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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex GMT-Master}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex GMT-Master}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex GMT-Master — Reference Guide to Every Model & Year | BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master — Reference and Movement Guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The first watch Rolex ever built for airline pilots, and one of its most copied designs since. Launched in 1955 for Pan Am flight crews, the GMT-Master…
|description=Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II references, from the 6542 to modern ceramic models. Production periods, movement differences, bezel colours and metal variants.
|keywords=Rolex, gmt-master, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|keywords=Rolex, gmt-master, GMT-Master, specifications, reference guide
|image=Ref gmt-master vintage-poster.webp
|image=Ref gmt-master vintage-poster.webp
|image_alt=Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertising — the watch designed for Pan Am crews
|image_alt=Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertisement
|type=Article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T03:22:46Z
|published_time=2026-04-18T03:22:46Z
|modified_time=2026-06-29T01:22:51Z
|modified_time=2026-07-18T12:59:44Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


The GMT-Master is Rolex's original airline watch: a fourth hand, a 24-hour bezel, and two time zones on the wrist. Rolex launched it in 1955 for Pan Am crews, then split the line in 1982 when the GMT-Master II gave the local hour hand independent adjustment.
<small>[[Main Page]] › '''GMT-Master'''</small>


The line runs in five eras. Bakelite 6542 came first, then the long 1675 vintage core, then quick-set five-digit GMT-Masters, then the independent-hour GMT-Master II from 1982, then the ceramic GMT-Master II from 2005. Pepsi, Root Beer, Coke, and black became the family's own collector language.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref gmt-master vintage-poster.webp|thumb|center|420px|alt=Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertisement|Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertisement]]
</div>


<span id="early-gmt-master-19551959"></span>
The GMT-Master is Rolex's wristwatch for reading two time zones, introduced in 1955 and later adopted by Pan Am. Its extra hand turns once every 24 hours against a rotating bezel. On the original GMT-Master, that hand stays linked to the ordinary hour hand; rotating the bezel sets the second time-zone reading.
[[File:Ref gmt-master vintage-poster.webp|thumb|center|420px|alt=Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertising — the watch designed for Pan Am crews|Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertising — the watch designed for Pan Am crews]]
 
Rolex introduced the GMT-Master II in 1982. Its local-hour hand adjusts independently in one-hour steps, leaving the minutes and 24-hour hand undisturbed. Reference guides place the GMT-Master end around 1999–2000; the GMT-Master II then became the sole line. Ceramic bezels joined the GMT-Master II in 2005.


== Common entry points ==
== Common entry points ==


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:8px 0; margin:1em 0 1.5em 0;"
<div class="rp-grid">
|-
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">Vintage GMT-Master</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:1675|1675]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">The steel reference spans pointed and rounded crown guards, gilt and matte dials. Gold and two-tone versions have their own case and dial changes.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Identifying a long-vintage GMT?''<br/>'''[[Reference:1675|1675]]''' — the twenty-year vintage core, pointed crown guards giving way to rounded, gilt giving way to matte, with steel, gold, and Root Beer branches in parallel.
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">Aluminium-bezel GMT-Master II</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:16710|16710]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">Red/blue, red/black or black inserts and an independently adjustable local-hour hand. Some late watches have caliber 3186; dial lettering alone does not identify the movement.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Cross-checking a five-digit GMT-Master II?''<br/>'''[[Reference:16710|16710]]''' — three bezel inserts (Pepsi, Coke, black) on the same case, late stick-dial 3186 sub-branch, the GMT collectors land on first when they cross from vintage to modern.
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">Steel ceramic GMT-Master II</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">Introduced in 2007 with caliber 3186 and a black Cerachrom insert. The dial has green GMT-Master II lettering and a green 24-hour hand.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Working from a modern Cerachrom-bezel piece?''<br/>'''[[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]]''' — first ceramic-bezel GMT-Master II. In-house caliber 3186, Cerachrom black insert, 904L steel — the reference that set the template the Pepsi and Batman variants now extend.
</div>
|}


== Early GMT-Master (1955–1959) ==
== Early GMT-Master (1955–1959) ==


The experimental years. The case had no crown guards, the 24-hour bezel was moulded from bakelite and cracked easily, and a gold branch with alpha hands ran alongside the red-and-blue (Pepsi) steel watch. Most surviving examples carry later service inserts; the original bakelite rarely survived daily wear.
The [[Reference:6542|6542]] has no crown guards. Its translucent bezel insert, usually called Bakelite in auction catalogues, carries the 24-hour scale. Steel examples have a red-and-blue insert; gold examples include brown inserts and alpha-shaped hands. Replacement aluminium inserts occur on surviving watches, so bezel material alone does not establish original delivery.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Bezel !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Bezel !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:6542|6542]] || 1955–1959 || 1036 / 1065 / 1066 || 38mm SS or 18k YG || Bakelite Pepsi (steel), bakelite brown (gold) || First GMT-Master; no crown guards; fragile bakelite insert
| [[Reference:6542|6542]] || 1955–1959 || 1030-family GMT calibers, including 1036, 1065 and 1066 || About 38mm; steel or 18k yellow gold || Translucent plastic insert; later metal replacements also found || No crown guards
|}
|}
Caliber labels vary in early cataloguing. Phillips identifies caliber 1066 in a gold 6542 dated 1959; Christie's records it in a steel example dated around 1958. The exact changeover dates between these calibers remain uncertain.


<span id="long-vintage-core-19591980"></span>
<span id="long-vintage-core-19591980"></span>
== Long vintage core (1959–1980) ==
<span id="Long_vintage_core_(1959–1980)"></span>
== GMT-Master 1675 (1959–1980) ==


The reference that turned the GMT-Master from an experiment into an institution. Crown guards arrived with the [[Reference:1675|1675]], along with an aluminum bezel insert (replacing the fragile bakelite) and a twenty-year production run long enough to hold several distinct watches under one number. Early pointed crown guards, known as PCG, gave way to rounded guards; gilt dials gave way to matte; and the steel watch was joined by a gold branch and a two-tone Root Beer branch.
The steel [[Reference:1675|1675]] added crown guards and an aluminium bezel insert. Pointed guards gave way to rounded ones, and the dial changed from gilt printing on a glossy surface to white printing on matte black. Early gold 1675s had no crown guards; Christie's dates their addition to 1967. Steel-and-gold versions followed in the early 1970s.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Versions !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:1675|1675]] || 1959–1979 || 1565 early, 1575 later || 40mm SS, 18k YG, or two-tone || Steel, 1675/8 gold, 1675/3 Root Beer || Core vintage GMT-Master; PCG to rounded guards, gilt to matte
| [[Reference:1675|1675]] || c.1959–1980 || 1565 GMT; later 1575 GMT || About 40mm; steel, yellow gold or steel/yellow gold || Steel; 1675/8 gold; 1675/3 two-tone || Case and dial changes differ by metal
|}
|}


Line 55: Line 60:
== Transitional GMT-Master (1979–1988) ==
== Transitional GMT-Master (1979–1988) ==


The five-digit quick-set era on the GMT-Master side of the family split. Caliber 3075 added a quick-set date and a higher beat rate but kept the older linked-hand GMT logic, in which the 24-hour hand tracks the local hour hand rather than moving on its own. Acrylic crystals held through most of the run. The branch map also gets busier here, with steel, two-tone, and solid-gold references all in production at once.
Caliber 3075 added a directly adjustable date while retaining the linked hour and 24-hour hands. The steel [[Reference:16750|16750]] and two-tone [[Reference:16753|16753]] use acrylic crystals. The gold [[Reference:16758|16758]] has sapphire. Monochrome and Sotheby's date the steel reference's introduction to 1980; ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' uses 1979.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Dial and bezel options !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16750|16750]] || 1979–1988 || 3075 || 40mm SS || Matte to glossy Pepsi, black, spider || Last steel GMT-Master with acrylic crystal; quick-set date
| [[Reference:16750|16750]] || Around 1980–1988 || 3075 || 40mm steel || Matte or glossy dial; red/blue or black insert || Direct quick-set date; acrylic crystal
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16753|16753]] || 1979–1988 || 3075 || 40mm SS + 18k YG || Brown Root Beer, black || Two-tone continuation of the Root Beer line
| [[Reference:16753|16753]] || Around 1980–late 1980s || 3075 || 40mm steel and 18k yellow gold || Brown or black dial and bezel variants || Two-tone GMT-Master with direct quick-set date
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16758|16758]] || 1979–1988 || 3075 || 40mm 18k YG || Brown Root Beer, black || Last gold GMT-Master with older linked-hand logic
| [[Reference:16758|16758]] || Around 1980–late 1980s || 3075 || 40mm 18k yellow gold || Brown or black dial and bezel variants || Gold GMT-Master with sapphire crystal
|}
|}


Line 71: Line 76:
== GMT-Master II (1982–2007) ==
== GMT-Master II (1982–2007) ==


The functional break in the family. Caliber 3085 in the [[Reference:16760|16760]] introduced an independently adjustable local hour hand, which turned the 24-hour bezel into a third-time-zone tool rather than a second-time-zone aid. The thick transitional [[Reference:16760|16760]] gave way to the slimmer [[Reference:16710|16710]] in 1989, and the line spent nearly two decades on that reference before the ceramic era rewrote the watch.
The [[Reference:16760|16760]] introduced caliber 3085 and the independently adjustable local-hour hand. Its thicker case accounts for the collector names Fat Lady and Sophia Loren. The original bezel was red and black, commonly called Coke. Rolex dates the GMT-Master II launch to 1982; reference guides variously begin the 16760's production range in 1982 or 1983.
 
The slimmer [[Reference:16710|16710]] followed with caliber 3185 and a choice of red/blue, red/black or black inserts. Two-tone [[Reference:16713|16713]] and gold [[Reference:16718|16718]] versions used the same basic movement arrangement. The date is corrected by moving the local-hour hand through midnight, without a separate direct date quick-set.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Bezel options !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16760|16760]] || 1983–1987 || 3085 || 40mm SS (thick) || Coke, black || First GMT-Master II; "Fat Lady" / "Sophia Loren"
| [[Reference:16760|16760]] || 1982/1983–c.1988 || 3085 || 40mm steel || Red/black || First GMT-Master II; thicker case
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16710|16710]] || 1989–2007 || 3185, late 3186 || 40mm SS || Pepsi, Coke, black || Long neo-vintage steel run; late stick-dial 3186 sub-branch
| [[Reference:16710|16710]] || c.1989–2007; later dated examples recorded || 3185; some late examples with 3186 || 40mm steel || Red/blue, red/black or black || Slimmer case than the 16760
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16713|16713]] || 1989–2007 || 3185, late 3186 || 40mm SS + 18k YG || Brown, black || Two-tone GMT-Master II branch
| [[Reference:16713|16713]] || Late 1980s–mid-2000s || 3185 || 40mm steel and 18k yellow gold || Brown/gold or black || Two-tone GMT-Master II
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16718|16718]] || 1989–2007 || 3185, late 3186 || 40mm 18k YG || Black well-documented, brown thinner || Solid-gold GMT-Master II branch
| [[Reference:16718|16718]] || Late 1980s–mid-2000s || 3185 || 40mm 18k yellow gold || Brown or black || Solid-gold GMT-Master II
|}
|}
Phillips documents a steel 16710 with caliber 3186 and papers dated 2008, after the steel ceramic successor appeared in 2007. Its dial has the separate vertical strokes called a stick dial. That lettering also occurs with caliber 3185, so the movement needs direct identification.
[[File:Ref gmt-master chuck-yeager-ad.webp|thumb|right|300px|alt=Rolex GMT-Master II print advertisement featuring test pilot Chuck Yeager, Pepsi-bezel 16710|Rolex GMT-Master II advertisement featuring Chuck Yeager, fronting the Pepsi-bezel 16710. Source: Time+Tide Watches.]]


<span id="late-gmt-master-19881999"></span>
<span id="late-gmt-master-19881999"></span>
== Late GMT-Master (1988–1999) ==
== Late GMT-Master (1988–1999) ==


The last reference on the original side of the family split. Sapphire crystal, caliber 3175, and a choice of Pepsi or black bezel. The 16700 kept the older linked-hand GMT logic rather than adopting the independent hour hand of the GMT-Master II references running alongside it. That mechanical distinction kept the two lines separate right to the end.
The [[Reference:16700|16700]] was the last GMT-Master. It combined a sapphire crystal and caliber 3175 with the original linked-hand arrangement, and was sold alongside the GMT-Master II. It retained a direct quick-set date.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Bezel options !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:16700|16700]] || 1988–1998/1999 || 3175 || 40mm SS || Pepsi, black || Last GMT-Master; tritium to Luminova transition
| [[Reference:16700|16700]] || c.1988–1999 || 3175 || 40mm steel || Red/blue or black || Sapphire crystal; linked hour and 24-hour hands
|}
|}
<span id="gem-set-gmt-master-ii-116758"></span>
== Gem-set GMT-Master II 116758 SARU ==
Rolex listed the 116758 SARU separately from the 116758 SA and SANR. Its catalogues describe a 40mm yellow-gold case with 76 diamonds and a bezel set with 23 diamonds, 18 rubies and 18 sapphires. In 2012 Rolex listed black- and pavé-dial configurations, bracelet 78208, and an optional 728-diamond bracelet 74768. Auction catalogues attribute both Cal. 3185 and Cal. 3186 to dated examples; the reference article records the disagreement.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Reference !! Dated evidence !! Movement !! Case and bezel !! Dial records
|-
| [[Reference:116758SARU|116758 SARU]] || Introduced around 2006; Rolex catalogue entries in 2008 and 2012 || 3185 and 3186 attributed in auction catalogues || 40mm 18k yellow gold; diamond-set case and sapphire/ruby/diamond bezel || Black and pavé dials; bracelets 78208 and optional 74768
|}
See [[Reference:116758SARU|the 116758 SARU reference guide]] for the source-by-source dates, movement attributions and variant limits.


<span id="ceramic-gmt-master-ii-5-digit-20052019"></span>
<span id="ceramic-gmt-master-ii-5-digit-20052019"></span>
== Ceramic GMT-Master II 5-digit (2005–2019) ==
== Ceramic GMT-Master II 116xxx (2005–2019) ==


The Cerachrom era opened in 2005 with the yellow-gold [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] and caliber 3186, which runs across the entire 5-digit ceramic family. Rolesor followed in 2006, steel in 2007, the blue-black Batman in 2013, and the white-gold ceramic Pepsi in 2014. These are the thick Super Case GMTs before the slimmer 126710 generation.
Cerachrom is Rolex's name for its ceramic bezel material. The yellow-gold [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] introduced it to the GMT-Master II in 2005. Steel-and-yellow-gold Rolesor followed in 2006, then steel in 2007. All five references below use caliber 3186.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Case !! Dial or bezel options !! Distinction
|-
|-
| [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] || 2005–2019 || 3186 || 40mm 18k YG || Black dial, green anniversary dial || First Cerachrom GMT-Master II; caliber 3186 debut
| [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]] || 2005–2019 || 3186 || 40mm 18k yellow gold || Black bezel; black or green dial || First ceramic GMT-Master II
|-
|-
| [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] || 2006–2019 || 3186 || 40mm Rolesor YG || Single gloss-black configuration || First Cerachrom GMT-Master II to reach steel-in-case form
| [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]] || 2006–2019 || 3186 || 40mm steel and 18k yellow gold || Black dial and bezel || Yellow Rolesor version
|-
|-
| [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] || 2007–2019 || 3186 || 40mm SS || Black dial with green signature line || First steel GMT-Master II with ceramic bezel
| [[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]] || 2007–2019 || 3186 || 40mm steel || Black dial and bezel; green 24-hour hand || Steel version
|-
|-
| [[Reference:116710BLNR|116710BLNR]] || 2013–2019 || 3186 || 40mm SS || Blue-and-black Batman || First two-colour Cerachrom; patented process
| [[Reference:116710BLNR|116710BLNR]] || 2013–2019 || 3186 || 40mm steel || Blue/black bezel || First two-colour Cerachrom insert
|-
|-
| [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]] || 2014–2019 || 3186 || 40mm 18k WG || Black dial -0001, blue dial -0002 (2018) || First ceramic Pepsi; white gold only
| [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]] || 2014–c.2018/2019 || 3186 || 40mm 18k white gold || Red/blue bezel; black and later blue dials || White-gold ceramic Pepsi
|}
|}


<span id="ceramic-gmt-master-ii-6-digit-2018present"></span>
<span id="ceramic-gmt-master-ii-6-digit-2018present"></span>
== Ceramic GMT-Master II 6-digit (2018–present) ==
== Ceramic GMT-Master II 126xxx (2018 onward) ==


The current ceramic generation starts in 2018 with the steel Pepsi [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] and caliber 3285. Jubilee returned, the case slimmed down from the Super Case, and the line then expanded into Root Beer, Batman, Destro, and GRNR branches. This is the modern 70-hour GMT-Master II platform, and both the steel Pepsi and the white-gold Pepsi left the catalogue in 2026.
Caliber 3285 arrived in this generation with an approximately 70-hour power reserve. The steel [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] brought a ceramic red-and-blue bezel to steel in 2018, initially on Jubilee. Everose and steel/Everose models appeared the same year, followed by further bezel colours and the left-crown versions.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Case !! Branches !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Introduction or dated evidence !! Movement !! Case !! Bezel !! Dial or bracelet distinctions
|-
| [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] || 2018; catalogue withdrawal reported in 2026 || 3285 || 40mm steel || Red/blue || Jubilee initially; Oyster option from 2021
|-
| [[Reference:126711CHNR|126711CHNR]] || 2018 || 3285 || 40mm steel and 18k Everose gold || Brown/black || Black dial; Oyster bracelet
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]] || 2018–2026 || 3285 || 40mm SS || Jubilee -0001, Oyster -0002 (2021) || First steel ceramic Pepsi; Jubilee return
| [[Reference:126715CHNR|126715CHNR]] || 2018 || 3285 || 40mm 18k Everose gold || Brown/black || Black dial or later tiger iron dial; Oyster bracelet
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126711CHNR|126711CHNR]] || 2018–present || 3285 || 40mm Rolesor Everose || Single CHNR configuration || First two-colour Cerachrom after BLNR/BLRO; "Cough Syrup"
| [[Reference:126710BLNR|126710BLNR]] || 2019 || 3285 || 40mm steel || Blue/black || Jubilee initially; Oyster option from 2021
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126715CHNR|126715CHNR]] || 2018–present || 3285 || 40mm solid Everose || Black dial -0001, Tiger Iron -0002 (2025) || Solid-Everose Rootbeer halo
| 126719BLRO || Documented by 2019; catalogue withdrawal reported in 2026 || 3285 || 40mm 18k white gold || Red/blue || Blue or meteorite dial; Oyster bracelet
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126710BLNR|126710BLNR]] || 2019–present || 3285 || 40mm SS || Jubilee Batgirl, Oyster Batman (2021) || Batman on cal. 3285; first Jubilee Batman
| [[Reference:126720VTNR|126720VTNR]] || 2022 || 3285 || 40mm steel || Green/black || Crown and date on the left; Oyster or Jubilee
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126720VTNR|126720VTNR]] || 2022–present || 3285 || 40mm SS || Oyster -0001, Jubilee -0002 || First modern left-crown Rolex sports watch; Sprite/Destro
| [[Reference:126713GRNR|126713GRNR]] || 2023 || 3285 || 40mm steel and 18k yellow gold || Grey/black || Black dial; Jubilee bracelet
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126713GRNR|126713GRNR]] || 2023–present || 3285 || 40mm Rolesor YG || Single GRNR configuration on Jubilee || Return of yellow Rolesor; first precious-metal Jubilee GMT
| [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]] || 2023 || 3285 || 40mm 18k yellow gold || Grey/black || Black dial on Jubilee; later tiger iron version on Oyster
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]] || 2023–present || 3285 || 40mm solid YG || Black dial, Tiger Iron dial (2025) || Return of solid yellow gold to the line
| [[Reference:126710GRNR|126710GRNR]] || 2024 || 3285 || 40mm steel || Grey/black || Black dial; Oyster or Jubilee
|-
|-
| [[Reference:126710GRNR|126710GRNR]] || 2024–present || 3285 || 40mm SS || Oyster -0001, Jubilee -0002 || Bruce Wayne/Ghost; steel conclusion of the GRNR family
| 126729VTNR || 2025 || 3285 || 40mm 18k white gold || Green/black || Green ceramic dial; left crown and date; Oyster bracelet
|}
|}
Robb Report reported the withdrawal of both Pepsi references, 126710BLRO and 126719BLRO, from Rolex's catalogue in April 2026. Manufacture and retail-sale dates can differ from catalogue dates.


<span id="movement-progression"></span>
<span id="movement-progression"></span>
== Movement progression ==
== Movement progression ==
Quick-set date and independent local-hour adjustment are different functions. A GMT-Master with caliber 3075 or 3175 can advance the date directly. On a GMT-Master II, the date follows the jumping local-hour hand through midnight. Rolex's user guide describes that method separately from setting the minutes and 24-hour hand.


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Caliber !! Frequency !! Hacking / quick-set !! Used in !! Notes
! Caliber !! Setting arrangement !! References
|-
| 1036 / 1065 / 1066 || 18,000 vph || no / no || [[Reference:6542|6542]] || Earliest GMT-specific movements; picture still unresolved
|-
|-
| 1565 || 18,000 vph || no / no || [[Reference:1675|1675]] (early) || First stable 1675 caliber
| 1036 / 1065 / 1066 || Linked hour and 24-hour hands; no direct date quick-set || [[Reference:6542|6542]]
|-
|-
| 1575 || 19,800 vph || hacking from ~1971 || [[Reference:1675|1675]] (late) || Long-run 1675 caliber; sometimes signed 1570
| 1565 GMT / 1575 GMT || Linked hour and 24-hour hands; no direct date quick-set || [[Reference:1675|1675]]
|-
|-
| 3075 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || [[Reference:16750|16750]], [[Reference:16753|16753]], [[Reference:16758|16758]] || Five-digit quick-set upgrade; still linked-hand GMT
| 3075 || Linked hour and 24-hour hands; direct date quick-set || [[Reference:16750|16750]], [[Reference:16753|16753]], [[Reference:16758|16758]]
|-
|-
| 3085 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || [[Reference:16760|16760]] || First independently adjustable local hour hand
| 3175 || Linked hour and 24-hour hands; direct date quick-set || [[Reference:16700|16700]]
|-
|-
| 3175 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || [[Reference:16700|16700]] || Last linked-hand GMT-Master caliber
| 3085 || Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour || [[Reference:16760|16760]]
|-
|-
| 3185 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || [[Reference:16710|16710]], [[Reference:16713|16713]], [[Reference:16718|16718]] || Long neo-vintage GMT-Master II movement
| 3185 || Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour || [[Reference:16710|16710]], [[Reference:16713|16713]], [[Reference:16718|16718]]
|-
|-
| 3186 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || late [[Reference:16710|16710]], [[Reference:16713|16713]], [[Reference:16718|16718]]; all 5-digit ceramic ([[Reference:116710LN|116710LN]], [[Reference:116710BLNR|116710BLNR]], [[Reference:116713LN|116713LN]], [[Reference:116718LN|116718LN]], [[Reference:116719BLRO|116719BLRO]]) || Parachrom hairspring, revised GMT wheel; standard across the ceramic era
| 3186 || Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour || Some late [[Reference:16710|16710]] examples and the 116xxx ceramic references above
|-
|-
| 3285 || 28,800 vph || yes / yes || All 6-digit ceramic references ([[Reference:126710BLNR|126710BLNR]], [[Reference:126710BLRO|126710BLRO]], [[Reference:126710GRNR|126710GRNR]], [[Reference:126711CHNR|126711CHNR]], [[Reference:126713GRNR|126713GRNR]], [[Reference:126715CHNR|126715CHNR]], [[Reference:126718GRNR|126718GRNR]], [[Reference:126720VTNR|126720VTNR]]) || Chronergy escapement, 70-hour reserve, Superlative -2/+2 sec/day
| 3285 || Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour || The 126xxx references above
|}
|}


<span id="color-and-metal-logic"></span>
<span id="color-and-metal-logic"></span>
== Color and metal logic ==
<span id="Color_and_metal_logic"></span>
== Bezel colours and case metals ==


Color branches matter almost as much as reference numbers here. Pepsi starts with the steel [[Reference:6542|6542]] and stays the default GMT look. Root Beer starts with the two-tone 1675/3 and gold 1675/8, then carries forward through later gold and two-tone references. Coke belongs mainly to the GMT-Master II era from the [[Reference:16760|16760]] onward. Gold and two-tone watches are part of the main line from early on, not side branches.
Pepsi means red and blue; Coke means red and black. Root Beer is used for brown and gold vintage combinations and, more loosely, the modern brown-and-black Everose models. These are collector names. They do not identify a reference, case metal or original bezel by themselves.
 
The same red-and-blue ceramic colour scheme appears on both steel and white-gold watches. Brown inserts also span several gold and two-tone generations. Case material, dial and movement are needed alongside the bezel colour to identify a watch.


<span id="collecting-context"></span>
<span id="collecting-context"></span>
== Collecting context ==
== Collecting context ==


The GMT-Master market rewards different habits than the Submariner market. Submariner collecting tracks case shape, military use, and dial text. GMT collecting tracks bezel color, travel mythology, and branch identity in equal measure.
Original delivery, period-correct fitment and later service replacement are separate claims. A clasp code dates the clasp. It cannot establish the date of the watch head or prove that the bracelet was delivered with it. An auction photograph shows the configuration at the time of sale; original fitment needs further evidence.
 
A few cautions carry across the whole family. Original delivery is not the same thing as period-correct fitment, and a clasp code dates the bracelet rather than the watch head. Service inserts are common on the earliest watches, where the original bakelite rarely survived. The nickname language is useful but loose: Pepsi, Coke, Root Beer, and black each cover more variation than the shorthand suggests.
 


The modern ceramic era splits cleanly into two family hubs. [[Reference:gmt-master-ii-5digit-ceramic-family|The 5-digit ceramic family]] covers the 2005–2019 Super Case watches. [[Reference:gmt-master-ii-6digit-family|The 6-digit family]] covers the 2018-onward caliber 3285 generation.
The [[Reference:gmt-master-ii-5digit-ceramic-family|116xxx ceramic family]] and [[Reference:gmt-master-ii-6digit-family|126xxx ceramic family]] have separate guides. Both use six-digit numerical references; the distinction is between movement generations.


== Related families ==
== Related families ==


* [[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] — the parallel dive line. Same case-era cadence, same crown-guard transition, the other half of the 1955–1959 Rolex tool-watch launch wave.
* [[Reference:submariner|Submariner]], dive watches with an elapsed-time bezel.
* [[Reference:explorer-ii|Explorer-II]] — the 24-hour cousin. The 1655 shares caliber 1575 with the 1675; the 16550 shares caliber 3085 with the 16760.
* [[Reference:explorer-ii|Explorer II]], watches with a 24-hour hand and a fixed bezel.
* [[Reference:daytona|Daytona]] — the chronograph counterpart. The same Zenith-to-in-house movement transition runs across both lines in the 1988–2000 window.
* [[Reference:daytona|Daytona]], Rolex's chronograph family.
 


== Shared references ==
== Shared references ==


* [[Reference:Serial-numbers|Serial numbers by year]] — date any GMT-Master from its serial
* [[Reference:Serial-numbers|Serial numbers by year]], serial systems and dating limits.
* [[Reference:Movements|Movement reference]] — the calibers used across the GMT-Master line
* [[Reference:Movements|Movement reference]], caliber descriptions and identification.
* [[Reference:Bracelets|Bracelet & clasp guide]] — bracelet types, end-links, and clasp date codes
* [[Reference:Bracelets|Bracelet and clasp guide]], bracelet types, end links and clasp codes.


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/time-zone-to-time-zone Rolex, GMT-Master chronology]
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126710grnr-0004 Rolex, GMT-Master II 126710GRNR specification]
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-us/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126729vtnr-0001 Rolex, GMT-Master II 126729VTNR specification]
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/gmt-master-ii/features Rolex, GMT-Master II functions]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/oyster-collection/gmt-master-ii Rolex, GMT-Master II technical description]
* [https://content.rolex.com/dam/media/user-guides/gmt-master-ii/rolex_gmt-master-ii_en.pdf Rolex, GMT-Master II user guide, pages 7 and 14]
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/135679290/perpetual-picks-rolex-gmt-master-ii-3186-calibre Logan Baker, Phillips, transitional 16710 with caliber 3186]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080515/221 Phillips, Geneva TWO, lot 221, gold 6542]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5395177 Christie’s, lot 5395177, steel 6542]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6507295 Christie’s, lot 6507295, gold 1675 without crown guards]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/196919 Phillips, Hong Kong XVIII, reference 16758 with sapphire crystal]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/194957 Phillips, Geneva XIX, meteorite-dial 126719BLRO]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/194955 Phillips, Geneva XIX, blue-dial 126719BLRO]
* [https://assets.rolex.com/api/brochure/en/gmt-master-ii/m126729vtnr-0001.pdf Rolex, reference 126729VTNR brochure]
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-us/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126715chnr-0002 Rolex, reference 126715CHNR-0002, tiger iron dial]
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-us/watches/gmt-master-ii/m126718grnr-0002 Rolex, reference 126718GRNR-0002, tiger iron dial]
* [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] — 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/the-rolex-gmt-master-the-complete-collectors-guide The Rolex GMT-Master: A Complete Collector's Guide] — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
Line 207: Line 254:
* [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 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 Watches
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-gmt-pepsi-the-key-references The Rolex Pepsi: The Key References] — 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.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/rolex-caliber-3186-vs-rolex-caliber-3285.html Rolex Caliber 3186 vs. Caliber 3285] — Bob's Watches
* [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, 2026
* [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, 2026
* [https://www.minus4plus6.com/pdf/Rolex2008.pdf Rolex USA, 2008 price list, 116758 family]
* [https://www.minus4plus6.com/pdf/Rolex_Price_List_June-1-2012.pdf Rolex Deutschland, 2012 price list, 116758 SARU]
* [https://www.christies.com.cn/lot/lot-6042618 Christie's, circa-2006 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 6042618]
* [https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6248960 Christie's, circa-2007 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 6248960]
* [https://sothebys-com.brightspotcdn.com/2c/4a/bc2f942e47408a9fdafa1930caff/ge2301-important-watches-part-i.pdf Sotheby's, 2023, ref. 116758, lot 45]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080220/14 Phillips, circa-2009 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 14]
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra


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