Jump to content

Reference:116718LN: Difference between revisions

From Rolexopedia
[checked revision][checked revision]
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps
Remove standalone gallery heading; retain footer galleries
 
(23 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex GMT-Master 116718LN (2005–2019) — Production & Dial Guide | BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master 116718LN (2005–2019), Production & Dial Guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The 116718LN is the reference that brought ceramic to the GMT-Master II. Rolex launched it at Baselworld 2005 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the…
|description=The 116718LN is the first GMT-Master II reference with a Cerachrom bezel. Rolex introduced it in yellow gold in 2005 for the GMT-Master's 50th anniversary.
|keywords=Rolex, 116718LN, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 116718LN, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref 116718LN hero.jpg
|image=Ref 116718LN hero.webp
|image_alt=18k gold GMT, Cerachrom bezel
|image_alt=18k gold GMT, Cerachrom bezel
|type=Article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:51Z
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:51Z
|modified_time=2026-06-04T04:38:27Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:07:51Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] -> '''116718LN'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] › '''116718LN'''</small>


The [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] is the reference that brought ceramic to the GMT-Master II. Rolex launched the new bezel and caliber 3186 in yellow gold first, then rolled the same logic out to the rest of the ceramic GMT family.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 116718LN hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master, green anniversary dial|Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master, green anniversary dial]]
</div>


Rolex debuted its most important bezel-material change of the 2000s on a gold watch.
The 116718LN is the first GMT-Master II reference with a Cerachrom bezel. Rolex introduced the solid-yellow-gold model in 2005 for the GMT-Master's 50th anniversary; the two-tone and steel ceramic references followed in 2006 and 2007. The reference disappeared as Rolex moved to the next GMT-Master II generation in the 2019 catalogue cycle.


<span id="core-facts"></span>
<span id="core-facts"></span>


[[File:Ref 116718LN hero.jpg|thumb|right|250px|alt=18k gold GMT, Cerachrom bezel|18k gold GMT, Cerachrom bezel]]
==Core facts==


== Core facts ==
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 37: Line 37:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| 2005-2019
| 2005-2019 catalogue period; published movement records run through 2018
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
Line 61: Line 61:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


[[File:Ref 116718LN variant-monochrome-lineage.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Position in the Cerachrom lineage|Position in the Cerachrom lineage]]
The 116718LN opens the six-digit ceramic GMT-Master II family. The two-tone [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] arrived in 2006 and the steel [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] in 2007, so for the first two years of the Cerachrom era the only ceramic-bezel GMT-Master II Rolex had introduced was solid yellow gold.


The 116718LN sits at the top of the modern-ceramic GMT-Master II family and at the start of it. Rolex issued no steel ceramic GMT-Master II in 2005. The two-tone [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] arrived in 2006, the steel [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] in 2007. For the first two years of the Cerachrom era the only way to buy a ceramic-bezel GMT-Master II from Rolex was in solid yellow gold.
It replaces the aluminium-bezel [[Reference:16718|16718]], the five-digit yellow-gold GMT-Master II that had run since 1988. Rolex retired the 116718LN as the 116710 generation gave way to the 126710 case family in 2019. Solid yellow gold returned to the ceramic GMT-Master II line with the [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]] at Watches and Wonders 2023.
 
Upstream, the 116718LN replaces the aluminium-bezel [[Reference:16718|16718]], the five-digit yellow-gold GMT-Master II that had run since 1988. Downstream, there is no immediate successor. When Rolex retired the 116718LN in 2019 alongside the steel 116710LN and 116710BLNR, it withdrew yellow gold from the ceramic GMT-Master II line entirely. Yellow gold did not return until the [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]] at Watches and Wonders 2023, four years later. The 116718LN closes one chapter and opens a gap, not a transition.


<span id="production-outline"></span>
<span id="production-outline"></span>
== Production outline ==
== Production outline ==


Production runs from 2005 through 2019. The 2005 debut coincided with the GMT-Master line's fiftieth anniversary, and Christie's catalogue copy for later-year lots ties the launch to that anniversary moment. The 2019 discontinuation comes with the same Baselworld event that retired the 116710LN and 116710BLNR: Rolex's rationalisation of the 116710 generation in favour of the slimmer 126710 case.
Published examples and Rolex's historical movement sheet run through 2018, while reference tables commonly use 2019 for the catalogue end. The debut coincided with the GMT-Master line's fiftieth anniversary. Rolex publishes no production total or split between the black and green dials.


Inside that fourteen-year window, two dial variants ran in parallel: the black dial and the green anniversary dial. The green dial is the collector variant; the black dial is the steadier seller. No production-split data is published by Rolex.
The documented dial branches are black and green. The sources do not establish their production split or a precise end date for either dial.


<span id="movement-notes"></span>
<span id="movement-notes"></span>
== Movement notes ==
== Movement notes ==


The 116718LN runs caliber 3186 for its documented production life. The 3186 debuted on this reference at Baselworld 2005, which makes the 116718LN the first Rolex watch to carry the movement. The 3186 brought the blue Parachrom hairspring, a revised GMT wheel, and Paraflex shock protection to the independent-hour-hand architecture. Sotheby's 2019 lot for the Anniversary Green gives 28,800 bph and a 50-hour power reserve for a 2005-production example.
Caliber 3186 is the movement documented in the 116718LN examples cited here. Phillips describes it as the movement first introduced in the yellow-gold 116718LN at Baselworld 2005; late five-digit 16710 examples also received 3186, so “first Rolex watch” is too broad. The calibre brought Rolex's blue Parachrom hairspring and the revised GMT mechanism used in this generation. Sotheby's 2019 lot for an Anniversary Green gives 28,800 beats per hour and a 50-hour power reserve for its 2005-production example.


No available source documents a caliber 3185-equipped 116718LN. The Sotheby's lot records and Christie's catalogue copy both give caliber 3186 as the movement of record across the reference. A 3185 transitional branch, if it exists, needs direct sourcing from The Vintage Rolex Field Manual or equivalent before it can be treated as settled.
The auction examples cited by Sotheby's, Phillips, and Christie's all identify caliber 3186; no 3185 example is documented in the sources reviewed for this page.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
== Dial map ==


[[File:Ref 116718LN dial-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Black dial on solid yellow gold|Black dial on solid yellow gold]]
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
[[File:Ref 116718LN variant-green-anniversary.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Green 50th-anniversary dial|Green 50th-anniversary dial]]
File:Ref_116718LN_dial-detail.webp|alt=Black dial on solid yellow gold|Black dial on solid yellow gold
[[File:Ref 116718LN variant-green-dial-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Green anniversary dial close-up|Green anniversary dial close-up]]
File:Ref_116718LN_variant-green-anniversary.webp|alt=Green 50th-anniversary dial|Green 50th-anniversary dial
File:Ref_116718LN_variant-green-dial-detail.webp|alt=Green anniversary dial close-up|Green anniversary dial close-up
</gallery>


The 116718LN dial story is a two-branch map: a standard black dial and a green anniversary dial, both running in parallel through most of the reference's life.
Both black and green dials are documented. Market descriptions often separate the green Anniversary dial from the black dial, but the sources do not support a production ranking or a complete run for either branch.


<span id="black-dial"></span>
<span id="black-dial"></span>
=== Black dial ===
=== Black dial ===


The black-dial 116718LN is the baseline configuration. Glossy black lacquer, 18k yellow-gold applied markers, 18k yellow-gold hands, and Chromalight lume after the compound's late-2000s rollout across the Rolex sports catalogue. The black-dial variant is the steadier seller across the production window and the more commonly traded of the two dials in the post-discontinuation market. Christie's yellow-gold lot copy describes a black-dial 116718 from circa 2006 carrying the same layout.
The baseline configuration pairs a black dial with 18k yellow-gold applied markers and hands. Rolex's current GMT-Master II material describes black lacquer and Chromalight for the family; the exact lume changeover within this discontinued reference is not established here. Christie's catalogued a yellow-gold 116718 from circa 2006 with the black layout.


<span id="green-anniversary-dial"></span>
<span id="green-anniversary-dial"></span>
=== Green anniversary dial ===
=== Green anniversary dial ===


The green anniversary dial is the variant Rolex introduced in 2005 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the GMT-Master line. It is a solid green dial with 18k yellow-gold markers, gold hands, and the same green 24-hour hand that appears on the black-dial variant. The green dial is the collector variant within the 116718LN catalogue, and Sotheby's records show continued auction demand for the dial from 2019 through 2024.
Rolex introduced the green Anniversary dial in 2005 for the GMT-Master's 50th anniversary. Auction descriptions call it green or green sunburst and show it with the yellow-gold case, black Cerachrom bezel, and Oyster bracelet. Sotheby's and Phillips document examples from circa 2005–2006; they do not establish how long the green dial remained in production.
 
The green dial is not a short run. Rolex produced it across most of the 116718LN's life. The collector premium traces to dial-colour preference and relative supply against the black dial, rather than to a limited production window. Secondary-market indexing treats the green dial as 116718LN-0002, separate from the black-dial catalogue entry.


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown-notes"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes ==
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes ==


[[File:Ref 116718LN bezel-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II|First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II]]
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
[[File:Ref 116718LN caseback.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Solid-gold caseback|Solid-gold caseback]]
File:Ref_116718LN_bezel-detail.webp|alt=First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II|First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II
File:Ref_116718LN_caseback.webp|alt=Solid-gold caseback|Solid-gold caseback
</gallery>


The case is the Super Case generation Rolex rolled out across its sports catalogue from the mid-2000s. Compared with the aluminium-bezel 16718, the lugs are wider, the crown guards are heavier, and the watch wears more substantially on the wrist. Period listings for Anniversary Green examples give 40mm across, 48mm lug-to-lug, and 11.8mm thick.
The case is the Super Case generation Rolex rolled out across its sports catalogue from the mid-2000s. Compared with the aluminium-bezel 16718, the lugs are wider, the crown guards are heavier, and the watch wears more substantially on the wrist. Period listings for Anniversary Green examples give 40mm across, 48mm lug-to-lug, and 11.8mm thick.


The bezel is the historical point. The 116718LN is the first GMT-Master II to wear Cerachrom at all, which is why the watch matters beyond its gold case.
The bezel is the historical point. Rolex identifies the 2005 yellow-gold 116718LN as the first GMT-Master II with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel. Its black insert with gold-filled numerals replaced the aluminium insert used on the 16718.


The crystal is sapphire with the Cyclops magnifier over the date. The crown is the Triplock twin-lock system Rolex uses across its modern sports references. Water resistance is 100m, unchanged from the 16718.
The crystal is sapphire with the Cyclops magnifier over the date. The crown is the Triplock screw-down system Rolex uses across its modern sports references, sealing on three gaskets rather than the Twinlock two. Water resistance is 100m, unchanged from the 16718.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==


The 116718LN ships on a solid 18k yellow-gold Oyster bracelet with solid end links. The Oysterclasp carries the Easylink 5mm comfort extension. Glidelock, the longer micro-adjustment system Rolex reserves for the Submariner and Deepsea families, does not appear on the GMT-Master II. The Christie's yellow-gold lot copy confirms Oyster as the only period-correct bracelet. No Jubilee-bracelet 116718LN has entered the corpus.
Published examples are fitted with a solid 18k yellow-gold Oyster bracelet and Oysterlock clasp with the Easylink comfort extension. Rolex's GMT-Master II documentation identifies the Triplock crown and Easylink system; it does not establish every possible service or aftermarket bracelet combination for this discontinued reference. Treat a different bracelet as a fitment question that needs its own evidence.


Full-set packaging is the standard Rolex presentation box, the International Guarantee card, and the swing tags. Sotheby's 2019 Anniversary Green lot gives circa-2005 production with a December 2006 warranty date.
Sotheby's 2019 Anniversary Green lot includes a presentation box, International Guarantee card, and swing tags, with a December 2006 warranty date. Those accessories document that lot and do not establish standard delivery for every watch.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="special-branches"></span>
Line 127: Line 127:
=== Green anniversary dial ===
=== Green anniversary dial ===


The green anniversary dial is a documented factory variant tied to the fiftieth anniversary of the GMT-Master. It commands a premium over the black-dial variant on the secondary market. Sotheby's carried a 2019 Anniversary Green lot with a USD 10,000-15,000 pre-sale estimate on a circa-2005 example, and the house offered the variant again in 2024, years after discontinuation. The dial is the reference's most-discussed collector branch.
The green Anniversary dial is a documented factory variant. Sotheby's and Phillips describe it as the 50th-anniversary version, while secondary-market catalogues commonly list it as 116718LN-0002 and the black dial as 116718LN-0001. Those suffixes are useful catalogue labels; they do not prove a Rolex-published production split or a limited-edition run.
 
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
== Historical market and auction record ==
 
Sotheby's offered a circa-2005 Anniversary Green in 2019 and a circa-2006 example in 2024. Phillips also catalogued a circa-2006 green example with its 3186 movement and original-owner accessories. Christie's has catalogued a circa-2006 black-dial yellow-gold 116718. These are individual auction records, not a census of the reference or proof of relative rarity.


<span id="black-dial-1"></span>
The 116718LN is the direct predecessor of the 2023 [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]] in solid yellow gold. Auction and certified-pre-owned listings should be read as individual examples: condition, service history, and replacement parts can change what an example proves about the reference.
=== Black dial ===


The black-dial branch is the steadier seller across the production run. Christie's catalogued a yellow-gold 116718 from circa 2006 in the black-dial configuration, which gives the branch a tier-1 auction-house anchor. The black dial is the reference's default and the larger share of the surviving market.
== Related references ==


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
* [[Reference:116713LN|GMT-Master 116713LN]], Two-Tone Ceramic (2006–2019)
== Historical market and auction record ==
* [[Reference:116710LN|GMT-Master 116710LN]], First Steel Ceramic (2007–2019)
* [[Reference:116710BLNR|GMT-Master 116710BLNR]], 2013–2019
* [[Reference:116719BLRO|GMT-Master 116719BLRO]], 2014–2019
* [[Reference:126711CHNR|GMT-Master 126711CHNR]], 2018–present
* [[Reference:126715CHNR|GMT-Master 126715CHNR]], 2018–present


The 116718LN is well-covered by major auction houses. Sotheby's has offered the Anniversary Green at Important Watches 2019 and again at Fine Watches in 2024, demonstrating sustained demand for the green-dial variant five years after discontinuation. Christie's has catalogued a black-dial yellow-gold 116718 through its online Watches programme. Both houses frame the reference around the 2005 fiftieth-anniversary launch and the caliber 3186 debut.
See also the [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].


Post-discontinuation Anniversary Green examples trade through certified pre-owned channels, and secondary-market indexing tracks the green dial separately from the black dial. Time+Tide and Monochrome both treat the 116718LN as the direct historical predecessor of the 2023 [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]].


The reference's auction market is dominated by the green dial. A Phillips-grade lot for a black-dial example would strengthen the record further. None is currently in the auction record.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 116718LN hero.webp|Whole-watch view
File:Ref_116718LN_dial-detail.webp|Black dial
File:Ref_116718LN_variant-green-anniversary.webp|Green anniversary dial
File:Ref_116718LN_variant-green-dial-detail.webp|Green dial detail
File:Ref_116718LN_bezel-detail.webp|Black Cerachrom bezel
File:Ref_116718LN_caseback.webp|Solid-gold caseback
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/travel-the-skies-with-the-gmt-master-ii-anniversary.html Travel the Skies with the GMT-Master II 116718 Anniversary] — Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/travel-the-skies-with-the-gmt-master-ii-anniversary.html Travel the Skies with the GMT-Master II 116718 Anniversary], Bob's Watches
* [https://watchesoff5th.com/blogs/news/closer-look-at-the-discontinued-rolex-gmt-master-ii-in-yellow-gold Closer Look at the Discontinued Rolex GMT Master II in Yellow Gold] — WatchesOff5th
* [https://watchesoff5th.com/blogs/news/closer-look-at-the-discontinued-rolex-gmt-master-ii-in-yellow-gold Closer Look at the Discontinued Rolex GMT Master II in Yellow Gold], WatchesOff5th
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/rolex-caliber-3186-vs-rolex-caliber-3285.html Rolex Caliber 3186 vs. Caliber 3285] — Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/rolex-caliber-3186-vs-rolex-caliber-3285.html Rolex Caliber 3186 vs. Caliber 3285], Bob's Watches
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/golden-boy-with-retro-flair-the-new-rolex-yellow-gold-gmt-master-ii-p_114312/ Golden Boy with Retro Flair: The New Rolex Yellow Gold GMT-Master II] — Chrono24 Magazine
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/golden-boy-with-retro-flair-the-new-rolex-yellow-gold-gmt-master-ii-p_114312/ Golden Boy with Retro Flair: The New Rolex Yellow Gold GMT-Master II], Chrono24 Magazine
* [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/thewatchclub/2024/01/02/rolex-gmt-master-ii-yellow-gold-and-rolesor-yellow-gold-editions/ Rolex GMT-Master II Yellow Gold and Rolesor Yellow Gold Editions] — SwissWatchExpo
* [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/thewatchclub/2024/01/02/rolex-gmt-master-ii-yellow-gold-and-rolesor-yellow-gold-editions/ Rolex GMT-Master II Yellow Gold and Rolesor Yellow Gold Editions], SwissWatchExpo
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/yellow-gold-and-rolesor-rolex-gmt-master-ii-grey-and-black-ceramic-bezel-2023-editions-126713grnr-126718grnr-specs-price/ Yellow Gold and Rolesor Back On The Rolex GMT-Master II With Grey & Black Ceramic Bezel] — Monochrome
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/yellow-gold-and-rolesor-rolex-gmt-master-ii-grey-and-black-ceramic-bezel-2023-editions-126713grnr-126718grnr-specs-price/ Yellow Gold and Rolesor Back On The Rolex GMT-Master II With Grey & Black Ceramic Bezel], Monochrome
* [https://www.europeanwatch.com/blog/rolex-gmt-master-ii-126718grnr-review Vintage in a Modern Package: Rolex GMT Master II 126718GRNR] — European Watch Company
* [https://www.europeanwatch.com/blog/rolex-gmt-master-ii-126718grnr-review Vintage in a Modern Package: Rolex GMT Master II 126718GRNR], European Watch Company
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-ceramic-watch-116718.html Rolex 116718LN GMT Master II 18K Yellow Gold with Black Dial] — Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-ceramic-watch-116718.html Rolex 116718LN GMT Master II 18K Yellow Gold with Black Dial], Bob's Watches
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2019/important-watches-n10082/lot.113.html ROLEX Ref 116718LN GMT-Master II Anniversary Green yellow gold wristwatch circa 2005] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2019/important-watches-n10082/lot.113.html ROLEX Ref 116718LN GMT-Master II Anniversary Green yellow gold wristwatch circa 2005], Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches-2/gmt-master-ii-green-anniversary-reference-116718ln?locale=fr GMT-Master II Green Anniversary reference 116718LN yellow gold wristwatch circa 2006] — Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/fine-watches-2/gmt-master-ii-green-anniversary-reference-116718ln?locale=fr GMT-Master II Green Anniversary reference 116718LN yellow gold wristwatch circa 2006], Sotheby's
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com.cn/s/watches-online-new-york/rolex-gmt-master-ii-18k-yellow-gold-ref-116718-13/113474 Rolex GMT-Master II, 18k Yellow Gold, Ref. 116718] — Christie's
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/215929 Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116718LN, circa 2006], Phillips
* [https://www.the1916company.com/rolex-certified-pre-owned/gmt-master-ii/5017167/ Pre-Owned Rolex GMT-Master II Anniversary Green 116718LN] — The 1916 Company
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com.cn/s/watches-online-new-york/rolex-gmt-master-ii-18k-yellow-gold-ref-116718-13/113474 Rolex GMT-Master II, 18k Yellow Gold, Ref. 116718], Christie's
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_variation/21-rolex-gmt-master-ii-anniversary-green-116718ln-0002/overview Rolex GMT-Master II Anniversary Green 116718LN-0002 Price Overview] — WatchCharts
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/services/v1/contactsheet/generatepdf/7bf5ddf6-fda9-46a2-be43-4e2563956057/en/gmt-master-ii.pdf Rolex GMT-Master II historical contact sheet], Rolex Newsroom
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/masterstroke-the-gmt-master-part-ii/ Master Stroke — The Rolex GMT-Master: Part II] — Ross Povey, Revolution
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/features GMT-Master II technical features], Rolex
* [https://www.the1916company.com/rolex-certified-pre-owned/gmt-master-ii/5017167/ Pre-Owned Rolex GMT-Master II Anniversary Green 116718LN], The 1916 Company
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_variation/21-rolex-gmt-master-ii-anniversary-green-116718ln-0002/overview Rolex GMT-Master II Anniversary Green 116718LN-0002 Price Overview], WatchCharts
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/masterstroke-the-gmt-master-part-ii/ Master Stroke, The Rolex GMT-Master: Part II], Ross Povey, Revolution


[[Category:GMT-Master]]
[[Category:GMT-Master]]

Latest revision as of 05:27, 29 September 2026


GMT-Master › 116718LN

Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master, green anniversary dial
Rolex 116718LN GMT-Master, green anniversary dial

The 116718LN is the first GMT-Master II reference with a Cerachrom bezel. Rolex introduced the solid-yellow-gold model in 2005 for the GMT-Master's 50th anniversary; the two-tone and steel ceramic references followed in 2006 and 2007. The reference disappeared as Rolex moved to the next GMT-Master II generation in the 2019 catalogue cycle.

Core facts

detail value
reference 116718LN
family GMT-Master II
production 2005-2019 catalogue period; published movement records run through 2018
movement caliber 3186
case 40mm solid 18k yellow gold Oyster case, Super Case generation
crystal sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance 100m
bezel black Cerachrom with 18k gold-filled numerals
key identity first GMT-Master II with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel

Where it sits in the line

The 116718LN opens the six-digit ceramic GMT-Master II family. The two-tone 116713LN arrived in 2006 and the steel 116710LN in 2007, so for the first two years of the Cerachrom era the only ceramic-bezel GMT-Master II Rolex had introduced was solid yellow gold.

It replaces the aluminium-bezel 16718, the five-digit yellow-gold GMT-Master II that had run since 1988. Rolex retired the 116718LN as the 116710 generation gave way to the 126710 case family in 2019. Solid yellow gold returned to the ceramic GMT-Master II line with the 126718GRNR at Watches and Wonders 2023.

Production outline

Published examples and Rolex's historical movement sheet run through 2018, while reference tables commonly use 2019 for the catalogue end. The debut coincided with the GMT-Master line's fiftieth anniversary. Rolex publishes no production total or split between the black and green dials.

The documented dial branches are black and green. The sources do not establish their production split or a precise end date for either dial.

Movement notes

Caliber 3186 is the movement documented in the 116718LN examples cited here. Phillips describes it as the movement first introduced in the yellow-gold 116718LN at Baselworld 2005; late five-digit 16710 examples also received 3186, so “first Rolex watch” is too broad. The calibre brought Rolex's blue Parachrom hairspring and the revised GMT mechanism used in this generation. Sotheby's 2019 lot for an Anniversary Green gives 28,800 beats per hour and a 50-hour power reserve for its 2005-production example.

The auction examples cited by Sotheby's, Phillips, and Christie's all identify caliber 3186; no 3185 example is documented in the sources reviewed for this page.

Dial map

  • Black dial on solid yellow gold
    Black dial on solid yellow gold
  • Green 50th-anniversary dial
    Green 50th-anniversary dial
  • Green anniversary dial close-up
    Green anniversary dial close-up

Both black and green dials are documented. Market descriptions often separate the green Anniversary dial from the black dial, but the sources do not support a production ranking or a complete run for either branch.

Black dial

The baseline configuration pairs a black dial with 18k yellow-gold applied markers and hands. Rolex's current GMT-Master II material describes black lacquer and Chromalight for the family; the exact lume changeover within this discontinued reference is not established here. Christie's catalogued a yellow-gold 116718 from circa 2006 with the black layout.

Green anniversary dial

Rolex introduced the green Anniversary dial in 2005 for the GMT-Master's 50th anniversary. Auction descriptions call it green or green sunburst and show it with the yellow-gold case, black Cerachrom bezel, and Oyster bracelet. Sotheby's and Phillips document examples from circa 2005–2006; they do not establish how long the green dial remained in production.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

  • First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II
    First Cerachrom bezel on a GMT-Master II
  • Solid-gold caseback
    Solid-gold caseback

The case is the Super Case generation Rolex rolled out across its sports catalogue from the mid-2000s. Compared with the aluminium-bezel 16718, the lugs are wider, the crown guards are heavier, and the watch wears more substantially on the wrist. Period listings for Anniversary Green examples give 40mm across, 48mm lug-to-lug, and 11.8mm thick.

The bezel is the historical point. Rolex identifies the 2005 yellow-gold 116718LN as the first GMT-Master II with a Cerachrom ceramic bezel. Its black insert with gold-filled numerals replaced the aluminium insert used on the 16718.

The crystal is sapphire with the Cyclops magnifier over the date. The crown is the Triplock screw-down system Rolex uses across its modern sports references, sealing on three gaskets rather than the Twinlock two. Water resistance is 100m, unchanged from the 16718.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Published examples are fitted with a solid 18k yellow-gold Oyster bracelet and Oysterlock clasp with the Easylink comfort extension. Rolex's GMT-Master II documentation identifies the Triplock crown and Easylink system; it does not establish every possible service or aftermarket bracelet combination for this discontinued reference. Treat a different bracelet as a fitment question that needs its own evidence.

Sotheby's 2019 Anniversary Green lot includes a presentation box, International Guarantee card, and swing tags, with a December 2006 warranty date. Those accessories document that lot and do not establish standard delivery for every watch.

Special branches

Green anniversary dial

The green Anniversary dial is a documented factory variant. Sotheby's and Phillips describe it as the 50th-anniversary version, while secondary-market catalogues commonly list it as 116718LN-0002 and the black dial as 116718LN-0001. Those suffixes are useful catalogue labels; they do not prove a Rolex-published production split or a limited-edition run.

Historical market and auction record

Sotheby's offered a circa-2005 Anniversary Green in 2019 and a circa-2006 example in 2024. Phillips also catalogued a circa-2006 green example with its 3186 movement and original-owner accessories. Christie's has catalogued a circa-2006 black-dial yellow-gold 116718. These are individual auction records, not a census of the reference or proof of relative rarity.

The 116718LN is the direct predecessor of the 2023 126718GRNR in solid yellow gold. Auction and certified-pre-owned listings should be read as individual examples: condition, service history, and replacement parts can change what an example proves about the reference.

Related references

See also the GMT-Master family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.


  • Whole-watch view
    Whole-watch view
  • Black dial
    Black dial
  • Green anniversary dial
    Green anniversary dial
  • Green dial detail
    Green dial detail
  • Black Cerachrom bezel
    Black Cerachrom bezel
  • Solid-gold caseback
    Solid-gold caseback

Sources

Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/index.php?title=Reference:116718LN&oldid=11269"