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May 18, 2022
BY Paul Altieri
Like so many other of Rolex’s sports watches, the Rolex GMT-Master is an exceedingly popular model right now – particularly in stainless steel. Nearly all Rolex GMT-Master watches are selling for significantly more than their original retail prices on the secondary market, and certain well-preserved vintage examples have been known to break the six-figure price point at auction. Thus far, Rolex has made eight generations of the GMT-Master over almost seven decades, and two major variations in the form of the GMT 1 and the GMT 2.
So, where did it all begin? How has Rolex’s beloved pilot watch, which debuted in 1955, changed over time? Join us as we discuss the early history of the Rolex GMT-Master, outline the evolution from the GMT-Master I to the GMT-Master II, review important collection milestones, and examine the newest – and most unique – GMT reference to join the fleet. Keep reading for a succinct history of the Rolex GMT-Master.
Table of Contents:
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex GMT-Master.
Click here for our Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex GMT-Master II.
The history of the Rolex GMT-Master dates back to the mid-1950s when Pan Am airlines approached Rolex about a watch that its pilots could use on long-haul flights to simultaneously track multiple time zones. Building upon the design of the existing Turn-O-Graph ref. 6202, Rolex added a fourth hand that made one full rotation every 24 hours and fitted the rotating bezel with an insert that featured a 24-hour scale.
This first GMT-Master watch was dubbed the ref. 6542, and although its design was relatively simple, it was highly effective and allowed users to reference a secondary time zone by simply rotating the bezel and reading the corresponding time against the 24-hour hand. For pilots during that era, that second time zone would be Greenwich Meridian Time or GMT.
The split-color blue and red bezel on the steel case was intended to serve as a quick reference for daylight vs. nighttime hours – red for day and blue for night, although some believe it was a reference to colors of many attitude indicators fitted to airplanes of the era. The bezel of the inaugural GMT-Master 6542 was fashioned from Bakelite and included radium-based lume so that the embedded numerals could easily be read in the dark.
However, Bakelite proved to be too brittle and fragile for a tool watch, which caused Rolex to replace it with a sturdier aluminum bezel insert on the succeeding GMT-Master ref. 1675, which was introduced in 1959. Another major update of the second-generation GMT-Master was the inclusion of crown guards on a larger 40mm case. Rolex produced the GMT-Master 1675 for over two decades, and over this long period, the reference received plenty of updates including new dials, calibers, materials, and bezel colors.
Next in line was the Rolex GMT-Master 16750, released around 1981. The major update of this reference was the Caliber 3075 powering the watch, which introduced the quickset date function. Additionally, the GMT-Master ref. 16750 had double the water resistance of the succeeding 1675, rated to 100 meters deep.
Although Rolex introduced the upgraded GMT-Master II in 1982 (more on that shortly), the company released a new-gen GMT-Master ref. 16700 in 1988, complete with sapphire crystal and the new Caliber 3175 movement. The reference 16700 was positioned as a more affordable alternative to the GMT-Master II, and was exclusively available in stainless steel. After over 40 years of production, Rolex discontinued the GMT-Master to focus exclusively on making the GMT-Master II
In 1982, Rolex unveiled a new chapter in its pilot’s watch story with the introduction of the GMT-Master II. While the GMT-Master II looked almost identical to the original GMT-Master, functionally, it offered a major upgrade.
Unlike the GMT-Master I, the GMT-Master II now featured de-coupled hour hands whereby the 12-hour hand could be set independently from the rest. Therefore, the wearer could move the hour hand back or forth in one-hour increments to easily change local time when necessary – a superbly practical feature for a frequent traveler. Also, since the pair of hour hands were no longer in sync, the 24-hour hand could be set to another time zone (such as reference or home) while keeping the rotating bezel in the zero position. Finally, because of this, the wearer could keep track of a third time zone with a few clicks of the rotating bezel as long as he/she knew the offset compared to the reference time.
The first GMT-Master II reference was the 16760, also known as the “Fat Lady” due to its thicker case. The GMT-Master II ref. 16760 was exclusively available in stainless steel and with a black and red bezel. A handful of years later, the second-generation GMT-Master II arrived as the ref. 16710. This particular GMT 2 series was much more varied, not only in terms of aluminum bezel colors for the steel variants (black and red, blue and red, and all-black) but also with material options such as gold and two-tone variants.
In 2005, Rolex shook things up yet again with the introduction of a brand new Cerachrom bezel – and the GMT-Master II was chosen to debut the freshly minted and proprietary ceramic alloy. The first of this generation was the GMT-Master II ref. 116718, crafted almost entirely in glorious 18k yellow gold. The next year, the two-tone GMT-Master II ref. 116713 joined the lineup followed by the steel GMT-Master II ref. 116710 the year after that.
What these three references had in common was that they were all fitted with an all-black Cerachrom ceramic bezel; the bi-colored bezel option for the GMT-Master II was gone. Rolex stated that due to the nature of its proprietary ceramic alloy, it would be impossible to make a two-toned Cerachrom bezel.
However, in 2013, Rolex did the impossible by launching the GMT-Master II ref. 116710 with a black and blue Cerachrom bezel. The following year, yet another two-tone Cerachrom bezel joined the collection in the form of the white gold GMT-Master II ref. 116719 with a blue and red “Pepsi” bezel.
2018 was a big year for the Rolex GMT-Master II collection, brought about by the arrival of the new Caliber 3285. This new-generation GMT movement not only boosts the power reserve to 70 hours (compared to the preceding 42 hours), but it is also fitted with a slew of patents for improvements in energy efficiency, durability, and precision.
To house the new movement, Rolex rolled out these new GMT-Master II references in 2018:
With these new introductions, Rolex discontinued offering yellow gold within the GMT-Master collection, opting to go for warmer Everose gold instead. The next year, the ref. 126710BLNR with a blue/black bezel was introduced, again exclusively available with a Jubilee bracelet. Finally, in 2021, Rolex decided to offer both Oystersteel GMT-Master II watches with the choice of either an Oyster or Jubilee bracelet.
The newest GMT-Master II watch landed in 2022, and it’s unlike any we’ve seen so far. The latest GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR not only sports a never-before-seen green and black Cerachrom bezel but it’s also a left-handed watch. As a left-handed (or “Destro”) GMT-Master II, the watch is meant to be worn on the right hand; therefore, the crown is positioned on the left-hand side. Rolex even moved the date window from the traditional 3 o’clock position to 9 o’clock to complete the lefty look.
Although the Rolex GMT-Master was originally created to meet a very specific need, its practical features and robust build quality have made it a popular favorite among both collectors and enthusiasts.
Today, both the Rolex GMT-Master and the GMT-Master II are instantly recognizable icons within popular culture, yet they started their lives as purpose-built timepieces that were created to perform specific functions.
For well over half a century, the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II have been cornerstone offerings in the Rolex catalog, and today it is considered to be one of the most highly-regarded and desirable watches ever made.
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Bob's Watches is an independent watch dealer and is not sponsored by, associated with and/or affiliated with Rolex S.A., Rolex USA, or any other brand listed on its website. Bob's Watches only sells pre-owned watches and provides its own warranties on the watches it sells. The brand names and associated model names for Rolex, OMEGA and other manufacturers are the trademarks of their respective owners.
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