.

This means the second markers,  logo, and all text except for ”GMT-Master II” are printed in white. One reason could be legibility. But at the same time, the original had a brown dial and brown/gilt printing. The 126711CHNR has a black dial at least, which contrasts better.

In traditional Rolex fashion, the hour markers and hands are made in 18K gold. In this case, Everose gold. This goes together really well with the rest of the watch.

Caliber

The Rolex GMT-Master II 126711CHNR root beer is equipped with the caliber 3285. This movement features Rolex’s Chronergy escapement which has an improved geometry over the traditional Swiss lever, offering better efficiency (the power reserve gets a bump to 70 hours, over the 48-hour power reserve of its predecessor, the caliber 3186). The movement also has a Parachrom balance spring –  a niobium alloy spiral that offers better protection than standard Nivarox-type balance springs, against magnetism.

Bezel

The bezel is, of course, the most important part about this model, due to the fact that it is the part that reminds us the most about the original root beer.

The bezel is colored in two colors so that you are able to keep track of night and day in the second timezone on the 12-hour bezel. Black is night, and brown is the day. The ceramic inlay as you know, as virtually scratch-proof, unlike the original which was made in aluminum.

Unlike the original, the fact that the bezel has been made in ceramic changes everything. An aluminum bezel tends to remain quite flat in color, however, the ceramic Root Beer bezel can change dramatically depending on how the light hits it. In some conditions, the bezel can look completely black, whereas, in other lights, the color can turn into a goldfish, bright brown color. This is something that really adds to the charm of the Root Beer.

Case

The Rolex 126711chnr Root Beer features the ”maxi case”. On paper, this case is 40mm, just like the previous generation (and the original root beer), however, they appear completely different.

The reason is that the lugs have been made thicker and the crown guards have been made bulkier. So while the diameter on paper has remained the same, the original root beer and the new interpretation wear completely differently. If you like neat and slim cases, then the old original (five-digit reference number instead of six) is probably the better option for you. However, if you like to feel that you have something on your wrist – something robust and reliable, the 126711CHNR Root beer certainly won’t let you down. The bulky and robust case gives a great feeling of quality – equally so the bracelet.

The bracelet is an Oyster bracelet made in two-tone, with the middle links made in Rose gold. The clasp features an Easylink system but not the Glidelock clasp that a lot of people have come to love. But still, the  Easylink adjustment system gives you 5mm of leeway to quickly adjust the fit.

Conclusion

The Rolex 126711CHNR ”Root beer” is not in any way identical to the original Rolex root beer. The case is different, the dial color is different, and the bezel color is different. However, what is a small nod to the iconic and almost legendary model is the use of Everose gold, combined with a brown touch. Rolex is a company that does not make ”Heritage” models or ”Reissues” – at least not officially, and therefore, a small nod to what has previously been is more Rolex’s style. Everyone knows that Rolex makes this as a nod to the root beer, but no one explicitly says so – especially not Rolex. They simply wink to their customers in an ”agreeing” type of way.

Looking at the waiting lists at official retailers for this model, the Rolex root beer 126711CHNR is a huge success. And this doesn’t come as a surprise exactly. Sure, the watch is not for everyone, but most people will say that it is visually beautiful. Plus, just like all Rolex’s sports watches in 40mm, they are just easy to wear, and will never let you down.

The post Rolex GMT-Master II 126711 Root Beer – Review & Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Rolex has made countless innovations over the course of its history. Rolex also has countless patents under its name.

While Rolex isn’t known for being a brand that makes drastic changes, Rolex makes a lot of innovations – even though it may not always be visible.

With that said, many (most) of Rolex’s watch models are models which have been manufactured for several decades, and over the years, Rolex hasn’t made huge changes to these models, but rather iterated and refined them.

One watch which has played an important role in Rolex’s history is the GMT-Master model.

In this article, we’re focusing on the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 which has the latest model in the GMT-Master range but despite that it features an array of changes, it still has a lot in common with the first Rolex GMT-Master reference 6542.

The Rolex GMT-Master model was developed by Rolex after the request from Pan American Airlines of a watch that could keep track of multiple time zones simultaneously. Said and done, Rolex introduced the 6542 to the PanAm pilots, which then became available to the public. This was in 1955, and since then, Rolex has released a number of different references within the GMT-Master range, iterating, updating, and refining the model.

In this article, we’re looking closer at the latest GMT-Master II model in Rolex’s lineup. More specifically, we’re looking closer at the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710, which means the GMT watches in steel.

Rolex GMT-Master II 116710

To begin with, there is currently no Rolex model which only have the reference ”116710”. All existing GMT models are followed by two or more letters, and these letters are used to describe the color of the bezel, but since we’re talking about all Rolex GMT-Master II models in stainless steel, we’ll use the reference number which they all have in common, which is 116710. More on the bezel colors further on when we dig into the different bezel color alternatives.

We’ve spoken about what the reference numbers mean before, but let’s refresh our memory:

• The first two or three digits in the Rolex reference number gives you information about which model it is.
• The 5th digit refers to the bezel type
• The 6th digit refers to the bracelet type.
• The sixth digit in the reference number, which is the last number of modern Rolex watches, is the digit that refers to the watch’s metal. 0 = Stainless Steel

As mentioned, the Rolex GMT-Master model has existed for quite some time. Since the first Rolex GMT 6542 was released, however, the GMT is a model which has always been in production. This goes to show the immense success of the model, because it has, even though originally being a watch which was developed specifically for pilots, been a watch that has been loved by everyone.

And today, it doesn’t really come as a surprise that the majority of GMT-Master II owners are not pilots. In other words, it has more or less become a commodity watch and a watch that many people choose instead of the classic Submariner due to its additional (and interesting) GMT function which is actually a truly helpful tool when traveling or when wanting to keep track of a different timezone simultaneously.

Photo

The long and interesting history of the GMT-Master has, like many other Rolex models, contributed to its great success.

Not only has the GMT-Master brought numerous innovations over the years, but it has also been innovated and iterated many times.

While there’s still a resemblance between the early GMT-Masters and the modern GMT-Master II 116710.

The first 116710 reference was released in 2007.

The first model in the new GMT-Master II range was the  116710LN (Lunette Noir) which, in writing moment is still in production.

The new reference which had a reference starting with 11 for all models can be seen as a new generation GMT-Master.

Let’s go over the specifications of the watch to understand what we’re looking at and how it has changed over the years.

Case

The new case received a slight redesign. The case of the watch grew slightly. It remained its 40mm like its predecessors, however, the new generation featured the so-called ”Maxi case”, which means beefier and wider lugs, larger crown guards, and overall a larger case, but without increasing the watch’s diameter.

This means that on paper, it may seem like the new generation GMT has a case which is just the same as its predecessor, while in reality, it wears much larger on the wrist, much larger than the predecessor. It is also thicker than the preceding watch.

The crown was replaced by a Triplock crown to ensure a more reliable water-resistance. This is an improvement as the previous models featured a twinlock crown. Just like its predecessor, though, the current version has a water-resistance of up to 100 meters (330 feet). 

Dial

The dial of the 116710 was a Maxi dial, unlike the predecessor. This also contributes to making the watch feel larger than the predecessor. This means that it features wider hands and larger numerals.

The model also features an anti-reflective Cyclops lens for the date function and a green 24-hour hand. It is also equipped with a sapphire crystal.

Both hands and indexes feature Superluminova, which allows for a luminescent glow in the dark, improving the watch’s legibility even in dark conditions. On the inner bezel, you’ll also find a ”RolexRolexRolexRolex….” laser engraving.

Bezel

A huge difference with the new 116710 was that the aluminum bezel which had previously been used was replaced by a bezel in ceramic. Rolex had already started to use ceramic bezels for other models before the GMT-Master 116710, and this is for good reasons. Aluminum bezels tend to fade over time and scratch more easily, but ceramic bezels, on the other hand, are ”virtually scratch-proof”, to use Rolex’s own words, nor does the color of the bezel ever fade.

The ceramic bezel offers 24 clicks compared to 120 clicks (one click for each hour), and the numbers on the bezel are coated with platinum.

Today, the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 is available with a number of different bezels. Today, the 116710 reference (which is a full steel version) is only available with two different color bezels, however at Basel watch fair 2018, Rolex released a ”Pepsi” bezel GMT-Master with a red and blue bezel and a Jubilee bracelet instead of an Oyster bracelet, however, since this also came with an updated reference number (126710BLRO), we won’t focus on this particular watch in this article. If you are looking towards two-tone or full gold GMT variants, you also have a number of other bezel colors and configurations.

In 2013, a new bezel variant of the Rolex GMT-Master 116710 was launched. This was the now very iconic and popular 116710BLNR, which features a black and blue bezel, with half of the bezel being in black and the other half in blue. This is to allow the wearer to distinguish between night and day, and combining two colors when making it in ceramic is quite a technical feat. Initially, the bezel starts off as blue. The black is then mixed with black using a patented Rolex process.

The second tone is achieved by ”masking one half of the bezel and exposing the unmasked half to a special chemical treatment.”. The line between the black and blue is razor-sharp, and an impressive technical feat by Rolex.

This blue and black combination is known as the ”Batman” and is actually a new color combination by Rolex, which has never been done prior to the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710BLNR. 

The BLNR stands for Bleu Noir as in blue and black.

The bright blue sure stands out, and if you want a more toned-down version, you should probably opt for the full black bezel 116710LN.

Movement

The Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 has a GMT function, as familiar, as well as a date function. The movement which powers this is the Rolex Caliber 3186 which ticks at 28800A/h, which is hacking and has a quickset date function. 

Since 2016, all Rolex watches now have a -2/+2 seconds a day deviation guarantee according to COSC, and it is guaranteed to perform for 5 years according to Rolex’s warranty.

The movement featured a number of innovations from its predecessor, including a new Parachrom Bleu hairspring. it is made in a highly stable paramagnetic alloy that includes niobium and zirconium. This results in a movement which is less sensitive to magnetic fields and is up to 10 times more resistant to shocks. It is also less sensitive to temperature variations.

The new movement also makes the hour hand much smoother and more precise compared to the previous 3185.

Bracelet

The Rolex GMT-Master II also featured a new bracelet to come with the new case. This is the Oyster 78200, and to make for a more exclusive look, and make it less of a tool watch, it features polished middle links. The polished middle links have been highly debated and tend to split opinions about whether the watch would look better with a fully brushed bracelet or not. The bracelet also featured a more solid clasp and an easy link extension.

The post ROLEX GMT-Master II 116710 a Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Today, there are many types of watches. When mechanical watches first came about in the form of pocket watches, they did one thing and one thing only which was to tell the time.

Today, a whole array of different functions are available. Moon phases, annual calendars, date functions, month functions, chronographs, and so on. 

But despite the fact that there are so many different types of watches to choose from today, two of the most popular and iconic types of watches today are the diver’s watches and the GMT watches. People have always been fascinated by mechanical watches, but the Rolex GMT-Master has played an important role in the history of watches, but also in Rolex’s own history, all the way to modern times and the existing watches in Rolex’s lineup. 

If you haven’t guessed it by now, in this article, we’re focusing on Rolex GMT-Master watches, and more specifically an important watch in Rolex’s lineup of GMT watches. We’re looking closer at the Rolex GMT-Master II reference 16710.

Background to the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710

Rolex has always been known for pushing boundaries and innovating existing things. At the same time, Rolex is known as a brand that doesn’t make huge changes to its lineup of watches, but more so slowly and subtly changes, innovates, and improves its watches in order to create a superior product.

Rolex very seldom makes dramatic changes that are huge surprises. Instead, they continue to build on their heritage and history and build upon this in order to constantly improve.

But throughout its history, Rolex has come up with a number of huge watch innovations – both in terms of design and function, and this has played an important role in Rolex’s history.

In 1954, Rolex released its first GMT-Master model. This watch had the reference 6542 and features a bidirectional rotatable bezel in bakelite. The bezel was a 24-hour bezel that features 24-hour markings. It was also made in a combination of two colors – blue and red in order to help the wearer distinguish between night and day – which is today one of the most iconic bezel designs in the world, known as ”Pepsi”.

The problem with a bakelite bezel was that it cracked easily. As a result, two years after the release of the 6542, Rolex replaced it with a stronger aluminum bezel which is also the bezel that the Rolex GMT 16710 is equipped with. The aluminum bezel was used until the discontinuation of the GMT-Master II 16710 in 2007, which means that the aluminum bezel had been standard for many decades.

Since the first GMT was released and the 16710 came into production, many things have changed, but there are still many things that are very similar or the same as the first watches.

 The most notable feature was of course that the watch featured an additional GMT hand. This hand allowed the wearer to keep track of multiple time zones simultaneously. Now, as with all of Rolex’s watches, the first GMT-Master had a clear purpose when designed. The GMT-Master was specifically developed at the request of Pan-Am – Pan American Airways – pilots, as a tool to help them keep track of multiple time zones simultaneously when traveling across continents and different time zones.

As such, the Rolex GMT-Master is at its core an aviation watch. Despite being released in 1954, the Rolex GMT-Master is part of Rolex’s lineup of watches still to this very day. The modern GMT-Master is of course quite different from the first watch, but the watch still carries the DNA of the first watch – just like the vast majority of Rolex’s watch models.

And this is very typical of Rolex. First off, Rolex’s vintage models, in particular, their sports watches are extremely popular and appreciated. And Rolex never changes a winning concept – but instead, they continue to iterate it and improve it. As a result, the GMT-Master is still part of Rolex’s current production, but in true Rolex fashion, they’ve refined, innovated, and improved the watch many times over. 

Over the years, Rolex has released numerous references to the GMT-Master model. Some references have meant huge changes from the predecessor while others have only contained a few subtle, barely noticeable changes.

The Rolex GMT-Master II 16710

As mentioned, in this article we’re looking closer at the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710.

Today, the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710 is no longer in production, however, it is a watch that has played an important role in the history of the GMT-Master lineup, and it is a model that was discontinued not too long ago – relatively speaking.

Rolex released the Rolex GMT II 16710 in 1989. For this watch, Rolex used the in-house 3185 calibers. This is needless to say a GMT-Movement, which means that it features a fourth GMT-Hand. It is this hand together with the bidirectional rotatable bezel which defines the Rolex GMT-Master – and any mechanical GMT watch for that matter.

The Caliber 3185 is, despite being released and used in a now discontinued model, being used in the modern Rolex GMT-Master II watches, with only a few modifications and subtle changes having been done to it, and this goes to show that it is a highly reliable and accurate movement, since, if the movement wouldn’t perform well, Rolex would simply not continue to use it. And again: why change a winning concept?

This could very well be Rolex’s motto and slogan because they seldom change winning concepts. They only make subtle and small changes to it.

Rolex movements are not known for being the most beautiful nor complicated movements in the world, but they are known for being extremely durable, and accurate, and for being workhorses that continue to tick year after year. The GMT movements have always been automatic, and the 3185 calibers, as well as the 3186, have always had COSC Certifications.

The movement has an independently-settable GMT hour hand unlike the early GMT-Masters, and this allows the wearer to keep track of yet an additional timezone shall they wish to do so. The benefit of having an additional GMT hand in a watch, on top of the already existing hour hand is that a GMT-hand display the time in a 24-hour format contrary to 12 hours.

At the end of Rolex’s production of the GMT 16710, Rolex used 3186 movements, which essentially were just modified, and again, improved movements, which at their cores were 3185 movements.

With the changing of the movement, it lost a lot of its thickness. 

Until 1999, Rolex sold the GMT-Master alongside the GMT-II. As such, the GMT-Master was offered as a ”low-cost/budget” model, as it wasn’t as advanced as the GMT-Master II. It didn’t have a quick set date but an independent GMT hand. This meant that the bezel was necessary for showing a second time zone. 

The Rolex GMT 16710 is part of Rolex’s GMT-Master II range. What does this mean? Well, the first GMT-Master watches only had the name ”GMT-Master”. However, the newer watches had the name ”GMT-Master II”, and this was to show that these watches were the new generation of GMTs. What was the difference? The difference was that these watches were updated so that the 12-hour hand to be set independently. 

The great thing about this new generation GMT-Masters is that the local time display can easily be changed by one-hour jumps without having to fully pull out the crown and stop the movement from running when the watch is in full-time set mode or affecting the home time which is displayed on the 24-hour hand. 

This also allowed the new generation can showcase yet another time zone – as mentioned earlier.

Now, this sounds like a terrific updated feature on the GMT-Master II 16710 – and it is! It truly is a helpful feature, but the catch is that in order to create a watch that functions this way, the movement cannot have a standard quickset date adjustment. As such, in order to change the date on the GMT-Master II 16710, the local hour hand has to go a full 24-hour circle. This makes changing the date quite frustrating when having to change the date by many days.

On the flip side, this way of changing the date is considerably faster than changing the date on a Rolex watch that doesn’t have a quick-set date, which is Rolex’s earlier models. This is because the date can be changed both by going backward and forwards, and also because the hand jumps six hours for every turn of the crown.

The Rolex GMT 16710 was discontinued in about 2007. While the 16710 was released quite a long time ago, and the earlier models have become classified as ”vintage watches”, the GMT 16710 can still be viewed as a ”modern” watch in many ways. And even though earlier examples have started to show signs of aging and patina, the truly timeless design of the GMT-Master 16710 makes it a watch that is just as relevant today as it was when it was first released. If not more.

The GMT 16710 replaced the predecessor with reference 16760. The changes between these models were notable since the 16710 in comparison has a slimmer design. This new slimmer design was well met when the watch was launched. In modern times, with the new GMT watch, Rolex has gone the opposite direction, but more on this further on.

Evolution and changes to the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710

With the release of the GMT 16710 in 1989 and the discontinuation of the model in 2007, it is a watch that was in production for a long time. But the fact is that over the years, smaller, often subtle changes were made to the watch – even though these watches continued under the same reference. As a result, you can find GMT 16710 watches from different years that have the same reference number, and despite this have a few differences between them.

Let’s begin with the movement, which we’ve already talked about briefly. The majority of the 16710s have a caliber 3185, but later models have the 3186 movement.

When it comes to the bracelet, this also varies. The watch came with an Oyster 78360 bracelet but back in the day also on a 78790 Oysterlock bracelet. What’s more, the GMT 16710 also came with a 62510 jubilee bracelet, which is the reason why you can find some 16710s that have a jubilee bracelet. In modern times, this jubilee bracelet on the 16710 has come to play an important role, but more on that later.

Dial indexes

In terms of variants, let’s look at the dial indexes. The GMT 16710 had from its launch in 1989 until 1997 Tritium material as the luminescent material for the dial indexes. You can easily tell which watches have the tritium luminescent material since, at the bottom of the dial at 6 o’clock, you’ll find the text ”SWISS -T<25”, which refers to the amount of tritium used. This is also a great way to get a rough idea of the watch’s age, and whether or not it’s pre-1997.

From 1998 to 1999, the GMT 16710 had a ”Swiss” dial”. Instead of the text ”T<25” you’ll find the text ”Swiss”. This is because Rolex abandoned the radioactive tritium as the luminescent material, and changed to Luminova instead.

On some watches from 1998, you can find the ”SWISS -T<25″ text on the dial, even though the luminescent material is Luminova.

From 2000 to 2007, Rolex used Superluminova, which is the material that Rolex uses still to this very day as the luminescent material on their watches. This can be seen on the watch’s dial, as they have the text ”Swiss made”.

The reason why Rolex made this subtle change was that at the time of launching the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710, tritium was the best alternative for luminous material – which was crucial for a pilot in order to be able to tell the time in a dark environment, such as the cockpit during the night.

But as soon as a better material became available, Rolex didn’t hesitate to change its luminescent material. The ”problem” with tritium material, was that because of the half-life of Tritium, the glowing effect completely dies out after some years, and it also tends to age and change in color, as opposed to Superluminova which continues to glow, and which, at least in theory, doesn’t change color or show signs of aging.

End links

In the year 2000, Rolex introduced solid end links for its bracelets. The end links are the links that connect the bracelet with the watch, and making these solid as opposed to hollow not only makes the bracelet feel higher quality, but it also makes it more robust and durable.

Laser crown

In 2003, Rolex introduced a new laser crown to the inside of the sapphire crystal. The crown is a minuscule laser-etched crown that can be found slightly up from the 6 o’clock index. This laser-etching is now standard on all Rolex watches today, as an attempt to help separate counterfeit Rolex watches from the real deal- just because of the difficulty of etching such a tiny crown on the glass.

Abandoning drilled lugs

Up until 2003, Rolex had drilled lugs on the GMT-Master 16710. The sides of the case where the spring bars held the bracelet in place were drilled in order to allow for easy access to the spring bars and thus for removing the bracelet, but starting in 2003, Rolex removed the drilled lugs because of the aesthetics, and to make the case look more refined and less tool-like.

Rolex introduced the no-holes case with late Y-series watches.

New certificate

In 2007, Rolex introduced a new certificate card. This is the card that was used up until 2020. It has the shape of a regular credit card. This was introduced from the Z-series GMT-Master II 16710.

New movement

Last but not least, in late 2007, at the very end of the GMT-Master II 16710 production, Rolex changed to the caliber 3186 movement from the 3185. They did so with the late Z-series and M-series.

Specifications of the Rolex GMT-Master II 16710

Let’s have a look at the specifications of the GMT 16710.

First things first, compared to modern GMT watches, the 16710 has a slimmer case that sits well on the wrist. The case is 40mm in diameter, and it’s not that thick, at 12,4mm.

Especially not considering that the GMT Master 16760 which it replaced had a larger case design.

The 16710 is surprisingly lightweight. Especially if you compare it with similar-cased and designed watches that were in production simultaneously – with the Submariner being the closest.

The GMT-Master 16710 looks very much like a Submariner which was in production at the same time, and the same goes for modern Submariner and GMT watches in modern times as well.

The case of the two have very similar shapes and sizes, but between the 16710 and the Submariner in production at the time, the GMT is much slimmer, with things like the case thickness, crystal thickness, and crown and crown guards all being more diminutive. 

This, of course, makes sense because the Submariner is a watch that is expected to handle more of a beating, and great depths, and therefore needs to be thicker and bulkier.

As a result, the GMT-Master II 16710 sits very comfortably and slimmed on the wrist, which means that it works great as a dress watch and isn’t clumsy or disturbing.

The watch has a sapphire crystal, as opposed to a hesalite/Plexi crystal which previous watches had. Sapphire crystals are now standard for watches due to their hardness and being very resistant to scratches.

Rolex GMT-Master II 16710 bezels

As we’ve already spoken about, the first GMT master features a bakelite bezel, but this shattered very easily, and therefore, Rolex discontinued it quite quickly. Replaced by the aluminum bezel, it became standard for many decades and was a standard bezel during the whole time of the 16710 productions.

Maybe the most notable difference between the 16710 watches is the color of the bezel. Because the truth is that it wasn’t only available with one type of bezel.

The bezel used on the 16710 is an anodized aluminum bezel with 120 clicks.

The complaint that some people may have on the aluminum bezel, or at least Rolex’s concern with aluminum bezels is that they tend to scratch relatively easily, but also fade over time.

If you look at many of the changes Rolex has done to their watches, they have been done in order to make the watch continue to look just the way it did when it was purchased, and not show signs of aging in any way. As such, the decision of abandoning the aluminum bezel was not a surprising move by Rolex. In fact, I can promise you that Rolex had looked at alternative materials to the aluminum bezels for a long time, but had a hard time finding a material that would be more durable and not show signs of aging. Or at the very least, they struggled with coming up with an idea of how they would be able to manufacture a bezel that would meet these criteria.

As you know, Rolex eventually came up with a material that matches these criteria, and this became introduced with the new generation GMT-Master II, the successor of the 16710.

When it comes to the characteristics of an aluminum bezel, the fact that it fades in color over time doesn’t seem to be an issue that disturbs collectors today, because if you look at vintage 16710 watches, you’ll quickly find that the watches that have faded bezels tend to be significantly more expensive. This is because the faded bezels tend to add personality, history, and charm to the watches, and yet another vintage element to the watch which collectors tend to appreciate.

When the GMT 16710 was released, it was available with three different bezels. Red and black, also known as ”coke” bezel, blue and red, now known as ”Pepsi”, as well as a solid black bezel. It’s a funny thing because the black bezel has been available on the modern GMT-Master since it replaced the 16710, but of course, with a Cerachrom ceramic material, the ”Pepsi” bezel was only available in white gold until 2018 when Rolex released a stainless steel version with a jubilee bracelet, ref 126710BLRO. But as of writing, in November 2018, Rolex hasn’t released a modern version of the ”Coke” GMT. At Baselworld 2018, everybody thought that Rolex would release a coke version of the GMT-Master just because of the fact that they already made a Pepsi version in white gold, and would thus make existing customers disgruntled for releasing an almost identical watch but in steel, naturally considerably cheaper.

This means that in modern times, Rolex has yet to release a modern coke bezel in cerachrom, in order to have built upon all of its 16710 bezels in aluminum, but if you ask me, I am almost completely certain that you’ll see a coke bezel GMT being released at Baselworld 2019. Mark my words.

Back to the 176710 aluminum bezels. You can actually tell the colors of the bezel by looking at the reference number of the watch and the last character of the reference number.

Here is what the letters in the reference number mean:

A: ”Coke” bezel. A color of the bezel where half is black and the other half is red.

B: ”Pepsi” bezel. A color of the bezel where half is blue and the other half is red.

N: A bezel where the whole bezel is black. (N meaning noir in French, which means black).

This is what the different references of the GMT 16710 look like:

• 16710A: Coke Bezel.
• 16710B: Pepsi Bezel.
• 16710N: Full black bezel.

When Rolex discontinued the 16710 range, Rolex only began by introducing an all-blacked bezel variant with the new Cerachrom material. The ”Pepsi” bezel had been the most popular – and also the most iconic and historic bezel color due to its strong connection with PanAm and the first Rolex GMT-Master 6542, so why did they not release this bezel type?

Well, after some time, Rolex did release a Pepsi GMT watch, but it was only on a very expensive white gold variant.

And the reason for that is the extreme complexity and difficulty of making a two-colored bezel in ceramic. Creating a bezel in ceramic, and making it two-colored and not having the colors blend, but instead have an edge that is essentially razor-sharp was essentially impossible at the time, and when Rolex did introduce the Pepsi variant, the process of making these bezels was extremely expensive and complicated, and many bezels were faulty and could thus not be used. As such, Rolex could only make these two-colored bezels available in an expensive watch.

Today, the process of manufacturing a ceramic bezel in two colors is still highly complicated, and Rolex has even patented this process, but over the years, the process has been improved, and Rolex has refined it. As such, you can now find a stainless steel GMT-Pepsi, and this is also a reason why the new generation GMT Pepsi was an instant success upon its release.

The bottom line is that making an aluminum bezel in two colors is a process that isn’t really that complicated, but on the flip side, aluminum tends to fade over time, and this is something that Rolex dislikes. As a result, Rolex waited with making their two-colored bezels available in Cerachrom until they had mastered the art of making them.

Conclusion

The Rolex GMT-Master II 16710 has become a true classic, and in recent years, we’ve seen the prices on the second-hand market increase steadily.

Today, you have to pay much more than what the 16710s retailed for, and this also goes to show that there’s a great interest in them and that they are watches that are truly timeless and loved.

As with most of Rolex’s watches, the GMT 16710 is a truly timeless design. It is built on the 6542 first GMT watch, and despite having changed quite a bit, just like across all of Rolex’s generations, the 16710 is very much a GMT watch, which clearly has taken inspiration from its predecessors, thus meaning that it combined vintage elements with, at the time, modern design elements and functions.

With a timeless design such as the 16710, it is a watch that will only increase in value and in demand over time, thus making it a true Rolex classic.

The Rolex GMT-Master 16710 is very much a tool watch. It’s a very versatile watch that works great for any occasion. And with its 100-meter water resistance, it can even be worn while swimming.

The GMT-Master is also a watch with a great history, built with a clear purpose. While pilots today have far more accurate equipment to keep track of time zones, the Rolex GMT-Master 16710 is a loved and appreciated watch, which now has become a piece of history and an accessory.

The post Rolex GMT-Master II 16710: a Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the most iconic and popular watch models in Rolex’s lineup, but also in the whole world.

Originally, it was a watch which was developed to help pilots keep track of multiple time-zones simultaneously – as a helpful tool which truly made a difference for professionals, but over time, as more advanced digital tools has come around, the GMT-Master has more and more become a commodity watch that anyone can wear for any occasion, and appreciate for its long heritage, its appealing history, and of course advanced mechanics.

With the first GMT-Master being released in 1959, the GMT-Master is unarguably a truly timeless timepiece, and its popularity is today greater than ever. Rolex is a brand that is all about subtle innovations rather than drastic changes, and over the course of its many decades-long production time, Rolex has introduced a number of different GMT-Master references, which all have been refinements, improvements, and iterations, featuring smaller or larger changes from its predecessors, in order to ultimately produce a better, higher-quality, more accurate, and more robust timepiece.

In this article, we’re digging deep into a specific GMT-Master reference. We’re looking at the Rolex GMT-Master 1675.

Background to the Rolex GMT-Master 1675

Now, we’ve spoken many times about the history of the Rolex GMT-Master model, but for context, let’s start from the beginning with the first Rolex GMT-Master watch.

The first GMT-Master watch was developed upon the request of Pan Am pilots, who needed an instrument to keep track of two time-zones simultaneously, as flights started to get longer thus flying to a different time-zone. The Pan Am pilots, therefore, needed a watch with which they would be able to know the time at home, as well as the place at which they landed at.

Rolex agreed and developed the first GMT-Master watch reference 6542 in 1954. The watch featured a bakelite bezel (a type of plastic), but because this shattered and broke quite easily so Rolex quickly replaced it with an aluminum bezel. Interestingly enough, the aluminum bezel was used for a very long time, including the whole production of the GMT-Master 1675, all the way to the GMT reference 16710, when the aluminum bezel then got replaced by a cerachrom ceramic bezel.

The watch that Rolex developed featured a GMT hand, separated from the other hands -both in terms of style and color. This hand shows the home time in the twenty-four–hour clock. The bezel which is bidirectional is adjustable which allows the wearer to quickly tell the local time. 

The Rolex GMT-Master 1675 which we’ll focus on today was manufactured between 1959 and 1980. The model was ”GMT-Master”, and it would take until the reference 16710 that the name would change to ”GMT-Master II” as Rolex would introduce an important technical advancement that would allow the wearer to set the GMT hand independently and thus keep track of yet another time zone, as well as be able to change the date through a quick-set function.

The GMT-Master 1675 is an extremely important watch in Rolex’s GMT-Master history. Being in production for a period of twenty-one years, it is the GMT watch that has been in production for the longest period of time to date.

The long production period also goes to show that Rolex was very satisfied with what they had accomplished and that they didn’t have anything significant they could improve on the watch – even though the watch underwent a number of (relatively) minor changes over the course of its production, which I’ll go more into detail on further on.

Rolex GMT-Master 1675 case

The case of the GMT-Master 1675 is 38mm in diameter without the crown and crown guard. This is extremely small when compared to today’s GMT-Master II ’s sizes, but a size that was in line with the watch size ideals at the time.

In terms of thickness, the watch is a mere 11mm. This is quite interesting since today’s GMT watch is 12.1mm thick.

The GMT-Master 1675 features crown guards, and it is the first GMT watch to do so. The predecessors didn’t feature crown guards at all. 

In terms of the design of the crown guards, this changed over time. The early models had pointed crown guards, and later models had flat crown guards.

The pointed crown guards were introduced in 1964 and 1965.

In true vintage watch spirit, the case has drilled lugs, which is something that Rolex used until around the year 2000. The drilled lugs make it extremely effortless to change straps because the sprints are so easily accessible.

In terms of water resistance, the GMT-Master 1675 isn’t a dive watch, and as such, you cannot expect too much. Today’s modern Rolex GMT-Master IIs have a 100-meter water resistance, but the 1675 only has a 50m/165ft water resistance. But again, having in mind what the watches were developed for, pilots didn’t really need great water resistance when they were in an airplane thousands of meters up in the sky.

From start to finish, the watch was equipped with an acrylic crystal. Now, in terms of scratch-resistance, an acrylic crystal is terrible, but at the time, sapphire crystals for watches were not yet invented, and therefore, acrylic crystals were used for essentially all watches that were produced at the time – just like most watches feature sapphire crystals today.

Rolex GMT-Master 1675 movement

Now, what about the movement of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675?

Well, the reference actually used two different movements. As such,  it is possible to have a 1675 with either a Caliber 1565 for the earlier models or a Caliber 1575 for later models.

The Rolex caliber 1565 was in production from 1959 until 1964. This movement had 25 jewels, a power reserve of 44 hours, and a frequency of 18000 A/h. In true GMT fashion, this movement also featured a date function apart from the additional GMT hand. It also had a sweep secondhand.

In 1956, however, Rolex changed from the previous 1565 caliber to a newer updated movement – the caliber 1575. This movement would come to be the movement used for the 1675 until the end of its production in 1980. This was when the reference 1675 got discontinued and replaced by the new reference 16750.

The new movement was quite similar to the previous movement, but in true Rolex fashion, it was more refined and improved to perform slightly better. The movement had 25 jewels and took the 44 hours to 48 hours. It also featured a higher frequency of 19800 a/h.

It was a sweep secondhand movement, it featured a date, as well as the GMT hand. Also, from 1971, it featured a hack feature. This was perhaps the most noticeable update to the movement since it allowed the wearer to adjust the time much more accurately. What this does is make the seconds hand stop when the crown is pulled out to the 2nd position.

The bezel of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675

The bezel of the Rolex GMT-Master is probably the most distinct feature of the model. At least with the colorful bezel alternatives.

The Rolex GMT-Master 1675 was available with several different bezel alternatives which tend to change the look of the watch quite significantly. This model featured aluminum bezels throughout the whole of its production. In fact, the aluminum bezel is a feature and element which has been used for a long time in Rolex’s production – from replacing the easily breakable bakelite bezel on the GMT 6542 to being discontinued and replaced by the new generation ceramic bezels.

The aluminum bezels are great on Rolex watches. They’re easy to paint and make, and they’re durable and don’t shatter. The downside, however, is that they fade over time, and also tend to accumulate a lot of scratches and dings to them. But if you look at today’s vintage market, people are obsessed with aged aluminum bezels that have faded, and there is absolutely a charm to a faded insert.

The GMT-Master 1675 was released with a red and blue bi-directional steel bezel, and in the early 1970s, the model was introduced with an all-black bezel.

The bezel featured 24-hour markings in order to help the wearer keep track of multiple time zones simultaneously, and as for the two-colored bezels, the use of two colors is to help distinguish between night and day.

There are also GMT-Master 1675 models which featured an all-blue bezel, now known as the blueberry bezel, but these are very rare. The reason that they are rare is that watches with this full-blue bezel were specifically made and sent to the military. UAE ordered many Blueberry watches from Rolex, for example.

As such, the production of these blue bezels was very limited compared to the other bezels, and therefore, coming by one in good condition today is extremely difficult. And if you do, you’re going to have to pay a lot.

The dial of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675

The bezel of a watch is important for its looks, but the dial is also an important element. As for the Rolex GMT-Master 1675, Rolex changed the dial many times during its production, as Rolex did with most other watches mid-production when they saw an update suitable.

On the dial, you’ll find the Rolex logo, the model name, and the text “oyster perpetual” under the 12 o’clock market. These are all standard elements of a modern Rolex watch as well.

Furthermore, you’ll also find the text “superlative chronometer officially certified” to prove that the watch is COSC certified.

The model was manufactured with either matte or glossy dial during its production, and on the gloss/gilt dials, you’ll find gold text, while on the matte dials, you’ll find white text. Rolex used gilt dials in their early sports watch executions. The early examples of the gilt dials feature a chapter ring and were then made without the chapter ring towards the end of their production.

Rolex didn’t use Arabic numerals for this model, but only large indexes with luminous material. The indices are circles, while the 9 and 6 have rectangular shapes. At 12 o’clock, there’s a triangle upside down. In other words, the indexes are very similar to the layout of the modern Rolex sports watches.

It’s safe to say that during the roughly 20-year-long course of production of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675, there are countless dial variants of this model. These slight dial variations are something that fascinates collectors, and these small differences can also have a huge effect on a watch’s desirability and price.

Elements that can change on the dials are things such as font, shape, logo size, index lengths, etc.

Until the late 1960s, the model used a small GMT hand, but from thereon, you can see that Rolex started using large GMT hands, with a large triangle. The hands of the GMT-Master 1675 are in the following order: GMT/Hour/Minute/Second.

The hour hands used on the 1675 are the so-called “Mercedes” hands which have become an iconic feature of Rolex’s sports watches. It also features “lollipop” hands for its seconds hand. The larger GMT hand allowed for better legibility.

When it comes to the luminous material, Rolex used Tritium for the 1675. The model also featured a chapter ring dial.

Speaking of dials, it can be interesting to add that Rolex used several different data wheels on their GMT-Master 1675. The most notable difference between these is that some feature open 6s and 9s, while other date wheels have closed such. This may be seen as a small thing, but the price increase you’ll have to pay only because of the fact that it has open 6s and 9s is incredible. Additionally, early versions of the watch featured a golden crown on the dial, whereas late versions have an imprinted crown.

Rolex started using radial dials in the middle of its production. The radial dial has smaller hour markers. These dials are today quite rare.

Rolex GMT-Master 1675 bracelet

The bracelet is an important element of the Rolex GMT-Master 1675 because it has a huge impact on the watch’s looks.

In true sports Rolex fashion, it came on the sporty Oyster bracelet, like many Rolex watches today and back then.

The reference of the Oyster bracelet used is either 78360 with 580 end links, 7836 with 280 end links, or 7206 with 58 end links. Then, of course, we have another bracelet which the 1675 was available with, and this is the jubilee bracelet. This bracelet had the reference 62510.

What’s interesting is that the 1675 was mainly advertised with the Oyster bracelet, and this probably has something to do with its popularity, but also because Rolex wanted to show that the watch was a true sports watch. The Jubilee, on the other hand, is a more classy and elegant variant.

Maybe the most interesting part is the fact that at Basel watch fair 2018, Rolex released the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO. This is relevant because for the people who know Rolex history – and also for you who have read this article, will recognize traits and design features of the 126710BLRO from the 1675.

First off, the 126710BLRO comes on a jubilee bracelet. It is the first sports watch in modern times which comes on a jubilee bracelet as opposed to a sporty Oyster bracelet. And trust me, this is no coincidence, because the 1675 was also the first Rolex sports watch available on a jubilee bracelet. Furthermore, the 126710BLRO has a blue and red ”Pepsi” bezel – a bezel color combination used on the 1675.

In that sense, the 126710BLRO is clearly a heritage and vintage-inspired watch which has taken inspiration from the GMT-Master 1675.

The post Rolex GMT-Master 1675 A Complete Guide appeared first on Millenary Watches.

Rolex is a brand that needs no further introduction. It is known all over the world as a prestigious watchmaker, producing watches of only the best quality, and that is the ultimate symbol of success. It has a long and rich history, now more than a hundred years old, and during the course of its history, Rolex has collaborated and cooperated with a number of different companies and organizations.

For example, Rolex partnered with the Comex diving team and made particular diving watches, built upon the Sea-Dweller and Submariner models, which today have become sought-after collection items.

Rolex GMT-Master background

During the course of Rolex’s history, the watches that Rolex made always had a clear purpose, and were built as tool watches, made as tools that would actually be helpful in different areas, and thus had a clear purpose in mind. Today, this has changed to quite a large extent since there are much better and more accurate tools for measuring and doing different things, such as keeping track of how much oxygen is left in the tank (where diver’s watches previously were crucial), or instruments for keeping track of lap times when racing (which chronograph watches were originally used for), just to name two examples.

With new ways of doing all of these things, and with the iPhone in everyone’s pocket, people have many of the tools they need in their pocket, including all the world’s times, chronograph, and more.

As such, the reason people today wear watches is quite different from what they originally were. Sure, people still use the functions that tool watches offer today, but not at an equally great extent, and the vast majority of people never buy a tool watch because of the fact that they need it as a tool.

But back in the days, it was different, and this came to become the birth and beginning of the Rolex GMT-Master model.

Back in the 1940’s and 50’s pilots started to fly longer distances and was in need of a watch that allowed them to keep track of two time zones simultaneously. During this time, the watches that allowed the wearer to do this was limited. 

As a result,  the biggest airline at the time, Pan Am – Pan American Airways, requested Rolex to develop a watch specifically made watch for their aviation pilots which would allow them to keep track of different time zones at the same time.

The outcome? Probably one of the most well-known watch models ever made till this day, known as the Rolex GMT-Master.

In other words, the birth of the first Rolex GMT-Master II was the result of a request from pilots who needed a tool that would actually make a difference, and that would offer a function that would be truly helpful for airline pilots. The watch was issued by the airline to the crews on their long-haul flights, which thus tended to include transportation across different time zones.

What does GMT stand for? GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, which is also known as Coordinated Universal Time.

The most unique feature of the GMT-Master is that it has a 24-hour display with a fourth hand that allows the wearer to keep track of two time zones at the same time. Two time zones, however, would only be the case until Rolex introduced a new GMT-Master in the 1980s when they introduced the ability to keep track of 3 time zones at once instead of 2 through the new function which enabled setting the GMT hand independently. The new GMT-Master would allow the wearer to independently adjust the adjustable quickset hour hand, adjusting it to local time without stopping the seconds or disturbing the minutes and 24 hour GMT hand for a greater accuracy.

Initially, the Rolex GMT-Master was only available in stainless steel, but since its launch, it has been and is made in both two-tone and full gold variants.

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 6542

The Rolex GMT-Master was made from an already existing watch in the Rolex family at the time, The Rolex Turn-O-Graph reference 6202. The difference between what would be the first Rolex GMT-Master reference 6542 and the Turn-O-Graph reference 6202 was the modified movement and the bezel.

The new modified movement was called 1036 and had an extra hand, that we know as the GMT-hand. At the time, GMT referred to Greenwich Mean Time which meant that the pilot had an extra hand installed on the watch, and then moved to bezel to match the current timezone they were in.

Even though the old GMT ( Greenwich Mean Time ) was changed to UTC in the 70’s, Rolex kept the name for the upcoming watches. In the first models of the GMT-Master reference 6542 and 1675, the GMT-hand could not be set separately, and therefore the rotating bezel was used to set the timezone.

The GMT-Master reference 6542 had at first a red and blue bakelite bezel that would indicate the day and night hours that later became known as the Pepsi-insert. The bakelite bezel was luminous, however, it was easily cracked, and therefore Rolex replaced the bakelite bezel with an aluminum bezel in 1956 making the very first 6542 with bakelite bezel very rare in these days. Today, it is difficult to find a GMT-Master with a bakelite bezel in good condition.

Even though the GMT-Master reference 6542 was produced between 1954 and 1959 it was equipped with 3 different calibers. The caliber 1036 ( 1954-1959 ), caliber 1065 ( 1957-1959 ) and the caliber 1066 ( 1957-1959 ).

The first GMT-Master was not only recognized for its red and blue bezel, but also for the 40mm case without crown guards and the GMT hand with a small red arrow. The dial of the GMT-Master was originally black but can today be seen with a tropical, gilt and glossy dial. There are even rumors that Rolex made a 6542 with a white dial known as the “GMT Master Albino”.

The reference 6542 with a white dial, more known as the Albino is a watch that’s been very controversial. In 2010 the famous watch collector Stefano Mazzariol published an article on his blog with several proofs that his “Albino” was genuine. He did not just claim that it was original by the look of it, he also compared it with different known black dials and saw that the texture and form in the dial were the same.

Even though the proofs for his Albino, the vintage Rolex collectors highly doubted it actually existed. It wasn’t until some years later that more examples of the reference 6542 Albino came out and today we know that in the early days of the GMT reference 6542, Rolex did, in fact, sell some GMT-Master examples with the white dial, to compare its rareness it would be more likely to find a million dollars in 100-bills laying in central park NYC, untouched.

Even though it was an aviation watch it had a water resistance of 50m/165ft. Despite the great importance it had in the aviation world for both pilots and businessmen that traveled, the reference 6542 was featured in the James Bond movie Goldfinger in 1964 and could be seen on Honor Blackman, known as Pussy Galore in the movie’s wrist, and from there it picked up the nickname Pussy Galore.

There are some rare examples of the reference 6542 in yellow gold that was equipped with a brown dial, even known as nipple dial because of the yellow gold indexes that surrounded the luminous material and the brown bezel. The hands on the reference 6542 in gold were different and it didn’t carry the classic Rolex Mercedes hands, instead, it was equipped with different hands that are known as the “alpha” or “leaf” hands and are extremely rare.

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 1675

In 1959 the Rolex GMT-Master reference 6542 got an upgrade and was developed to be the new modern reference 1675. The new GMT-Master included a new fancy body with pointed crown guards ( 1959-1965 ) and a larger case. The dial on the previous reference 6542 had the text ” Officially Certified Chronometer ” printed and was now changed to ” Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified “.

The new reference 1675 was equipped with the new caliber 1565 and wasn’t updated until 10 years after the caliber 1575. These calibers were warriors and something the aviation pilots without a doubt could trust though it’s seen as one of Rolex best calibers ever made. All the calibers starting with 15xx are seen as strong movements that wouldn’t give up, even after 10 years without a service the movement would still perform within the standards for COSC-certified movements.

Until the late 60s Rolex continued to equip the newer reference 1675 with the old small GMT hand after they made the GMT hand bigger and more easily readable. With the new 1675, as a buyer, you had the opportunity to use the old-fashioned oyster bracelet or the new Jubilee bracelet making it the first Rolex sports watch with a Jubilee bracelet. The newer GMT headed in a new direction and a new insert for the stainless steel model was available. In the early 1970s, the all-black insert was introduced that later became known as the “licorice ” insert.

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 16750

In 1980, Rolex updated the reference 1675 to what would be the new revolutionary 16750. The new GMT Master has equipped with a quickset feature thanks to the newly developed caliber 3075. The quickset feature meant that you could set the date a lot faster by just moving the hour hand.

Before you had to set the date by moving the minute hand a lot of hours. The new 16570 was modern and can today be seen as the ultimate vintage watch according to many watch lovers. The new quickset feature changed the order that the hands were placed. In earlier models, like the newer watches today, the hands were set GMT/Hour/Minute/Second, and the new 16570 were set Hour/GMT/Minute/Second

Until 1986 the dial of the 16750 was matte with painted indexes, however, that changed to a glossy dial with white gold indexes around the luminous material. Because of this, the matte dial is a lot rarer to come by, and in our honest opinion the better option.

The 16750 could also be seen as in the two-tone reference 16753, also known as the “Rootbeer” or the all-yellow gold version reference 16758.

Reference 16760

In 1983 Rolex introduced a new insert that would come on a bigger case that was a brand-new reference, the 16760 also known as the “Fat Lady”. The new 16760 had a larger case with bigger crown guards, more or less it was a new GMT in a Submariner case, however, the new reference would not be called the GMT-Master, this was a brand new reference that had the name GMT-Master II printed on the dial. It was also the first GMT-Master with white gold index borders and sapphire crystal.

The 16760 was produced for 6 years and during that time it was equipped with the newer caliber 3085 which made it possible to set the GMT hand separately. The “Fat lady” was only available in stainless steel and with the new black and red insert, also known as the “coke” insert.

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 16700

Even though this reference came after the 16760, it’s still an updated version of the 16750. This modern reference was produced from 1988 to 1999 and was a cheaper option than the reference 16710 that was produced during the same time. The main difference between these two references was that the 16700 was equipped with the caliber 3175 and still had the non-independent hour hand.

Since this reference is still a GMT-Master and not the Brand new GMT-Master II, what was new to this Model-line was the updated sapphire crystal, white gold indexes, and a new, updated case. Up until 1992/93, the date wheel had the vintage open 9s and 6s which today is very sought-after today by collectors. Up until 1997 the GMT-Master reference 16700 was equipped with a tritium dial, which changed over the years, and eventually lost its luminous characteristics, and during this year, this material was changed to the new updated luminous mass that replaced the tritium version.

This reference could only be seen in stainless steel and had 2 different inserts for the bezel, the Pepsi version ( red and blue ) and all black.

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 16710

This would be the second GMT-Master II in the production line that was released at the same time as the reference 16700, however, the production of the newer GMT-Master II reference 16710 would be longer, until 2007 approximately.  The 16710 was a replacement for the 16760, also known as the “Fat Lady”, with the same functions including a quickset GMT hand, but in a slimmer case.

During the 16710 production years, a lot of changes were going on, which makes this model special in that sense. This evolution is interesting and worked like this:

• 1997-2000 – Tritium dial – luminova dial – superlominova dial
• 2000 – Solid end links introduced ( SEL )
• 2003 – With Rolex trying to make it harder for copies coming out on the market, they started laser attaching a crown at the 6 o’clock position in the glass that could be seen at certain angles.
• 2003 – Stoped with lug holes in the late Y-series.
• 2007 – Stoped with certificates in paper formed and changed to a plastic cards.
• 2007 – In the last production year leaning towards its end, Rolex introduced the new updated caliber 3186.

The 16710 could be seen with 3 different inserts for the bezel, the Pepsi ( red and blue ), the coke ( red and black ), and the all-black version.

It was also a two-tone version in yellow gold and stainless steel, the reference 16713 that could be seen with either the root beer or all black with gold numerals inserts.

They also had an all-yellow gold version with the reference 16718 with an all-black insert.

Rolex GMT-Master 116710

This was a huge update starting its production in 2007. This new GMT-Master II had a ceramic insert, a green GMT hand, a maxi dial, and hands and had the new, but a little more improved 3186 movements. It was also equipped with a rehaut ( the text in Rolex inner-ring that says Rolex Rolex Rolex… ). With a more modern look, the 116710LN was equipped with a new bracelet that had polished center links and brushed outer links.

This model did not come available with the jubilee bracelet. The new case was equipped with a Triplock crown, a more safe and reliable crown that could stand against water a lot better.

In 2013, a new version of the 116710LN came out featuring a new blue GMT hand and a black and blue ceramic bezel, also known as the Batman.

Rolex GMT-Master 116719

With the new ceramic GMT-Master II, the Pepsi-insert was gone, however, it got introduced again in a Cerachrome version, but in a white gold version. Ever since this model came out people wished for a Pepsi in stainless steel, something many did not believe because of the already existing highly exclusive variant in white gold.

This version can be seen both with a black and later with (2018) blue dial.

Rolex GMT-Master 116718

For the 50th year anniversary of the GMT-Master, Rolex released 50 years anniversary variant in all yellow gold with a brand new ceramic insert and a green dial. Ever since this model came out, Rolex made some different versions of it including one with a black dial and even some with diamond dials and bezels such as:

• Ref. 116713LN steel/yellow gold
• Ref. 116758SA
• Ref. 116758SARU
• Ref. 116758SANR
• Ref. 116759SARU
• Ref. 116759SA
• Ref. 116759SANR
• Ref. 116769TBR

Rolex GMT-Master Reference 126710

What enthusiasts didn’t even think of happened. In Basel 2018, Rolex released a brand new GMT-Master II, featuring a jubilee bracelet and a Pepsi ( red and blue ) insert. This shocked a lot of people since not many believed the version was ever going to be released because of the already existing white gold version ( although it had an oyster bracelet ).

The new GMT was very well received and got waiting lists for up to 10 years, making this the most wanted Rolex in 2018.

Conclusion

As we can see, the GMT-Master has been through a lot, starting from a request from Pan Am to where it is today.

A lot of changes have been made to the GMT-Master when compared to the first, however, with the iconic look with the two-colored bezel, an extra GMT hand, and different bracelet variations still available, it’s very easy to see the similarities the newest 126570BLRO have with the old and first 6542 with a bakelite bezel specially made for Pan AM. This iconic watch plays a big part when it comes to Rolex history, and influence in the watch world.

Reading this article, we hope that you have learned something, and perhaps even changed your mind and now considering buying a GMT-Master.

The GMT-Master is truly a masterpiece that will stick around for a long time.

The post The Complete Guide To The Rolex GMT Master [History & Background] appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Rolex Root Beer is a model from Rolex that has a long and interesting history.

The Rolex Root Beer is loved by collectors and appreciated for its unique appearance, and the true Root Beer fans were extremely happy about the releases from Rolex at Baselworld 2018, as it was the year when Rolex brought back and revised, an iconic model.

As you’ve already guessed by now, in this article, we’re focusing on the Rolex Root Beer. But since there have existed several Rolex Root Beers over the years, we’ll go through the whole history of the model, as well as talk about its nickname, and lastly, go into detail about the latest Rolex Root Beer – the GMT-Master II 126711 two-tone Everest gold and steel.

Rolex Root Beer – what is it?

The name itself reveals quite a bit, but to begin with, the name refers to a few specific Rolex models. In particular Rolex GMT-Master models. 

Rolex released its first GMT watch in 1954- the reference 6542. The original GMT model featured a two-tone red and blue bezel inspired by the colors of the airline Pan Am – Pan American Airways, due to the fact that PanAm specifically requested a watch that could display two timezones simultaneously. And the Rolex GMT-Master was Rolex’s answer to their request. The Rolex GMT has a 24-hour bezel that can be set against the GMT hand on the dial to track local and home times simultaneously.

Over the years, Rolex has developed, changed, and experimented, not only with the GMT-Master model but more specifically the color of the bidirectional rotating bezel. Since Rolex launched the first blue and red bezel alternative, Rolex has released a number of different bezel colors since then, but one bezel color that stands out, and which has gotten a particular fanbase and appreciation among collectors is the Rolex Root Beer.

The first Rolex GMT-Master that carved the way for the Root Beer name is a version of this model that features a brown dial and a bezel that is both gold and brown.

As a result of the soda-inspired color scheme on the bezel, the watch acquired the nickname ”Root Beer”. In other words, this nickname is and has never been used by Rolex themselves, but when you mention ”Rolex Root Beer”, everyone who knows watches will know which watch you mean.

Now to the history of the Root Beer, because as you’ve probably realized by now, there are multiple different GMT-Masters on the market that are referred to as Root Beers. Some people argue that there is only one root beer, and that is the first, original root beer model, others argue that all GMT watches with brown bezels, whether two-tone or fully colored, are “root beers”. In this article, we’ll leave it at that.

The first GMT-Master featuring a brown dial was released around 1963. The release of this watch also marked the first time Rolex’s GMT-Master timepiece was made available in two-tone – a combination of both steel and gold. Prior to this release, GMT-Master watches were only available in full stainless steel or full yellow gold. This watch has the reference 16753.

An interesting detail about this model is that it was available either with a black or a brown dial. Now, to be correct, it is only the brown dial version that is the true and original ”Rolex Root Beer”, however, most people also use the Root Beer name to refer to the black dial version, but also the most recent Rolex ”Root Beer” from 2018.

 That is not the only nickname that this watch has, however. In fact, the model is sometimes referred to as Tiger Eye because the hue of the dial is reminiscent of the chatoyant gemstone. This is normally a golden to red-brown color.

Lastly, this model also has an additional nickname, and that is ”Clint Eastwood”. The reason is not very surprising since The GMT Master 1675/3 was the famous actor’s favorite Rolex model and he was often seen wearing it. This, of course, had an impact on the watch’s popularity.

As a matter of fact, Eastwood can be seen with the watch in his movies Firefox in 1982, Tightrope in 1984, and In The Line of Fire in 1993. 

The Rolex GMT Master Root beer is now discontinued  since many years back, and since then, the demand for the model has only increased. Due to the limited number of Rolex Root Beer watches, and the high demand for them, they are not only difficult to find, but their prices also reflect this.

Apart from the two-colored bezel, the watch has a brown (or black) dial featuring gold accents.

Today, the Root Beer iteration of the GMT-Master is one of the most unique and highly sought-after iterations.

Despite the prices of the original Root Beer watches having increased quite significantly over the years, the Root Beer is a bit of an underdog model. Part of that may be because Rolex made the Root Beer 16753 for a relatively short period of time, and it wouldn’t be until 2018 that Rolex would come to release a GMT-Master II model that Rolex would release a bezel color scheme that looked remotely close to the original.

It was in 1983 that Rolex decided they wanted to improve and redesign the GMT-Master model, and they did so with the release of the GMT Master II. An eventual key update to this new model was the introduction of the new Cerachrom bezel, and as a result of this introduction, Rolex retired a number of the original bezel colors, including the Root Beer. 

This brings us to the latest Root Beer from Rolex. The GMT-Master II 126711, but also a full-gold version, reference 126715

Rolex Root Beer GMT-Master II 126711CHNR & GMT-Master 126715 CHNR

If you’re a Rolex Root Beer fan, then 2018 was probably a year of great news for you, at least if you look at the watches that Rolex released at Baselworld.

The release of these two models is significant for several reasons.

First off, both of these watches use Rolex’s own 18ct Rose gold, also named ”Everose Gold” in Rolex terminology. And the use of Everose gold was actually the first time in the GMT-Master II range. But the two-tone version is, of course, the one that stays the truest to the original.

And most importantly to mention is perhaps the fact that these two models have taken inspiration from the Rolex Root Beer from the 1960s.

So what differentiates these two models from the original?

Well, first off, the use of rose gold rather than yellow gold. Secondly, the time is displayed on a black dial –there is no brown dial option at all. The indices and hands on the dials are made in 18k Everose gold  At 3 o’clock, you’ll find the date display with the familiar cyclops, which is no different from the original.

The bezel is where most of the difference is – at least if you consider that the bezel is what defines a Rolex ”Root Beer”. The bezel for this watch is a bi-directional black and brown bi-color made in virtually scratch-proof Cerachrom. The ceramic bezel has molded numerals and graduations coated with pink gold via PVD. 

The introduction of this model was the first time Rolex has ever produced this color combination with its patented ceramic material.

As for the bezel differences, the tones of the 2018 Rolex Root Beer are more muted than the original “Root Beer” GMTs. Furthermore, the brown seems to almost blend into the black in lower light conditions. This prevents the watch from not standing out too much in these cases. On the flip side, if you do enjoy the bright bezel colors of the original Root Beers, you may find the modern 126711CHNR or the 126715CHNR too boring.

Something interesting to point out though is that the modern version has a brown and a black dial. This is not the color scheme that the original Rolex Root Beer had, however, the watches are still being referred to as ”Root Beers”. This of course also has to do with the fact that it is very seldom that Rolex releases brown-bezel watches. It is interesting that Rolex decided to not go full-on root beer bezel, but it probably was a good decision as it may otherwise have been too much, and at the same time, the watch wouldn’t have been its own watch, but rather only been compared to the original.

And while it is not a copy of the original, it will be (and has proven to be) a very popular model that authorized Rolex dealers are running short of. But as for the name, it is completely up to you if you think that it is correct to call the 126711CHNR and the 126715CHNR for ”Root Beer”.

A big difference is the new generation caliber fitted in the modern Root Beers. These watches are powered by the caliber 3285 which is, like all modern Rolex movements, entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. In true Rolex boasting fashion, the movement has 10 patent applications. The movement offers a power reserve of 70 hours.

The case of this watch is obviously a lot different from the watch from the 1960s. The watch now has the maximize and the maximal, which is a much bulkier and sportier case, as well as larger indices on the dial which help improve the legibility.

See all our Rolex watches for sale at MillenaryWatches.

The post Rolex Root Beer – Complete Guide and History appeared first on Millenary Watches.

The Rolex GMT-Master has now been in production for more than half a century.

But over the course of this time, it has obviously evolved and been iterated many times, in true Rolex fashion.

Rolex is known for being a brand that develops watches that are meant to be truly helpful in their respective fields. The Submariner, for example, was developed to help divers not only keep track of the time underwater but most importantly, keep track of how much oxygen is left in the tank. The Daytona was developed to help racing drivers measure the average speed up to 400 kilometers per hour, and then, of course, there is the GMT-Master, which was developed upon the request of Pan Am, which looked for a tool that could help them keep track of two time zones simultaneously, as they started flying longer distances.

Today, the Rolex GMT-Master is one of the most popular models of Rolex. Recent models such s the GMT-Master II 126710BLRO on jubilee bracelet see a waiting list that is many years long, and naturally, the popularity of newer models also affects the price of older models – and vice versa of course.

As such, the prices of vintage GMT-Master watches on the secondhand market have steadily increased over the years, thus making the vintage GMT-Master watches more attractive and sought-after.

Over the years, Rolex has released a number of different GMT-Master watches, and they’ve released countless versions and iterations of the model, but in this article, we’re focusing on a specific watch – the Rolex GMT-Master 16760.

Background to the Rolex GMT-Master 16750

The GMT-Master 16750 is a model that didn’t live very long. In fact, it is a transitional model between an older, and a newer one, which featured new technical improvements.

Photo by @Bobkolican

To start at the very beginning, the Rolex GMT-Master was far from what it is today when it was first launched. When launching a new product, it is difficult to know how it will perform in the field, and it is only from constant testing that you identify areas where there is room for improvement. Also, at the time of release, it may be the best it can be, but over time, the technology evolves, and this means that as new methods, inventions, and technology come around, ultimately, you can create a better product, and this is exactly the case for the GMT-Master and any other Rolex model for that matter.

When Rolex realized what they could improve with their watches, they updated them, and this also gave room for transitional models such as the GMT-Master 16750.

Source

The Rolex GMT-Master 16750 was released circa 1979/1980 (release dates back in the day were not as clear-cut as they are today) and was produced until 1988. This is quite a short production period for a Rolex model, and it is after its discontinuation that the watch has been identified as a transitional model.

And maybe most importantly is that due to the short production time, the 16750 is a model that exists in much fewer examples than other GMT-Master references, which thus naturally tends to affect their price and desirability.

The 16750 was not very different from its predecessor which had the reference 1675, but being transitional, the 16750 references featured a major difference, which was technical improvements to the movement which improved the way the watch worked.

In fact, the watch had 3 technical improvements from its predecessor. First off, the 16750 featured the caliber 3075. This movement beats at 28,800 BPH, compared to the previous 19,800. This means greater accuracy, and overall a more robust and modern movement.

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The most important and notable update to the 16750 was that its movement now had a quick set date function, unlike the 1675, which made setting the date so much easier.

And lastly, the 16750 had a water resistance of 100M instead of the previous 50M.

Apart from these technical differences, the 1675 and 16750 are very similar, and it demands a well-trained eye in order to tell them apart.

Visual differences between Rolex GMT-Master 1657 and 16570

The visual differences between the two references are minimal. 

The printed crown on the dial is slightly different, and the dial also varies slightly, but apart from this, it’s tricky to tell them apart.

One way to tell the difference is to see if the watch has a quickset date function, but another is to listen to the movement and hear if it is the fast-beating movement of the 16750 or the slower-beating 1657.

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But the fact is that the new 16750 didn’t need to have enormous changes in its design, because the 1675 had been manufactured between 1959 and 1980, and during this long production period, people had come to love the looks and design. But the new updated functionality made the 16750 a watch that instantly became a hit.

During the course of its production which lasted for eight years, the 16750 had two dial variations. The first dial variation featured matte black dials with tritium hour markers – in true original fashion at the time. Back in the day, matte dials were essentially standard for Rolex and many other watch manufacturers, but then came the glossy black dials with indexes that included the white gold surrounds, as opposed to the previous indexes which were made in steel.

The catch, however, was that glossy dials were something very new at the time – something that Rolex hadn’t quite mastered the art of making glossy dials. In fact, these dials tended to become what we now know as ”Spider dials”, which meant that they more or less got cracks in them. As a result, these dials were often replaced, thus making a spider dial GMT-Master 16750 very rare to come by. Also, matte dials were often replaced with glossy ones during servicing. 

Dials:

• Matte without white gold indexes. This has become extremely rare today.
• Glossy with white gold indexes identical to the newer GMTs. 

In the year of 1986, Rolex switched the dial during production. The first model was introduced without ‘Date’-imprint on the dial, but later versions show this imprint.

Bezel of the Rolex GMT-Master 16750

As you know, the Rolex GMT-Master is available with different bezel options. In modern times, the GMT-Master II is available in an array of different bezel colors/color combinations, and even though the options were fewer, the 16750 was available with several bezel types.

First thing first, the bezel of the Rolex GMT-Master 16750 is bidirectional and made of aluminum. This is opposed to the modern bezels of the GMT-Master which are made in Rolex’s own Cerachrom ceramic, which, unlike aluminum doesn’t fade or scratch.

There were two bezel alternatives for the GMT-Master 16750. The first bezel alternative was the not-so iconic ”Pepsi” bezel, which was a combination of blue and red, with half of the bezel being in red respectively blue.

The other alternative was a very stealthy and toned-down fully black bezel. Interestingly enough, both of these bezels are offered in the modern lineup of the GMT-Master II range – only in Cerachrom.

What’s especially interesting about this is that the modern iteration of the Pepsi version of the GMT-Master was introduced at Baselworld 2018. This is interesting because it is the first time after many decades that Rolex introduced the Pepsi color combination into their lineup again, which is a clever move because of the fact that the Pepsi has always been extremely popular.

Most interesting is that the modern Pepsi can be seen as ”heritage” model to the 16750 Pepsi. Why? Well, first off, Rolex isn’t really a brand about innovation, more about iteration, and so most of Rolex’s new watches can be seen as heritage models, but what is particularly interesting about the new Pepsi GMT is that it features a jubilee bracelet, thus making it the first modern GMT-Master II in Rolex’s lineup to have such. And which reference had the jubilee bracelet and the Pepsi bezel? The 16750 of course! 

By now, many of the 16750 Rolexes have started to fade – some more than others. Some that have been worn frequently have faded quite significantly, and this is something that vintage watch collectors tend to find very charming.

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Also, this makes the hunt for the perfect watch more interesting, since there are GMT-Master 16750s that have bezel which covers the whole spectrum – from brand new to severely faded bezels. 

It’s incredible just how much a bezel can affect the look of the GMT-Master 16750. And the best of all is that the bezels are interchangeable, which means you’ll be able to buy several and change the complete look of your watch by swapping the bezel.

The movement of the Rolex GMT-Master 16750

We’ve touched upon the movement and its functions briefly already. The 16750 has a Rolex Caliber 3075. This is an in-house automatic Rolex caliber, beating at 28,800 vibrations per hour.

The movement – and thus model – came with a big change compared to its predecessor, and this was that it now featured a quickset feature that enabled the wearer to quickly change the date independently.

The introduction of this new function also meant that the order of the center hands changed. In this model, the GMT hand comes before the hour hand.  On the predecessor, the order of the hands was: GMT/Hour/Minute/Second.  On the 16750, the order of the hands was: Hour/GMT/Minute/Second.

Case and metal variations of the GMT-Master 16750

While the case of the GMT-Master looks almost identical to the Submariner case at the time, it is not. In fact, the GMT-Master was a thinner watch at roughly 14mm

Like many Rolex models, the 16750 was not only offered in stainless steel. In fact, Rolex also offered the 16758 which is the full yellow gold version, as well as the 16753 which is the two-tone Rolesor yellow gold and steel model.

To make the GMT-Master even more luxurious and exclusive, Rolex also offered it with a”Serti dial”, which means “to set” (gems) in the jewelry context, In French.

As such, GMT-Masters can be found with diamond hour markers with either ruby or sapphire indexes at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. Naturally, these are quite rare as they were sold in significantly fewer examples than the steel versions.

Conclusion

In recent years, the Rolex GMT-Master 16750 has become increasingly popular. As such, this has naturally affected the prices of these timepieces on the secondhand market.

Also, finding a 16750 in good condition is getting increasingly difficult – but not quite as difficult as finding a 1675.

The GMT-Master is one of the popular models in Rolex’s lineup, and carrying a long and interesting history, this watch will only continue to increase in value – and finding a full set in good condition will be close to impossible.

Despite being an aviation watch, the GMT-Master is a watch that just works great and which is very universal. It looks just as good with a suit as it does with more casual clothes, and it’s just something that you can never go wrong with. It’s also a watch that all collectors have in their collection some time due to its iconic nature and its historical importance.

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