Rolex GMT Master*** 16750 Transitional*** 1981

Rolex GMT Master*** 16750 Matte*** 1981

OUR ARCHIVE » Rolex GMT Master*** 16750 Matte*** 1981

ROLEX Vintage GMT Master ‘Pepsi’ Bezel Ref. 16750, rare transitional model, 1981
Serial: 665XXXX
Circa: 1981
Reference No.: 16750

DIAL: Original black dial with beautifully aged patina luminous hour markers and beveled date aperture at 3 o’clock, untouched. Original Rolex hands including red color GMT hand indicating the second time zone.

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

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

BRACELET: Not specified

CONDITION REPORT: The matte tritium dial and hands are original and beautifully aged. The case is not over-polished and in good condition. The crystal is a later replacement, no visible scratches. Movement has been serviced in 2015 and is running well. The original Pepsi bezel has faded over time.

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 flat dial and the quickset date, while later 16750 had the metal applied hour markers.

SOLD