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Rolex GMT Master*** 16750*** 1985
OUR ARCHIVE » Rolex GMT Master*** 16750*** 1985
ROLEX Vintage GMT Master ‘Pepsi’ Bezel Ref. 16750, Glossy WG Metal Surrounds dial, 1985
Serial: 8681580
Circa: 1985
Reference No.: 16750

DIAL: Black glossy dial with beveled date aperture at 3 o’clock, white gold applied tritium hour markers. Mercedes hour and pencil minutes hand, lollipop seconds and red color GMT hand indicating the second time zone.

CASE: 40mm, stainless steel with original red and blue (red back) rotating bezel and acrylic glass with loupe for date at 3 o’clock.

MOVEMENT: Caliber 3075, Self-winding mechanical movement with 27 jewels

BRACELET: Rolex stainless steel Oyster 78360/580, Clasp Code I

CONDITION REPORT: Excellent condition. The indexes have a stunning cream/amber patina and glossy surface is perfect. The hands are original and slightly lighter patina, which is typical and correct.
The case appears unpolished and pinholes are near perfect.

NOTES:

The iconic Rolex GMT Master was developed as a collaborative project between Rolex and Pan Am Airways. As in the 1940s and 50s flying distances got longer and the pilots travelled through multiple time zones, Pan Am asked Rolex in the early 1950s to develop a watch which could tell different times simultaneously. The model was launched in 1954 and the watch was issued by the airline to their crews on long-haul flights. The first GMT (Ref. 6542) was a regular Turn-O-Graph (Ref. 6202) with a different bezel and a modified movement. The Rolex GMT was designed as an aviator watch: The newly introduced fourth hand allowed the display of an additional time, with the corresponding number markings on the outer bezel. Pilots used the second time to display the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), which led to the name Rolex GMT Master.
This particular reference 16750 has a very rare transitional configuration with the matte dial and the quickset date, while later 16750 had the glossy dial with white gold applied tritium hour markers.

SOLD