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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 16758 GMT-Master}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex GMT-Master 16758 — BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master 16758 (1979–1988), Production & Dial Guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The `16758` is the solid-gold GMT-Master in the `16750` generation. It keeps the older GMT-Master hand logic, adds quick-set date through caliber `3075`,…
|description=The 16758 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master from approximately 1980–1988. It uses caliber 3075, a caller-GMT layout, a sapphire crystal, and black or brown aluminium bezel inserts; gem-set SARU examples are a separate branch.
|keywords=Rolex, 16758, Gmt-Master, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 16758, GMT-Master, yellow gold, SARU, Sultanate of Oman, caliber 3075, champagne serti, nipple dial
|type=article
|image=Ref 16758 hero.webp
|image_alt=18k gold GMT, quick-set date
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T03:21:46Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:10:08Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] › '''16758'''</small>


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|Gmt-Master]] → '''16758'''</small>
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 16758 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=18k gold GMT, quick-set date|18k gold GMT, quick-set date]]
</div>


[[File:Ref 16758 hero.webp|thumb|right|300px]]
The 16758 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master and the gold counterpart to the steel [[Reference:16750|16750]]. Both use caliber 3075 and the linked-hand caller-GMT layout, but the 16758 is documented with a sapphire crystal while the steel 16750 retains acrylic. Sources place the run approximately between 1980 and 1988, with disagreement over the first year. Regular examples use black or brown aluminium bezel inserts; gem-set SARU watches are treated separately.
[[File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|thumb|right|300px]]
[[File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|thumb|right|300px]]
[[File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|thumb|right|300px]]


The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the solid-gold GMT-Master in the [[Reference:16750|16750]] generation. It keeps the older GMT-Master hand logic, adds quick-set date through caliber 3075, and moves the gold GMT line into the five-digit era without yet becoming a GMT-Master II. The watch still looks back toward the 1675/8, but it already points toward the [[Reference:16718|16718]].
<span id="core-facts"></span>
 
The watch is also more varied than the nickname culture suggests. The brown Root Beer branch is real, the black branch is real too, and the current source set is strong enough to keep both in view.


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


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 30: Line 34:
|-
|-
| family
| family
| GMT-Master
| GMT-Master (all-yellow-gold variant of the [[Reference:16750|16750]])
|-
|-
| production
| production
| roughly 1979-1988
| approximately 1980 to 1988; sources differ on whether the first examples date to 1979, 1980, or 1981. SARU examples are a separately documented gem-set branch
|-
|-
| movement
| total examples
| caliber 3075
| no published Rolex production figure for the regular 16758. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 SARU examples, a count that is not a Rolex factory record
|-
|-
| case
| case
| 40mm solid yellow-gold Oyster case
| 40mm 18K yellow gold Oyster with crown guards
|-
|-
| crystal
| crystal
| sapphire in the stronger source set, though one brown listing still describes acrylic
| sapphire crystal with Cyclops, documented on the gold reference while the contemporary steel 16750 and 16753 use acrylic
|-
|-
| water resistance
| water resistance
| 100m
| 100m
|-
| movement
| caliber 3075, 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, quick-set date and hacking seconds. Published reserve figures vary around 48–50 hours; no 16758-specific tuning is documented
|-
| GMT mechanic
| caller GMT, 24-hour hand stays linked to the local hour hand, second zone reads off the bezel
|-
| dial generations
| surviving examples include early matte dials, glossy sunburst dials, gold-surround "nipple" markers, and champagne serti dials. The boundaries overlap in the surviving record
|-
|-
| bezel
| bezel
| bidirectional 24-hour aluminum insert in black or brown branch language
| black or brown ("rootbeer") bidirectional aluminium 24-hour insert on regular examples. SARU watches use a gem-set red-and-blue visual scheme
|-
| main dial split
| black and brown dial branches
|-
|-
| key transition
| bracelet
| last GMT branch with nipple indexes, first with a gilt coronet
| published examples use 18K Jubilee 8386 or 18K Oyster 8385; Phillips documents a SARU example on a diamond-set President bracelet
|}
|}


Line 60: Line 70:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The [[Reference:16758|16758]] sits between the vintage gold GMT-Master and the later gold GMT-Master II.
Within the five-digit GMT-Master line the 16758 is the gold counterpart to the [[Reference:16750|16750]], the same watch executed in 18K yellow gold throughout. It ran alongside the all-steel 16750, the two-tone 16753 Rootbeer, and from 1983 the [[Reference:16760|16760]] GMT-Master II. The 16758 carries the caller mechanic into 1988 with the 16750 and 16753; the next-generation gold GMT is the 16718 of 1989 onward, on the caliber 3185 flyer mechanic.
 
* it is the gold counterpart to the [[Reference:16750|16750]]
* it keeps the older GMT-Master style without an independently adjustable 24-hour hand
* it is followed in spirit by the [[Reference:16718|16718]], which adds the clicking bezel and GMT-Master II logic


It is the last gold GMT that still behaves like a GMT-Master rather than a GMT-Master II.
The 1675/8 predecessor wore acrylic, as did the contemporary steel 16750 and 16753. The gold 16758 is documented with sapphire, a material distinction that helps separate the references when the case and movement are also checked.


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


The broad production frame is stable enough at 1979-1988, but the best way to understand the [[Reference:16758|16758]] is by dial phase and branch.
The launch year is disputed. Sotheby's and Hodinkee use 1980, while other specialist references use 1979 or 1981. The documented run closes in 1988. Phillips' Geneva X 2019 lot 106 is a circa-1985 SARU example with case 8,510,585 and movement 1,100,222.
 
No total-production figure exists for the regular 16758. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 SARU examples; that estimate should not be read as a complete census.


<span id="early-matte-phase"></span>
<span id="early-matte-phase"></span>
=== Early matte phase ===
=== Early matte phase ===


VRFM treats the earliest [[Reference:16758|16758]] watches as visually closest to the outgoing 1675/8: matte dials, the older visual warmth, and the strongest continuity with the late vintage gold line.
Some early 16758 examples are documented with matte dials resembling late 1675/8 production. The surviving record is too small to set a clean serial boundary, and a dial should be checked against the case, movement, and service history.


<span id="middle-glossy-sunburst-phase"></span>
<span id="middle-glossy-sunburst-phase"></span>
=== Middle glossy sunburst phase ===
=== Middle glossy sunburst phase ===


Glossy sunburst dials then take over through the middle of the run. This is where the reference starts to look more overtly 1980s while still keeping the old GMT-Master operating feel.
Glossy sunburst dials appear in the mid-run auction record. Sotheby's 2018 GE1804 lot 15 is a circa-1984 brown “nipple” example, and the 2019 Driver's Collection lot 8 is a circa-1981 black-dial example. These lots document individual configurations rather than a complete transition schedule.


<span id="late-gold-surround-phase"></span>
<span id="late-gold-surround-phase"></span>
=== Late gold-surround phase ===
=== Late gold-surround phase ===


Later dials add the familiar gold surrounds around the lume plots. This is the phase that most clearly points toward the later [[Reference:16718|16718]].
Some later dials carry applied gold surrounds around the lume plots, commonly called “nipple” markers. The same broad marker treatment appears on later two-tone GMT-Master references, but the surviving 16758 examples do not establish a precise changeover year.


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


Caliber 3075 defines the [[Reference:16758|16758]] in the same basic way it defines the [[Reference:16750|16750]] and [[Reference:16753|16753]].
Caliber 3075 is shared with the 16750 and 16753. Published specifications give 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, hacking seconds, and a quick-set date; reserve figures vary around 48–50 hours. The caliber retains the linked-hand caller-GMT mechanic, so the 24-hour hand cannot be set independently. An independent local hour arrived with caliber 3085 in the 16760 and continued in later GMT-Master II references. A 3175 in a 16758 case is a service or replacement movement unless its history proves otherwise.
 
* quick-set date
* hacking seconds
* higher-beat five-digit movement
* older GMT-Master hand logic rather than independent local-hour adjustment
 
That last point is the real dividing line. The [[Reference:16758|16758]] looks newer than the 1675/8, but it still belongs to the GMT-Master side of the family tree.


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


The current source set supports two main branch colors and a three-step dial phase story.
Regular 16758 examples include black, brown, and champagne serti dials; tropicalized or cracked lacquer is a condition of some dials rather than a separate factory branch. SARU watches stand apart as gem-set variants. Period examples use tritium markings, but service dials can differ, and champagne serti dials do not use the standard nipple-marker layout.
 
<span id="black-nipple"></span>
=== Black nipple ===


<span id="brown-root-beer-branch"></span>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
=== Brown Root Beer branch ===
File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|alt=Black-dial 16758|Black-dial 16758
File:Ref 16758 black-nipple-square.webp|alt=Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay|Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay
</gallery>
The black branch uses a glossy black ground with applied gold markers and is commonly shown with the all-black 24-hour insert. Auction frequency does not establish that it was the most common factory dial, and condition varies from example to example.


This is the branch most collectors reach for first. Brown dial, brown bezel, and the lingering visual vocabulary of the older gold GMT line keep the watch tied to the 1675/8 even though the mechanics are newer.
<span id="brown-sunburst-nipple-rootbeer"></span>
=== Brown sunburst nipple ===


<span id="black-branch"></span>
[[File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Brown Root Beer 16758|Brown Root Beer 16758]]
=== Black branch ===
The brown branch pairs a brown sunburst dial and applied gold markers with a brown 24-hour insert. Sotheby's catalogued a circa-1984 example with this combination. Patina, lacquer damage, and service work need to be assessed on the individual dial.


The black branch is not secondary. The Field Manual says [[Reference:16758|16758]] watches were offered with either black or brown dials, and the direct market examples already support that.
<span id="champagne-serti"></span>
=== Champagne serti ===


<span id="nipple-indexes-and-gilt-coronet"></span>
[[File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black dial close-up|Black dial close-up]]
=== Nipple indexes and gilt coronet ===


The Field Manual adds the key visual takeaway: the [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the last GMT branch with nipple indexes and the first with a gilt coronet. That gives the reference a useful identity even beyond color.
A factory gem-set branch uses a champagne sunburst dial with ruby and diamond hour markers. Bonhams Skinner's October 2021 timed sale lot 1095 documents a circa-1984 example with serial 8,108,474 and a 1990 receipt. The lot supports the configuration; it does not establish production volume or Rolex's intended customer.


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


The reference uses a solid yellow-gold Oyster case with crown guards and an aluminum 24-hour insert. The bezel behavior also matters. VRFM argues that the [[Reference:16758|16758]] keeps the older friction-fit, non-clicking bezel, with the clicking bezel arriving only on the later [[Reference:16718|16718]].
Some brown and black lacquer dials show colour change or cracking described by cataloguers as tropical or aged. Important Watches lot 228 (circa 1984, serial 8,390,209, caliber 3075) is one documented example; the condition label does not prove the cause of the change.


The crystal story is the main unresolved hardware point.
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==


* Monochrome and the stronger black listing say sapphire
The case is a 40mm Oyster in 18K yellow gold, with crown guards and a sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The reference is rated to 100m in the cited reference guides, as is the contemporary steel 16750. Case and crystal measurements in auction catalogues are approximate.
* one brown Bob’s listing says acrylic
* VRFM treats sapphire as a defining upgrade of the reference


Sapphire remains the stronger reading. The contradiction still belongs in the article rather than being blurred away.
Regular examples are documented with black or brown bidirectional aluminium inserts. The SARU uses blue sapphires and red rubies to create a red-and-blue bezel effect. A bezel insert can be replaced, so insert colour alone cannot date or authenticate a 16758 watch head.


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


The direct market set shows the watch mainly on Jubilee, including a concealed-clasp presentation on the black branch. That is useful observed evidence, but not a full born-with delivery chart.
Published examples use the 18K Jubilee 8386 with hidden clasp or the 18K Oyster 8385. Phillips Hong Kong XI 2020 lot 1016 documents the Oyster combination on a black-dial example.
 
Phillips' Geneva X 2019 SARU lot is documented with a diamond-set President bracelet. That lot establishes the fitment on that example; it does not prove that every gem-set 16758 used the same bracelet.


The brown example is especially important because it is messy. Heavy service updates extend into the caseback stamp, which drifts toward [[Reference:16750|16750]]. The watch is therefore valuable as a realism check, not as a clean originality template.
A different bracelet or regional delivery needs its own documentation. Clasp codes date the bracelet, not the watch head.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="special-branches"></span>
== Special branches ==
== Special branches ==


<span id="brown-root-beer-branch-1"></span>
<span id="saru-sultanate-of-oman"></span>
=== Brown Root Beer branch ===
=== SARU (Sapphire And RUby) ===


The brown branch is the easiest way to connect the [[Reference:16758|16758]] to the older gold GMT story.
The 16758 SARU is a gem-set branch with a sapphire-and-ruby bezel, diamond hour markers, and a documented diamond-set President bracelet. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 examples, but that is an estimate rather than a Rolex production figure.


<span id="black-branch-1"></span>
Phillips Geneva X (November 2019) lot 106 documents a SARU example with Sultanate-of-Oman Khanjar caseback engraving, case 8,510,585, movement 1,100,222, and a full set. Phillips Winning Icons (2017) and Christie's Keystone Collection (2020) provide additional auction records. These are individual lots, not a complete population or price benchmark.
=== Black branch ===


The black branch matters because it breaks the habit of reducing every gold GMT to Root Beer.
The SARU shares reference 16758 with the regular gold GMT-Master. Authentication therefore depends on the gem-set components, case and movement numbers, provenance, and service history. Auction catalogues describe the cited examples as factory watches, but Rolex production records for the branch are not published in the sources reviewed.


<span id="transitional-gold-identity"></span>
=== Transitional gold identity ===
This is the broader branch that matters most. The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the last gold GMT that still lives on the old side of the family split, with 3075, non-clicking bezel behavior, nipple markers, and older GMT-Master operating logic all in one place.


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
== Historical market and auction record ==
== Historical market and auction record ==


The package is still dealer-led rather than auction-led, but the market layer already shows the right shape.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Configuration !! Hammer
|-
| Sotheby's Driver's Collection || 8 || 2019 || c.1981 black dial, black bezel, Jubilee, serial 7,092,867 || est. USD 15,000–25,000
|-
| Sotheby's Important Watches GE1804 || 15 || 2018 || c.1984 brown nipple, Jubilee || not publicly listed
|-
| Phillips Geneva XIV || 91 || 2021 || c.1987 golden serti rootbeer, serial R288227, Rolex-serviced 2020 || not publicly listed
|-
| Bonhams Skinner timed sale || 1095 || 2021 || c.1984 champagne serti, serial 8,108,474, full set with 1990 receipt || est. USD 30,000–40,000
|-
| Important Watches || 228 || 2024 || c.1984 gray-blue tropical, Jubilee, cal. 3075 || est. USD 9,000–12,000
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong XI || 1016 || 2020 || black dial, gold Oyster || not publicly listed
|-
| Phillips Winning Icons || 24 || 2017 || SARU sapphire-and-ruby bezel || USD 240,000
|-
| Phillips Geneva X || 106 || 2019 || SARU Sultanate-of-Oman Khanjar caseback, full set, case 8,510,585 || CHF 256,250 (vs est. CHF 180,000–280,000)
|-
| Christie's Keystone Collection || 224 || 2020 || SARU || est. USD 280,000–320,000
|}


* a brown branch example proves the Root Beer side is real, but also shows how noisy service history can get
The table records individual auction examples across regular, serti, and SARU configurations. Estimates and results vary with condition, service history, provenance, and completeness; they are not a price guide or evidence of a fixed tier structure.
* a black branch example proves the watch should not be reduced only to brown dials
* VRFM gives the best collector-run framing for how the gold branch evolves from 1675/8 into [[Reference:16758|16758]]


This is enough for a first article pass. A direct auction-house [[Reference:16758|16758]] lot would make the market section much better.
== Related references ==
 
* [[Reference:16750|GMT-Master 16750]], 1979–1988
* [[Reference:16753|GMT-Master 16753]], 1979–1988
* [[Reference:16760|GMT-Master 16760]], "Fat Lady", Coke Bezel (1983–1988)
* [[Reference:16700|GMT-Master 16700]], 1988–1998
* [[Reference:1675|GMT-Master 1675]], Pepsi & Root Beer (1959–1979)
* [[Reference:16710|GMT-Master 16710]], Pepsi, Coke & Black (1989–2007)
 
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]].
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 16758 hero.webp|Whole-watch view
File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|Black-dial branch
File:Ref 16758 black-nipple-square.webp|Black nipple dial on gold Jubilee
File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|Brown Root Beer branch
File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|Champagne serti dial
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition — unknown, Morning Tundra
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-gmt-master-and-gmt-master-ii-1955-2024-iconic-traveller-watch-in-depth-review/ In-Depth: The History of the Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II] — unknown, Monochrome
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-gmt-master-the-complete-collectors-guide The Rolex GMT-Master: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/a-concise-guide-to-the-rolex-gmt-root-beer A Closer Look at the Rolex Root Beer] — Christina Bohn, Sotheby's
* [https://www.vrfm.io/gold-gmt-masters.html The Vintage Solid Gold Rolex GMT Master] — MORNINGTUNDRA, VRFM.io
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/vintage-rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-root-beer.html Vintage Rolex GMT-Master Ref 16758 Root Beer] — unknown, Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-gmt-master-16758-yellow-gold.html Rolex GMT-Master 16758 Yellow Gold] — unknown, Bob's Watches
* RolexForums 16758 thread bundle — RolexForums community, RolexForums


[[Category:Gmt-Master]]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/oyster-collection/gmt-master-ii Rolex, GMT-Master II newsroom — GMT mechanism and model chronology]
[[Category:Working Draft]]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-gmt-master-the-complete-collectors-guide The Rolex GMT-Master: A Complete Collector's Guide] (Sotheby's)
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-gmt-master-reference-points Reference Points: Understanding the Rolex GMT-Master] (Hodinkee)
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-rolex-gmt-master-16758/ #TBT Rolex GMT Master 16758, Yellow Gold is Here] (Fratello)
* [https://bespokeunit.com/articles/watches/rolex-vintage-gmt-master/ Rolex Vintage GMT-Master review] (Bespoke Unit)
* [https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/rare-bird-rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-saru-for-sultanate-of-oman Rare Bird: 16758 SARU for Sultanate of Oman] (Watch Collecting Lifestyle)
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/the-saru-saga-gem-set-gmt-master-story-from-saru-to-bruce-wayne/ The SARU Saga: Gem-Set GMT-Master Story] (Revolution Watch)
* [https://thekeystone.com/blogs/passingtime/saru-16758 Featured: Original SARU GMT-Master Ref. 16758] (The Keystone Watches)
* [https://www.the1916company.com/in-focus/featured/champagne-serti-rolex-16758/ Champagne Serti Rolex 16758 In Focus]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/watches-online-the-drivers-collection/rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-a-yellow-gold Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 c.1981, Sotheby's Driver's Collection lot 8] (Sotheby's, 2019)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-ge1804/lot.15.html Reference 16758 GMT-Master c.1984 brown nipple, Sotheby's Important Watches GE1804 lot 15] (Sotheby's, 2018)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080219/106 Rolex Sultanate-of-Oman SARU GMT-Master Ref. 16758, Phillips Geneva X lot 106] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080117/24 Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 SARU, Phillips Winning Icons] (Phillips, 2017)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/skinner-2021-1095/ Champagne Serti Rolex 16758, Bonhams Skinner timed sale lot 1095] (Bonhams, 2021)
* [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-gmtmaster-reference-16758-yellow-gold-unpolished Rolex GMT-Master Reference 16758 Yellow Gold Unpolished] (Wind Vintage)
* [https://oliverandclarke.com/products/rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-sunburst-brown-nipple-1980 Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 Sunburst Brown Nipple 1980] (Oliver & Clarke)
* [https://www.amsterdamvintagewatches.com/shop/rolex-gmt-master-16758/ Rolex GMT-Master 16758] (Amsterdam Vintage Watches)
* [https://www.chorost.com/products/rolex-16758-yellow-gold-presidential-mexican-market Rolex 16758 Mexican-Market Presidential] (Chorost & Co.)
* [https://www.rescapement.com/blog/keystone-collection-saru-preview Keystone Collection SARU preview] (Rescapement)
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'', Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
 
[[Category:GMT-Master]]

Latest revision as of 06:18, 29 September 2026


GMT-Master › 16758

18k gold GMT, quick-set date
18k gold GMT, quick-set date

The 16758 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master and the gold counterpart to the steel 16750. Both use caliber 3075 and the linked-hand caller-GMT layout, but the 16758 is documented with a sapphire crystal while the steel 16750 retains acrylic. Sources place the run approximately between 1980 and 1988, with disagreement over the first year. Regular examples use black or brown aluminium bezel inserts; gem-set SARU watches are treated separately.

Core facts

detail value
reference 16758
family GMT-Master (all-yellow-gold variant of the 16750)
production approximately 1980 to 1988; sources differ on whether the first examples date to 1979, 1980, or 1981. SARU examples are a separately documented gem-set branch
total examples no published Rolex production figure for the regular 16758. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 SARU examples, a count that is not a Rolex factory record
case 40mm 18K yellow gold Oyster with crown guards
crystal sapphire crystal with Cyclops, documented on the gold reference while the contemporary steel 16750 and 16753 use acrylic
water resistance 100m
movement caliber 3075, 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, quick-set date and hacking seconds. Published reserve figures vary around 48–50 hours; no 16758-specific tuning is documented
GMT mechanic caller GMT, 24-hour hand stays linked to the local hour hand, second zone reads off the bezel
dial generations surviving examples include early matte dials, glossy sunburst dials, gold-surround "nipple" markers, and champagne serti dials. The boundaries overlap in the surviving record
bezel black or brown ("rootbeer") bidirectional aluminium 24-hour insert on regular examples. SARU watches use a gem-set red-and-blue visual scheme
bracelet published examples use 18K Jubilee 8386 or 18K Oyster 8385; Phillips documents a SARU example on a diamond-set President bracelet

Where it sits in the line

Within the five-digit GMT-Master line the 16758 is the gold counterpart to the 16750, the same watch executed in 18K yellow gold throughout. It ran alongside the all-steel 16750, the two-tone 16753 Rootbeer, and from 1983 the 16760 GMT-Master II. The 16758 carries the caller mechanic into 1988 with the 16750 and 16753; the next-generation gold GMT is the 16718 of 1989 onward, on the caliber 3185 flyer mechanic.

The 1675/8 predecessor wore acrylic, as did the contemporary steel 16750 and 16753. The gold 16758 is documented with sapphire, a material distinction that helps separate the references when the case and movement are also checked.

Production outline

The launch year is disputed. Sotheby's and Hodinkee use 1980, while other specialist references use 1979 or 1981. The documented run closes in 1988. Phillips' Geneva X 2019 lot 106 is a circa-1985 SARU example with case 8,510,585 and movement 1,100,222.

No total-production figure exists for the regular 16758. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 SARU examples; that estimate should not be read as a complete census.

Early matte phase

Some early 16758 examples are documented with matte dials resembling late 1675/8 production. The surviving record is too small to set a clean serial boundary, and a dial should be checked against the case, movement, and service history.

Middle glossy sunburst phase

Glossy sunburst dials appear in the mid-run auction record. Sotheby's 2018 GE1804 lot 15 is a circa-1984 brown “nipple” example, and the 2019 Driver's Collection lot 8 is a circa-1981 black-dial example. These lots document individual configurations rather than a complete transition schedule.

Late gold-surround phase

Some later dials carry applied gold surrounds around the lume plots, commonly called “nipple” markers. The same broad marker treatment appears on later two-tone GMT-Master references, but the surviving 16758 examples do not establish a precise changeover year.

Movement notes

Caliber 3075 is shared with the 16750 and 16753. Published specifications give 27 jewels, 28,800 vph, hacking seconds, and a quick-set date; reserve figures vary around 48–50 hours. The caliber retains the linked-hand caller-GMT mechanic, so the 24-hour hand cannot be set independently. An independent local hour arrived with caliber 3085 in the 16760 and continued in later GMT-Master II references. A 3175 in a 16758 case is a service or replacement movement unless its history proves otherwise.

Dial map

Regular 16758 examples include black, brown, and champagne serti dials; tropicalized or cracked lacquer is a condition of some dials rather than a separate factory branch. SARU watches stand apart as gem-set variants. Period examples use tritium markings, but service dials can differ, and champagne serti dials do not use the standard nipple-marker layout.

Black nipple

  • Black-dial 16758
    Black-dial 16758
  • Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay
    Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay

The black branch uses a glossy black ground with applied gold markers and is commonly shown with the all-black 24-hour insert. Auction frequency does not establish that it was the most common factory dial, and condition varies from example to example.

Brown sunburst nipple

Brown Root Beer 16758
Brown Root Beer 16758

The brown branch pairs a brown sunburst dial and applied gold markers with a brown 24-hour insert. Sotheby's catalogued a circa-1984 example with this combination. Patina, lacquer damage, and service work need to be assessed on the individual dial.

Champagne serti

Black dial close-up
Black dial close-up

A factory gem-set branch uses a champagne sunburst dial with ruby and diamond hour markers. Bonhams Skinner's October 2021 timed sale lot 1095 documents a circa-1984 example with serial 8,108,474 and a 1990 receipt. The lot supports the configuration; it does not establish production volume or Rolex's intended customer.

Tropical and aged

Some brown and black lacquer dials show colour change or cracking described by cataloguers as tropical or aged. Important Watches lot 228 (circa 1984, serial 8,390,209, caliber 3075) is one documented example; the condition label does not prove the cause of the change.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

The case is a 40mm Oyster in 18K yellow gold, with crown guards and a sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The reference is rated to 100m in the cited reference guides, as is the contemporary steel 16750. Case and crystal measurements in auction catalogues are approximate.

Regular examples are documented with black or brown bidirectional aluminium inserts. The SARU uses blue sapphires and red rubies to create a red-and-blue bezel effect. A bezel insert can be replaced, so insert colour alone cannot date or authenticate a 16758 watch head.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Published examples use the 18K Jubilee 8386 with hidden clasp or the 18K Oyster 8385. Phillips Hong Kong XI 2020 lot 1016 documents the Oyster combination on a black-dial example.

Phillips' Geneva X 2019 SARU lot is documented with a diamond-set President bracelet. That lot establishes the fitment on that example; it does not prove that every gem-set 16758 used the same bracelet.

A different bracelet or regional delivery needs its own documentation. Clasp codes date the bracelet, not the watch head.

Special branches

SARU (Sapphire And RUby)

The 16758 SARU is a gem-set branch with a sapphire-and-ruby bezel, diamond hour markers, and a documented diamond-set President bracelet. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 examples, but that is an estimate rather than a Rolex production figure.

Phillips Geneva X (November 2019) lot 106 documents a SARU example with Sultanate-of-Oman Khanjar caseback engraving, case 8,510,585, movement 1,100,222, and a full set. Phillips Winning Icons (2017) and Christie's Keystone Collection (2020) provide additional auction records. These are individual lots, not a complete population or price benchmark.

The SARU shares reference 16758 with the regular gold GMT-Master. Authentication therefore depends on the gem-set components, case and movement numbers, provenance, and service history. Auction catalogues describe the cited examples as factory watches, but Rolex production records for the branch are not published in the sources reviewed.


Historical market and auction record

Sale Lot Year Configuration Hammer
Sotheby's Driver's Collection 8 2019 c.1981 black dial, black bezel, Jubilee, serial 7,092,867 est. USD 15,000–25,000
Sotheby's Important Watches GE1804 15 2018 c.1984 brown nipple, Jubilee not publicly listed
Phillips Geneva XIV 91 2021 c.1987 golden serti rootbeer, serial R288227, Rolex-serviced 2020 not publicly listed
Bonhams Skinner timed sale 1095 2021 c.1984 champagne serti, serial 8,108,474, full set with 1990 receipt est. USD 30,000–40,000
Important Watches 228 2024 c.1984 gray-blue tropical, Jubilee, cal. 3075 est. USD 9,000–12,000
Phillips Hong Kong XI 1016 2020 black dial, gold Oyster not publicly listed
Phillips Winning Icons 24 2017 SARU sapphire-and-ruby bezel USD 240,000
Phillips Geneva X 106 2019 SARU Sultanate-of-Oman Khanjar caseback, full set, case 8,510,585 CHF 256,250 (vs est. CHF 180,000–280,000)
Christie's Keystone Collection 224 2020 SARU est. USD 280,000–320,000

The table records individual auction examples across regular, serti, and SARU configurations. Estimates and results vary with condition, service history, provenance, and completeness; they are not a price guide or evidence of a fixed tier structure.

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 branch
    Black-dial branch
  • Black nipple dial on gold Jubilee
    Black nipple dial on gold Jubilee
  • Brown Root Beer branch
    Brown Root Beer branch
  • Champagne serti dial
    Champagne serti dial

Sources

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