Rolexopedia

Reference:126710BLRO: Difference between revisions

[checked revision][checked revision]
← Older edit
VisualWikitext
SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps
Fix 126710BLRO metadata, source URLs, and duplicate prose
 
(22 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 126710BLRO GMT-Master}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 126710BLRO GMT-Master — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges | BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO, steel Pepsi, 2018–2026 | Rolexopedia
|description=The `126710BLRO` is the steel ceramic Pepsi on Jubilee, the watch Rolex dropped at Baselworld 2018 and the release that defined that year's industry…
|description=The Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO is the Oystersteel Pepsi made from 2018 to 2026, with caliber 3285, a red-and-blue Cerachrom bezel, and Jubilee or Oyster bracelet configurations.
|keywords=Rolex, 126710BLRO, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, 126710BLRO, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref 126710BLRO hero.jpg
|image=Ref_126710BLRO_hero.webp
|image_alt=GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi hero
|image_alt=GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi hero
|type=article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:32Z
|published_time=2026-04-18T22:34:32Z
|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:46:35Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:08:12Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] → '''126710BLRO'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] › '''126710BLRO'''</small>


The [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] is the steel ceramic Pepsi on Jubilee, the watch Rolex dropped at Baselworld 2018 and the release that defined that year’s industry narrative. It is the first steel GMT-Master II with a red-and-blue Cerachrom bezel. It is also the first GMT-Master II on Jubilee since the 1675 era. Robb Report called it the hottest watch launch of 2018. Grey-market purchase requests would later spike 500% in one week when Rolex pulled it from the catalogue in 2026.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref_126710BLRO_hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi|GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi]]
</div>


The white gold [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]] had held the ceramic Pepsi slot for four years. When the steel version finally arrived, it carried the same bezel at roughly one-fifth the retail.
The 126710BLRO is the Oystersteel GMT-Master II with a red-and-blue Cerachrom bezel. Rolex introduced it at Baselworld 2018 on a Jubilee bracelet, after the white-gold [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]] had carried the ceramic Pepsi bezel from 2014. The reference used caliber 3285 and later became available on an Oyster bracelet.
 
Rolex removed the 126710BLRO from its catalogue at Watches & Wonders 2026, according to contemporary reporting. The end of production is separate from the watch's original 2018 launch specification.


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


[[File:Ref 126710BLRO hero.jpg|thumb|right|340px|alt=GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi hero|GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi]]
==Core facts==


== Core facts ==
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 36: Line 39:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| 2018-2026
| 2018–2026 catalogue period; exact factory endpoint is not published
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
Line 60: Line 63:
|-
|-
| key identity
| key identity
| first steel ceramic Pepsi; first Jubilee GMT since the 1675 generation
| steel red-and-blue Cerachrom Pepsi; launched on Jubilee
|}
|}


Line 66: Line 69:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] is the third ceramic GMT-Master II and the one that made the platform mainstream. The 2013 [[Reference:116710BLNR|116710BLNR]] Batman had established ceramic in the GMT with a blue-and-black bezel; the 2014 [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]] had brought back the Pepsi but only in white gold. The 2018 steel Pepsi was the moment the full modern configuration landed in a steel case on a four-figure retail — and the moment the waitlist became the story.
The 126710BLRO follows the 116710BLNR and the white-gold 116719BLRO in the ceramic GMT-Master II line. It brought the red-and-blue bezel to an Oystersteel case and launched with a Jubilee bracelet; the Oyster option arrived later. Its successor relationship is a catalogue question, not a measure of demand or waitlist length.


Sotheby’s “Pepsi key references” editorial treats the 126710BLRO as the current-era chapter of the Pepsi lineage that runs from 6542 through to the ceramic era. Revolution framed the 2018 announcement as the headline of a three-watch launch that also included the two 126711CHNR / 126715CHNR Rootbeer variants.
Sotheby's places the reference in the Pepsi sequence that runs from the 6542 through the ceramic models. Contemporary launch reports also list the 126711CHNR and 126715CHNR among Rolex's 2018 GMT-Master II releases.


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


Rolex introduced the 126710BLRO at Baselworld 2018, initially on Jubilee only (m126710blro-0001). In 2021 the reference gained an Oyster-bracelet configuration (m126710blro-0002), giving buyers a choice without changing the case or dial. The reference stayed in the catalogue until Watches &amp; Wonders 2026, when Rolex dropped both the steel and white gold Pepsi references from its lineup without announcement. Robb Report captured the post-discontinuation market: unworn examples moving past $40k, used examples past $30k, and a 500% surge in secondary-market purchase requests in the first week of March 2026.
Rolex introduced the 126710BLRO at Baselworld 2018, initially on Jubilee only (m126710blro-0001). In 2021 the reference gained an Oyster-bracelet configuration (m126710blro-0002), without a published change to the case or dial. Contemporary reporting says Rolex removed the steel and white-gold Pepsi references from its catalogue at Watches & Wonders 2026; Rolex did not publish a technical explanation for the discontinuation.


Rolex published no explanation. Robb Report noted that the long-rumoured Coke (red-and-black) ceramic that collectors had speculated about for years never arrived.
The 2026 catalogue change does not identify a replacement red-and-black ceramic GMT or state what will follow this reference.


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


Caliber 3285 was new for 2018 and launched in this reference alongside the Rootbeer pair. It is the successor to the 3186 and carries the Chronergy escapement, Parachrom blue hairspring, and Paraflex shock absorbers. Power reserve is 70 hours — up from the 48-hour reserve of the 3186. Rolex also certifies it to Superlative Chronometer spec at -2/+2 seconds per day, tightened from the older COSC -4/+6. Independently adjustable local hour hand and quickset date carry over from the earlier GMT movements.
Caliber 3285 launched in 2018 and replaced the 3186 in the steel GMT-Master II generation. It uses Rolex's Chronergy escapement, blue Parachrom hairspring, and Paraflex shock protection, with a stated 70-hour power reserve. Rolex's Superlative Chronometer specification is -2/+2 seconds per day after casing. The independently adjustable local hour hand and quickset date continue the GMT-Master II operating layout.


SJX’s launch coverage called out the Chronergy escapement as the headline technical change; Monochrome and Robb Report both anchored the 70-hour reserve as the consumer-facing improvement.
The launch sources identify the Chronergy escapement and longer power reserve as the main changes from caliber 3186.


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


Black lacquered dial with white gold applied Maxi markers and Chromalight lume. The GMT-Master II text is printed in green — a design code Rolex uses across the modern GMT line. The red GMT hand sits against the black dial; the matching red-and-blue bezel gives the watch its identity.
The standard dial is black lacquer with applied white-gold Maxi markers and Chromalight lume. GMT-Master II is printed in green, and the 24-hour hand is red. The dial is shared by the Jubilee and Oyster configurations listed for this reference.


No mid-run dial variants are documented. The -0001 and -0002 references differ only in bracelet; the dial remains constant. Collectors who track modern production have not surfaced any printing or font transitions of the kind that split the late 16710.
The published launch and product material reviewed here does not document a mid-run dial or printing variant. The -0001 and -0002 designations identify bracelet configurations; an individual watch should still be checked against its dial, case, and papers.


<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 ==


The 40mm Oystersteel case uses the modern GMT-Master II architecture — the same platform as the 116710BLNR Batman and the later 126710GRNR and 126720VTNR. Case proportions are approximately 40mm diameter, 48mm lug-to-lug, 12mm thick. Triplock crown, solid screw-down caseback, 100m water resistance.
The 40mm Oystersteel case follows the ceramic GMT-Master II architecture used by the 116710BLNR and later 126710 references. It has a screw-down caseback, Triplock crown, sapphire crystal with Cyclops, and 100m water resistance. Rolex publishes the 40mm diameter; the cited product material does not establish a reference-wide lug-to-lug or thickness specification.


The two-colour Cerachrom bezel is the reference’s defining feature. Rolex had introduced two-tone Cerachrom in 2013 on the 116710BLNR and refined the process on the 2014 white gold [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]]. By 2018 Rolex had the process dialed in enough to bring the red-and-blue insert to steel. The red half of the bezel requires different kiln chemistry than the blue; firing both in a single piece without muddy colour boundaries is the patented technical achievement that Revolution, Monochrome, and SJX all cite in their launch coverage.
The bidirectional bezel uses a red-and-blue Cerachrom insert with moulded numerals and graduations. Rolex first used a two-colour ceramic bezel on the 116710BLNR in 2013 and brought the red-and-blue combination to the white-gold 116719BLRO in 2014 before introducing it on steel in 2018. The launch sources describe the two-colour insert process; they do not establish a complete year-by-year production change log.


The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops over the date window at 3 o’clock, carrying the standard anti-reflective treatment.
The crystal is sapphire with a Cyclops over the date window at 3 o'clock, carrying the standard anti-reflective treatment.


<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 Jubilee bracelet returned to the GMT-Master II on this reference. The five-link Jubilee had not been a production option on the GMT since the 1675 era; the 1675 Jubilee was a period fitting that collectors now treat as characteristic of the 1960s-1970s watches. The 2018 return to Jubilee was either the headline of the launch or the complaint of the launch, depending on the reviewer. Time+Tide took the positive side. aBlogtoWatch and Monochrome stayed neutral and let the bracelet speak.
The launch configuration used a five-link Jubilee bracelet with an Oysterlock safety clasp. Jubilee bracelets were also fitted to earlier GMT-Master references, so the 2018 release is a return to the modern GMT-Master II line rather than a first-ever GMT fitment. The 2021 -0002 configuration added an Oyster bracelet.


The Jubilee is fitted with the Oysterlock safety clasp and the Easylink 5mm extension. Launch retail sat at approximately CHF 8,800 (Monochrome) or USD 9,250 (SJX). Both figures moved upward over the production run.
The Jubilee bracelet uses an Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink comfort extension. Launch prices belong in the market record and varied by currency and market; they are not a reference specification.


The 2021 introduction of the Oyster-bracelet -0002 gave buyers the option of either bracelet on the same reference. No other bracelet or clasp variants are documented.
The 2021 Oyster-bracelet -0002 gave the same reference a second factory bracelet configuration. The published sources reviewed here do not establish other factory bracelet or clasp variants.


<span id="special-branches"></span>
<span id="special-branches"></span>
Line 115: Line 118:
=== Jubilee-bracelet -0001 (2018-2026) ===
=== Jubilee-bracelet -0001 (2018-2026) ===


The launch configuration. Jubilee, Oysterlock, Easylink. The default presentation of the reference for the first three years and still the dominant secondary-market configuration.
The -0001 configuration launched in 2018 on the Jubilee bracelet with Oysterlock clasp and Easylink extension.


<span id="oyster-bracelet--0002-2021-2026"></span>
<span id="oyster-bracelet--0002-2021-2026"></span>
=== Oyster-bracelet -0002 (2021-2026) ===
=== Oyster-bracelet -0002 (2021-2026) ===


Added approximately three years into production. Same case, same bezel, same dial; Oyster bracelet with Oysterlock and Easylink. The 2021 addition resolved the Jubilee-or-nothing starting position.
The -0002 configuration added an Oyster bracelet in 2021. The case, bezel, and dial specification remained the same in the published product material reviewed here.


<span id="pepsi-nickname"></span>
<span id="pepsi-nickname"></span>
=== Pepsi nickname ===
=== Pepsi nickname ===


“Pepsi” refers to the red-and-blue colour combination and descends through the reference lineage from the 6542. It does not apply to any other bezel colour.
"Pepsi" refers to the red-and-blue colour combination and descends through the reference lineage from the 6542. It does not apply to any other bezel colour.


<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 ==


Sotheby’s included an early-production [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] circa 2019 in the 2020 Important Watches Part II sale, with cataloguing language “stainless steel dual time wristwatch with date and bracelet.” The presence of the reference on a tier-1 auction roster within 18 months of launch marked the rapid move from waitlist novelty to secondary-market instrument.
Sotheby's catalogued an early-production 126710BLRO circa 2019 in its 2020 Important Watches Part II sale. That lot is one documented auction example; it does not measure the total production run or establish a market trend.
 
Robb Report described post-discontinuation asking and transaction levels above $30,000 for used examples and above $40,000 for unworn examples in April 2026. Those are contemporary market observations, not a fixed value for every watch; Condition, bracelet, papers, service history, sale date, and venue affect the result.
 
== Related references ==
 
* [[Reference:1675|GMT-Master 1675]], Pepsi & Root Beer (1959–1979)
* [[Reference:6542|GMT-Master 6542]], First GMT, Bakelite Pepsi (1955–1959)
* [[Reference:16700|GMT-Master 16700]], 1988–1998
* [[Reference:16710|GMT-Master 16710]], Pepsi, Coke & Black (1989–2007)
* [[Reference:16713|GMT-Master 16713]], 1989–2007
* [[Reference:16718|GMT-Master 16718]], 1989–2007


Secondary-market data shows double-digit appreciation through the 2020-2024 window, with strong liquidity (short days-to-sell) relative to the broader Rolex sports catalogue. Robb Report’s 2018 launch piece and 2026 discontinuation piece bookend the retail-to-grey-market trajectory: CHF 8,800 launch retail, then years of waitlist premium, then unworn examples above $40k in the post-discontinuation week.
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/rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-126710-blro-steel-jubilee-bracelet-calibre-3285-baselworld-2018-price/ Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi 126710 BLRO Steel Jubilee Calibre 3285 - Baselworld 2018] — unknown, Monochrome Watches
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-126710-blro-steel-jubilee-bracelet-calibre-3285-baselworld-2018-price/ Rolex GMT Master II Pepsi 126710 BLRO Steel Jubilee Calibre 3285 - Baselworld 2018], Monochrome Watches
* [https://watchesbysjx.com/2018/03/baselworld-2018-rolex-introduces-the-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-in-stainless-steel.html Baselworld 2018: Rolex Introduces the GMT-Master II Pepsi in Stainless Steel] — unknown, SJX Watches
* [https://watchesbysjx.com/2018/03/baselworld-2018-rolex-introduces-the-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-in-stainless-steel.html Baselworld 2018: Rolex Introduces the GMT-Master II Pepsi in Stainless Steel], SJX Watches
* [https://www.ablogtowatch.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-126710blro-pepsi-watch-steel/ Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi Watch In Steel Hands-On] — unknown, aBlogtoWatch
* [https://www.ablogtowatch.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-126710blro-pepsi-watch-steel/ Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi Watch In Steel Hands-On], aBlogtoWatch
* [https://timeandtidewatches.com/hands-on-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-ref-126710-blro/ Hands-On: The Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi (ref. 126710BLRO)] — unknown, Time and Tide Watches
* [https://timeandtidewatches.com/hands-on-the-rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-ref-126710-blro/ Hands-On: The Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi (ref. 126710BLRO)], Time and Tide Watches
* [https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/baselworld-2018-rolex-gmt-master-ii-stainless-steel-pepsi-ref-126710blro-jubilee-bracelet Baselworld 2018: Rolex GMT Master II Stainless Steel Pepsi ref. 126710BLRO] — Watch Collecting Lifestyle
* [https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/baselworld-2018-rolex-gmt-master-ii-stainless-steel-pepsi-ref-126710blro-jubilee-bracelet Baselworld 2018: Rolex GMT Master II Stainless Steel Pepsi ref. 126710BLRO], Watch Collecting Lifestyle
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2018-rolex-gmt-master-ii-lineup/ Everything You Need to Know About the 2018 Rolex GMT-Master II Lineup] — unknown, Revolution
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2018-rolex-gmt-master-ii-lineup/ Everything You Need to Know About the 2018 Rolex GMT-Master II Lineup], Revolution
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/rolexs-pepsi-gmt-master-ii-watch-release-2788442/ Rolex's Pepsi GMT Master II Is the Hottest Watch Launch of 2018] — Robb Report
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/rolexs-pepsi-gmt-master-ii-watch-release-2788442/ Rolex's Pepsi GMT Master II Is the Hottest Watch Launch of 2018], Robb Report
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/rolex-pepsi-gmt-master-ii-discontinued-market-1237890139/ With the Rolex Pepsi Now Gone, the Market Is Smelling Blood] — Robb Report
* [https://robbreport.com/style/watch-collector/rolex-pepsi-gmt-master-ii-discontinued-market-1237890139/ With the Rolex Pepsi Now Gone, the Market Is Smelling Blood], Robb Report
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-gmt-pepsi-the-key-references The Rolex Pepsi: The Key References] — unknown, Sotheby's
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-gmt-pepsi-the-key-references The Rolex Pepsi: The Key References], Sotheby's
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-us/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126710blro-0001 Rolex GMT-Master II watch: Oystersteel - m126710blro-0001] — Rolex
* [https://assets.rolex.com/api/brochure/en-us/gmt-master-ii/m126710blro-0001.pdf Rolex GMT-Master II technical brochure - m126710blro-0001], Rolex
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/important-watches-part-ii/pepsi-gmt-master-ii-ref-126710blro-stainless-steel 'Pepsi' GMT-Master II, ref 126710BLRO, stainless steel, circa 2019] — Sotheby's
* [https://assets.rolex.com/api/brochure/en-us/gmt-master-ii/m126710blro-0002.pdf Rolex, technical brochure for m126710blro-0002] — Oyster bracelet configuration and specifications
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_model/733-rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-126710blro/overview Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi 126710BLRO market overview] — unknown, WatchCharts
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/important-watches-part-ii/pepsi-gmt-master-ii-ref-126710blro-stainless-steel 'Pepsi' GMT-Master II, ref 126710BLRO, stainless steel, circa 2019], Sotheby's
* [https://watchcharts.com/watch_model/733-rolex-gmt-master-ii-pepsi-126710blro/overview Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi 126710BLRO market overview], WatchCharts
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/all-models Current GMT-Master II catalogue], Rolex — current catalogue cross-check


[[Category:GMT-Master]]
[[Category:GMT-Master]]
[[Category:Working Draft]]
Retrieved from "https://rolexopedia.net/wiki/Reference:126710BLRO"