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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 116710LN GMT-Master}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN — BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN, black Cerachrom, 2007–2019 | Rolexopedia
|description=The `116710LN` is the watch that moved the steel GMT-Master II into the ceramic era. It replaced the aluminium-bezel 16710 in 2007 with a black Cerachrom…
|description=The Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN is the black-bezel steel reference made from 2007 to 2019, with a 40mm Super Case, caliber 3186, black Cerachrom bezel, and Oyster bracelet.
|keywords=Rolex, 116710LN, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 116710LN, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref 116710LN hero.jpg
|image=Ref 116710LN hero.webp
|image_alt=Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel
|image_alt=Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel
|type=article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:19Z
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:19Z
|modified_time=2026-04-20T01:27:10Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:07:45Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
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}}


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] → '''116710LN'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] › '''116710LN'''</small>


The [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] is the watch that moved the steel GMT-Master II into the ceramic era. It replaced the aluminium-bezel 16710 in 2007 with a black Cerachrom insert, a widened Super Case, and the late-run caliber 3186 architecture that had already entered the reference 16710 at the end of its life. For most of its twelve-year run it carried the “Lunette Noire” shorthand that Monochrome used in period press, and the “LN” suffix on the dial signals exactly that.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 116710LN hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel|Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel]]
</div>


It is also the quietest reference in the modern steel GMT-Master II era. The Batman followed it in 2013, the ceramic Pepsi came later in a different case generation, and the 116710LN spent most of its life in their shadow. The auction record is thin relative to the references flanking it, but the watch itself is not a footnote.
The 116710LN is the black-bezel steel GMT-Master II made from 2007 to 2019. It replaced the aluminum-bezel 16710 with a 40mm Super Case, a black Cerachrom bezel, and caliber 3186. The LN suffix refers to the black bezel (lunette noire). The 116710BLNR followed in 2013, and the narrower 126710 generation replaced both references in 2019.
 
Batman is a collector nickname for the blue-and-black colour scheme. Rolex's BLNR code refers to bleu/noir.


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


[[File:Ref 116710LN hero.jpg|thumb|right|340px|alt=Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel|Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel]]
==Core facts==


== Core facts ==
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 60: Line 63:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 116710LN follows the aluminum-bezel 16710 and precedes the narrower 126710 generation. It is the black-bezel member of the first steel GMT-Master II ceramic case generation; the 126710 adds caliber 3285 and a Jubilee option at launch.


The 116710LN sits between two different eras of the steel GMT-Master II. Upstream, it replaces the aluminium-bezel 16710, the long-running neo-vintage reference. Downstream, it is the final single-colour black-ceramic steel GMT-Master II before the 126710 generation introduces a narrower case, Jubilee bracelet option, and caliber 3285. Fratello frames the 116710LN as the last all-black-bezel steel GMT-Master II, and that is the cleanest one-line placement of the reference inside the family arc.
Cerachrom reached the GMT-Master II in three steps, starting with the solid yellow-gold [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] in 2005, then the Rolesor [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] in 2006, then the steel-only 116710LN in 2007. All three use the same bezel construction and the same movement, which is why the precious-metal versions read as material variations rather than separate generations.
 
The 116710LN also has a two-tone sibling. Rolex launched the [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] a year earlier in 2006 as the first GMT-Master II with a Cerachrom bezel, and the steel-only 116710LN followed in 2007. Both carry the same bezel language and the same movement architecture.


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


Production runs from 2007 through 2019. The 2007 launch date is consistent across Monochrome, Fratello, and The Watch Observer. The 2019 discontinuation is tied to a single Baselworld event: Rolex introduced the Jubilee-bracelet [[Reference:126710BLNR|126710BLNR]] and simultaneously retired both the [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] and the Oyster-bracelet [[Reference:116710BLNR|116710BLNR]]. Monochrome’s Baselworld 2019 “collection rationalisation” piece is the period-press anchor for the retirement.
Production runs from 2007 through 2019. Rolex introduced the 126710 generation at Baselworld 2019 and retired the 116710LN and 116710BLNR at that transition.


Inside that window, the defining internal date is 2007 itself. Rolex positioned the 116710LN as the first stainless-steel GMT-Master II with a ceramic bezel, and the Monochrome 2013 retrospective already calls the reference an “instant success” among collectors who wanted the Cerachrom update without waiting for a steel rainbow of bezels.
Rolex positioned the reference as the first stainless-steel GMT-Master II with a ceramic bezel. Launch and demand commentary in contemporary articles is market context rather than a production specification.


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


The 116710LN runs on caliber 3186 for its entire production life. That movement was already in service at the tail end of the 16710 run, where it arrived as the late-run upgrade over caliber 3185. On the 116710LN it is no longer an upgrade — it is the baseline. The 3186 carries a blue Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock protection, and the revised GMT wheel that improved the independent-hour-hand mechanism. Power reserve is 48 hours.
Caliber 3186 runs the entire production. It had already entered service at the tail end of the 16710 run as the late upgrade over caliber 3185; on the 116710LN it is the baseline from day one. The 3186 carries a blue Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock protection, and the GMT mechanism used in the late 16710 and 116710 family. Published specifications give a 48-hour power reserve.


The 3186 is the quiet story of the 116710LN. It is the same movement that powers the 116710BLNR Batman, and it is what collectors mean when they say the original ceramic Batman and the ceramic black GMT “share hearts.”
The same 3186 powers the 116710BLNR Batman, so the two ceramic-bezel siblings are mechanically identical and separate only at the bezel and the dial signature.


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


[[File:Ref 116710LN dial-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Black dial with green signature line|Black dial with green signature line]]
One catalogued dial configuration ran the whole production, glossy black with a green "GMT-Master II" signature line and a green 24-hour hand. That green line is the identifying mark. The Batman deletes it and runs a blue 24-hour hand.


The 116710LN has one dial configuration: glossy black with a green “GMT-Master II” signature line and a green 24-hour hand. Fratello’s ceramic close-up piece describes the printed elements clearly. The green signature line is the identifying mark; the Batman deletes that line and runs a blue 24-hour hand instead.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref_116710LN_dial-detail.webp|alt=Black dial with green signature line|Black dial with green signature line
File:Ref 116710LN dial-closeup.webp|alt=Dial close-up, black Cerachrom bezel, green GMT hand|Dial close-up, black Cerachrom bezel, green GMT hand
</gallery>


Across the production run, the dial picks up Chromalight lume. Rolex introduced the blue-emitting Chromalight compound across its Super Case sports references in the late 2000s, and the 116710LN carries it from launch. Collectors read Chromalight as the modern dividing line between the 16710’s tritium/Luminova/Super-Luminova history and the ceramic generation that followed. Aging is not meaningful on a 116710LN dial the way it is on a 1998 T&lt;25 16710. Chromalight plots look the same on a 2008 example as they do on a 2018 example.
Published examples show Super-LumiNova on earlier watches and Chromalight on later watches; the exact changeover should be checked against the individual dial and case date. The 116710LN does not have the tritium or Luminova dating issues found on earlier 16710 examples.


Two documented special dials exist. Sotheby’s has catalogued a 116710LN carrying the Omani Khanjar emblem, dated circa 2010. Bonhams London Watches offered a 123-piece “Sea King” commission around 2014 for UK Ministry of Defence personnel, marking the Sea King helicopter retirement. Both are institutional-commission dials rather than Rolex-catalogue variants, and both sit outside the standard black-printed configuration.
Two documented departures from the standard dial are institutional commissions: an Omani Khanjar example and the Royal Navy Sea King presentation series. They are treated as provenance branches, not catalogue variants.


<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 116710LN bezel-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Black Cerachrom bezel close-up|Black Cerachrom bezel close-up]]
The case is the Super Case generation that rolled across the Rolex sports catalogue from the mid-2000s onward. Compared with the 16710 the lugs are wider, the crown guards heavier, and the watch wears more substantially. The case design followed the gold GMT-Master II introduced in 2005.
[[File:Ref 116710LN caseback.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Caseback detail|Caseback detail]]


The case is the Super Case generation that arrived across the Rolex sports catalogue from the mid-2000s onward. Compared to the 16710, the lugs are wider, the crown guards are heavier, and the overall wrist presence is more substantial. Fratello’s ceramic close-up names the Super Case architecture as a 2005-onward programme that the 116710-series inherits in full.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 116710LN bezel-detail.webp|alt=Black Cerachrom bezel close-up|Black Cerachrom bezel close-up
File:Ref_116710LN_caseback.webp|alt=Caseback detail|Caseback detail
</gallery>


The bezel is the defining feature. Cerachrom is Rolex’s ceramic trademark, and the black Cerachrom insert on the 116710LN is the first time it appeared on a steel GMT-Master II. The numerals and markings are recessed into the ceramic and filled with platinum via a PVD process, which is why they stay white and bright even after years of wear. Monochrome’s retrospective frames the 116710LN against its direct aluminium predecessor: the old 16710 aluminium inserts faded in UV light and scratched from day-to-day wear; the Cerachrom insert does neither.
The black Cerachrom bezel is the first ceramic bezel on a steel GMT-Master II. Its recessed numerals are filled with platinum by a PVD process. Ceramic resists ordinary scratches and colour change but can chip or crack under impact; aluminum inserts wear differently and can fade or scratch.


The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops over the date. The crown is the Triplock twin-lock system that Rolex uses across its modern sports references, giving the 100m water resistance rating.
The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops over the date. The crown is a Triplock screw-down crown, replacing the earlier Twinlock setup while retaining the 100m water-resistance rating.


<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 ==


[[File:Ref 116710LN bracelet-detail.jpg|thumb|right|300px|alt=Oyster bracelet and clasp|Oyster bracelet and clasp]]
The 116710LN ships on an Oyster bracelet with solid end links. The Oysterlock safety clasp carries Rolex’s Easylink 5 mm comfort extension. Glidelock, the longer micro-adjustment system Rolex uses on the Submariner and Sea-Dweller, never reached the GMT-Master II line.


The 116710LN ships on an Oyster bracelet with solid end links. The Oysterclasp carries the Easylink 5mm comfort extension, which lets owners adjust the fit on the wrist without tools. Glidelock, the longer micro-adjustment system Rolex uses on the Submariner and Deepsea, does not appear on the GMT-Master II.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref_116710LN_bracelet-detail.webp|alt=Oyster bracelet and clasp|Oyster bracelet and clasp
File:Ref 116710LN box-papers.webp|alt=Box, papers, and guarantee tag confirming ref 116710LN|Box, papers, and guarantee tag confirming ref 116710LN
</gallery>


Full-set packaging is Rolex’s standard presentation box, the International Guarantee card, and the swing tags. Sotheby’s and Phillips lot descriptions for late-production 116710LN examples give the same full-set expectation as the 116710BLNR.
Full-set packaging is Rolex's standard presentation box, the International Guarantee card, and the swing tags, the same expectation auction catalogues apply to the 116710BLNR.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="special-branches"></span>
Line 117: Line 127:
=== Khanjar dial ===
=== Khanjar dial ===


The Khanjar is the Omani state emblem, a ceremonial curved dagger that appears printed on selected Rolex dials commissioned by the Omani royal family. The Sotheby’s circa-2010 lot places a Khanjar-dial 116710LN inside the reference’s early production run and gives the strongest institutional-provenance data point the corpus carries for the 116710LN.
The Khanjar is an Omani state emblem printed on some watches commissioned for the Omani royal family. Sotheby's circa-2010 lot documents one Khanjar-dial 116710LN within the reference's production period. The lot establishes that example's provenance; it does not define a catalogue variant.


<span id="sea-king"></span>
<span id="sea-king"></span>
=== Sea King ===
=== Sea King ===


The Sea King is a British military commemorative, one of 123 pieces produced around 2014 to mark the retirement of the Royal Navy’s Sea King helicopter fleet. Bonhams London Watches offered one example with an estimate of GBP 20,000 to 25,000. A 123-piece institutional batch this late in the reference’s life shows the watch was still being commissioned at a meaningful scale in the mid-2010s.
Bonhams describes the Sea King as a British military commemorative made around 2014 for Ministry of Defence personnel, with one example from a stated 123-piece series marking the Royal Navy Sea King helicopter retirement. The catalogue estimate was GBP 20,000–25,000. The quantity and purpose are catalogue claims tied to that presentation series.


<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 ==


Selected public records include the Phillips Eric Clapton presentation watch, the Sotheby's Khanjar example, and the Bonhams Sea King series. These are provenance examples rather than a census of the reference.
Prices vary with condition, bezel and dial state, bracelet, papers, and sale date. The 116710LN remains the black-bezel reference in the 116710 ceramic generation; later steel references use different bezel colours or case generations. The page does not state a fixed market premium or scarcity claim.
== Related references ==


The 116710LN’s auction record is limited but not empty. Phillips catalogued a 116710LN engraved “TO ERIC SO MANY THANKS PAUL 2009” at the Hong Kong Watch Auction XVII, a piece gifted to Eric Clapton by Paul Stewart. That is a rare celebrity-provenance anchor for a reference that otherwise trades primarily through dealer channels. Sotheby’s and Bonhams carry the Khanjar and Sea King institutional-commission examples described above.
* [[Reference:116713LN|GMT-Master 116713LN]], Two-Tone Ceramic (2006–2019)
* [[Reference:116718LN|GMT-Master 116718LN]], 2005–2019
* [[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


On the broader market, secondary-market pricing since discontinuation sits below the Batman sibling. Fratello’s 2021 comparison against the 126710GRNR uses the 116710LN’s “last all-black-bezel” position to anchor its market identity. A direct late-production full-set sale at a major house would strengthen the record. 2019 final-year examples exist at dealer level, but no Phillips or Sotheby’s lot has yet entered the corpus for that specific sub-branch.
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]].


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/an-early-retrospective-rolex-gmt-master-ii-lunette-noire-ceramic/ An Early Retrospective – Rolex GMT-Master II Lunette Noire Ceramic] — Evan Yeung, Monochrome Watches
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/an-early-retrospective-rolex-gmt-master-ii-lunette-noire-ceramic/ An Early Retrospective – Rolex GMT-Master II Lunette Noire Ceramic], Evan Yeung, Monochrome Watches
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/an-early-retrospective-rolex-gmt-master-ii-lunette-noire-ceramic/ An Early Retrospective: Rolex GMT-Master II Lunette Noire Ceramic] — unknown, Monochrome Watches
* [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], Monochrome
* [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.fratellowatches.com/ceramic-bezel-close-up-of-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-116710ln/ Ceramic Bezel close-up of the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN], Fratello Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/ceramic-bezel-close-up-of-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-116710ln/ Ceramic Bezel close-up of the Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN] — unknown, Fratello Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/sunday-morning-showdown-rolex-gmt-master-ii-126710grnr-vs-116710ln/ Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR Vs. 116710LN], Fratello Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/sunday-morning-showdown-rolex-gmt-master-ii-126710grnr-vs-116710ln/ Sunday Morning Showdown: Rolex GMT-Master II 126710GRNR Vs. 116710LN] — unknown, Fratello Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/fasten-your-seatbelts-rolex-gmt-master-history/ Fasten Your Seatbelts: Rolex GMT-Master History and Overview of All Major References], Fratello editorial, Fratello Watches
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/fasten-your-seatbelts-rolex-gmt-master-history/ Fasten Your Seatbelts: Rolex GMT-Master History and Overview of All Major References] — Fratello editorial, Fratello Watches
* [http://www.thewatchobserver.com/tests-watches/gmt-master-ii-116710ln-4707/ Test of the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN], The Watch Observer editorial, The Watch Observer
* [http://www.thewatchobserver.com/tests-watches/gmt-master-ii-116710ln-4707/ Test of the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN] — The Watch Observer editorial, The Watch Observer
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/a-long-term-review-of-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-116710ln-p_152909/ A Long-Term Review of the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 116710LN], Chrono24 Magazine
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/a-long-term-review-of-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-116710ln-p_152909/ A Long-Term Review of the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 116710LN] — unknown, Chrono24 Magazine
* [https://www.xupes.com/magazine/article/2021/02/12/the-forgotten-reference-series-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116710ln The Forgotten Reference Series: The Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN], Xupes editorial, Xupes
* [https://www.xupes.com/magazine/article/2021/02/12/the-forgotten-reference-series-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116710ln The Forgotten Reference Series: The Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN] — Xupes editorial, Xupes
* [http://luxurytyme.com/en/rolex-reviews/review-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116713-ln-116710-ln/ Review: The Rolex GMT Master II 116713 LN & 116710 LN], Luxury Tyme
* [http://luxurytyme.com/en/rolex-reviews/review-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116713-ln-116710-ln/ Review: The Rolex GMT Master II 116713 LN & 116710 LN] — unknown, Luxury Tyme
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/rolexs-ultra-cool-pilot-watch-gmt-master-ii-116710ln.html Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN Ultimate Buying Guide], Bob's Watches
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/rolexs-ultra-cool-pilot-watch-gmt-master-ii-116710ln.html Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN Ultimate Buying Guide] — unknown, Bob's Watches
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_model/53-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116710/overview Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 Price Overview], WatchCharts
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_model/53-rolex-gmt-master-ii-116710/overview Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 Price Overview] — unknown, WatchCharts
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080423/868 Rolex 116710LN GMT-Master II engraved to Eric Clapton, Hong Kong Watch Auction XVII], Phillips
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080423/868 Rolex 116710LN GMT-Master II engraved to Eric Clapton — Hong Kong Watch Auction XVII] — Phillips
* [https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/40979/ Rolex 116710LN Sea King, Bonhams London Watches], Bonhams
* [https://www.bonhams.com/press_release/40979/ Rolex 116710LN Sea King — Bonhams London Watches] — Bonhams
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/important-watches/reference-116710ln-khanjar-gmt-master-ii-a Reference 116710LN Khanjar GMT-Master II, Important Watches 2024], Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/important-watches/reference-116710ln-khanjar-gmt-master-ii-a Reference 116710LN Khanjar GMT-Master II — Important Watches 2024] — Sotheby's


[[Category:GMT-Master]]
[[Category:GMT-Master]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]

Latest revision as of 06:35, 29 September 2026


GMT-Master › 116710LN

Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel
Steel GMT, black Cerachrom bezel

The 116710LN is the black-bezel steel GMT-Master II made from 2007 to 2019. It replaced the aluminum-bezel 16710 with a 40mm Super Case, a black Cerachrom bezel, and caliber 3186. The LN suffix refers to the black bezel (lunette noire). The 116710BLNR followed in 2013, and the narrower 126710 generation replaced both references in 2019.

Batman is a collector nickname for the blue-and-black colour scheme. Rolex's BLNR code refers to bleu/noir.

Core facts

detail value
reference 116710LN
family GMT-Master II
production 2007-2019
movement caliber 3186
case 40mm Oystersteel Oyster case, Super Case generation
crystal sapphire with Cyclops
water resistance 100m
bezel black Cerachrom with platinum-filled numerals
key identity first steel GMT-Master II with a ceramic bezel

Where it sits in the line

The 116710LN follows the aluminum-bezel 16710 and precedes the narrower 126710 generation. It is the black-bezel member of the first steel GMT-Master II ceramic case generation; the 126710 adds caliber 3285 and a Jubilee option at launch.

Cerachrom reached the GMT-Master II in three steps, starting with the solid yellow-gold 116718LN in 2005, then the Rolesor 116713LN in 2006, then the steel-only 116710LN in 2007. All three use the same bezel construction and the same movement, which is why the precious-metal versions read as material variations rather than separate generations.

Production outline

Production runs from 2007 through 2019. Rolex introduced the 126710 generation at Baselworld 2019 and retired the 116710LN and 116710BLNR at that transition.

Rolex positioned the reference as the first stainless-steel GMT-Master II with a ceramic bezel. Launch and demand commentary in contemporary articles is market context rather than a production specification.

Movement notes

Caliber 3186 runs the entire production. It had already entered service at the tail end of the 16710 run as the late upgrade over caliber 3185; on the 116710LN it is the baseline from day one. The 3186 carries a blue Parachrom hairspring, Paraflex shock protection, and the GMT mechanism used in the late 16710 and 116710 family. Published specifications give a 48-hour power reserve.

The same 3186 powers the 116710BLNR Batman, so the two ceramic-bezel siblings are mechanically identical and separate only at the bezel and the dial signature.

Dial map

One catalogued dial configuration ran the whole production, glossy black with a green "GMT-Master II" signature line and a green 24-hour hand. That green line is the identifying mark. The Batman deletes it and runs a blue 24-hour hand.

  • Black dial with green signature line
    Black dial with green signature line
  • Dial close-up, black Cerachrom bezel, green GMT hand
    Dial close-up, black Cerachrom bezel, green GMT hand

Published examples show Super-LumiNova on earlier watches and Chromalight on later watches; the exact changeover should be checked against the individual dial and case date. The 116710LN does not have the tritium or Luminova dating issues found on earlier 16710 examples.

Two documented departures from the standard dial are institutional commissions: an Omani Khanjar example and the Royal Navy Sea King presentation series. They are treated as provenance branches, not catalogue variants.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

The case is the Super Case generation that rolled across the Rolex sports catalogue from the mid-2000s onward. Compared with the 16710 the lugs are wider, the crown guards heavier, and the watch wears more substantially. The case design followed the gold GMT-Master II introduced in 2005.

  • Black Cerachrom bezel close-up
    Black Cerachrom bezel close-up
  • Caseback detail
    Caseback detail

The black Cerachrom bezel is the first ceramic bezel on a steel GMT-Master II. Its recessed numerals are filled with platinum by a PVD process. Ceramic resists ordinary scratches and colour change but can chip or crack under impact; aluminum inserts wear differently and can fade or scratch.

The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops over the date. The crown is a Triplock screw-down crown, replacing the earlier Twinlock setup while retaining the 100m water-resistance rating.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

The 116710LN ships on an Oyster bracelet with solid end links. The Oysterlock safety clasp carries Rolex’s Easylink 5 mm comfort extension. Glidelock, the longer micro-adjustment system Rolex uses on the Submariner and Sea-Dweller, never reached the GMT-Master II line.

  • Oyster bracelet and clasp
    Oyster bracelet and clasp
  • Box, papers, and guarantee tag confirming ref 116710LN
    Box, papers, and guarantee tag confirming ref 116710LN

Full-set packaging is Rolex's standard presentation box, the International Guarantee card, and the swing tags, the same expectation auction catalogues apply to the 116710BLNR.

Special branches

Khanjar dial

The Khanjar is an Omani state emblem printed on some watches commissioned for the Omani royal family. Sotheby's circa-2010 lot documents one Khanjar-dial 116710LN within the reference's production period. The lot establishes that example's provenance; it does not define a catalogue variant.

Sea King

Bonhams describes the Sea King as a British military commemorative made around 2014 for Ministry of Defence personnel, with one example from a stated 123-piece series marking the Royal Navy Sea King helicopter retirement. The catalogue estimate was GBP 20,000–25,000. The quantity and purpose are catalogue claims tied to that presentation series.

Historical market and auction record

Selected public records include the Phillips Eric Clapton presentation watch, the Sotheby's Khanjar example, and the Bonhams Sea King series. These are provenance examples rather than a census of the reference.

Prices vary with condition, bezel and dial state, bracelet, papers, and sale date. The 116710LN remains the black-bezel reference in the 116710 ceramic generation; later steel references use different bezel colours or case generations. The page does not state a fixed market premium or scarcity claim.

Related references

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

Sources

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