Reference:gmt-master

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Vintage Rolex GMT-Master advertisement

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.

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

Vintage GMT-Master

1675

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.

Aluminium-bezel GMT-Master II

16710

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.

Steel ceramic GMT-Master II

116710LN

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.

Early GMT-Master (1955–1959)

The 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.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Bezel	Distinction
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.

GMT-Master 1675 (1959–1980)

The steel 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.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Versions	Distinction
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

Transitional GMT-Master (1979–1988)

Caliber 3075 added a directly adjustable date while retaining the linked hour and 24-hour hands. The steel 16750 and two-tone 16753 use acrylic crystals. The gold 16758 has sapphire. Monochrome and Sotheby's date the steel reference's introduction to 1980; The Vintage Rolex Field Manual uses 1979.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Dial and bezel options	Distinction
16750	Around 1980–1988	3075	40mm steel	Matte or glossy dial; red/blue or black insert	Direct quick-set date; acrylic crystal
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
16758	Around 1980–late 1980s	3075	40mm 18k yellow gold	Brown or black dial and bezel variants	Gold GMT-Master with sapphire crystal

GMT-Master II (1982–2007)

The 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 16710 followed with caliber 3185 and a choice of red/blue, red/black or black inserts. Two-tone 16713 and gold 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.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Bezel options	Distinction
16760	1982/1983–c.1988	3085	40mm steel	Red/black	First GMT-Master II; thicker case
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
16713	Late 1980s–mid-2000s	3185	40mm steel and 18k yellow gold	Brown/gold or black	Two-tone GMT-Master II
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.

Rolex GMT-Master II advertisement featuring Chuck Yeager, fronting the Pepsi-bezel 16710. Source: Time+Tide Watches.

Late GMT-Master (1988–1999)

The 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.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Bezel options	Distinction
16700	c.1988–1999	3175	40mm steel	Red/blue or black	Sapphire crystal; linked hour and 24-hour hands

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.

Reference	Dated evidence	Movement	Case and bezel	Dial records
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 the 116758 SARU reference guide for the source-by-source dates, movement attributions and variant limits.

Ceramic GMT-Master II 116xxx (2005–2019)

Cerachrom is Rolex's name for its ceramic bezel material. The yellow-gold 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.

Reference	Approximate period	Movement	Case	Dial or bezel options	Distinction
116718LN	2005–2019	3186	40mm 18k yellow gold	Black bezel; black or green dial	First ceramic GMT-Master II
116713LN	2006–2019	3186	40mm steel and 18k yellow gold	Black dial and bezel	Yellow Rolesor version
116710LN	2007–2019	3186	40mm steel	Black dial and bezel; green 24-hour hand	Steel version
116710BLNR	2013–2019	3186	40mm steel	Blue/black bezel	First two-colour Cerachrom insert
116719BLRO	2014–c.2018/2019	3186	40mm 18k white gold	Red/blue bezel; black and later blue dials	White-gold ceramic Pepsi

Ceramic GMT-Master II 126xxx (2018 onward)

Caliber 3285 arrived in this generation with an approximately 70-hour power reserve. The steel 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.

Reference	Introduction or dated evidence	Movement	Case	Bezel	Dial or bracelet distinctions
126710BLRO	2018; catalogue withdrawal reported in 2026	3285	40mm steel	Red/blue	Jubilee initially; Oyster option from 2021
126711CHNR	2018	3285	40mm steel and 18k Everose gold	Brown/black	Black dial; Oyster bracelet
126715CHNR	2018	3285	40mm 18k Everose gold	Brown/black	Black dial or later tiger iron dial; Oyster bracelet
126710BLNR	2019	3285	40mm steel	Blue/black	Jubilee initially; Oyster option from 2021
126719BLRO	Documented by 2019; catalogue withdrawal reported in 2026	3285	40mm 18k white gold	Red/blue	Blue or meteorite dial; Oyster bracelet
126720VTNR	2022	3285	40mm steel	Green/black	Crown and date on the left; Oyster or Jubilee
126713GRNR	2023	3285	40mm steel and 18k yellow gold	Grey/black	Black dial; Jubilee bracelet
126718GRNR	2023	3285	40mm 18k yellow gold	Grey/black	Black dial on Jubilee; later tiger iron version on Oyster
126710GRNR	2024	3285	40mm steel	Grey/black	Black dial; Oyster or Jubilee
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.

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.

Caliber	Setting arrangement	References
1036 / 1065 / 1066	Linked hour and 24-hour hands; no direct date quick-set	6542
1565 GMT / 1575 GMT	Linked hour and 24-hour hands; no direct date quick-set	1675
3075	Linked hour and 24-hour hands; direct date quick-set	16750, 16753, 16758
3175	Linked hour and 24-hour hands; direct date quick-set	16700
3085	Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour	16760
3185	Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour	16710, 16713, 16718
3186	Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour	Some late 16710 examples and the 116xxx ceramic references above
3285	Independent local-hour adjustment; date follows local hour	The 126xxx references above

Bezel colours and case metals

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.

Collecting context

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.

The 116xxx ceramic family and 126xxx ceramic family have separate guides. Both use six-digit numerical references; the distinction is between movement generations.

Related families

• Submariner, dive watches with an elapsed-time bezel.
• Explorer II, watches with a 24-hour hand and a fixed bezel.
• Daytona, Rolex's chronograph family.

Shared references

• Serial numbers by year, serial systems and dating limits.
• Movement reference, caliber descriptions and identification.
• Bracelet and clasp guide, bracelet types, end links and clasp codes.

Sources

• Rolex, GMT-Master chronology
• Rolex, GMT-Master II 126710GRNR specification
• Rolex, GMT-Master II 126729VTNR specification
• Rolex, GMT-Master II functions
• Rolex, GMT-Master II technical description
• Rolex, GMT-Master II user guide, pages 7 and 14
• Logan Baker, Phillips, transitional 16710 with caliber 3186
• Phillips, Geneva TWO, lot 221, gold 6542
• Christie’s, lot 5395177, steel 6542
• Christie’s, lot 6507295, gold 1675 without crown guards
• Phillips, Hong Kong XVIII, reference 16758 with sapphire crystal
• Phillips, Geneva XIX, meteorite-dial 126719BLRO
• Phillips, Geneva XIX, blue-dial 126719BLRO
• Rolex, reference 126729VTNR brochure
• Rolex, reference 126715CHNR-0002, tiger iron dial
• Rolex, reference 126718GRNR-0002, tiger iron dial
• In-Depth: The History of the Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II — Monochrome
• The Rolex GMT-Master: A Complete Collector's Guide — Stephen Pulvirent, Sotheby's
• A Closer Look at the Rolex Root Beer — Christina Bohn, Sotheby's
• An Early Retrospective – Rolex GMT-Master II Lunette Noire Ceramic — Evan Yeung, Monochrome Watches
• Baselworld 2019 – Updated Rolex GMT-Master II Batman 126710BLNR on Jubilee — Monochrome Watches
• Yellow Gold and Rolesor Back On The Rolex GMT-Master II With Grey & Black Ceramic Bezel — Monochrome
• Fasten Your Seatbelts: Rolex GMT-Master History and Overview of All Major References — Fratello Watches
• The Rolex Pepsi: The Key References — Sotheby's
• With the Rolex Pepsi Now Gone, the Market Is Smelling Blood — Robb Report, 2026
• Rolex USA, 2008 price list, 116758 family
• Rolex Deutschland, 2012 price list, 116758 SARU
• Christie's, circa-2006 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 6042618
• Christie's, circa-2007 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 6248960
• Sotheby's, 2023, ref. 116758, lot 45
• Phillips, circa-2009 ref. 116758 SARU, lot 14
• The Vintage Rolex Field Manual — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra