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


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


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


The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the solid yellow-gold GMT-Master of the [[Reference:16750|16750]] generation. It keeps the older linked-hand GMT logic, adds the quick-set date through caliber 3075, and moves the gold GMT line into the five-digit era without yet becoming a GMT-Master II. The watch still looks back toward the 1675/8, but it already points toward the [[Reference:16718|16718]] that would follow.
The 16758 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master and the gold counterpart to the steel [[Reference:16750|16750]]. Both use caliber 3075 and the linked-hand caller-GMT layout, but the 16758 is documented with a sapphire crystal while the steel 16750 retains acrylic. Sources place the run approximately between 1980 and 1988, with disagreement over the first year. Regular examples use black or brown aluminium bezel inserts; gem-set SARU watches are treated separately.
 
Root Beer is only half the story. Brown and black dials ran in parallel across the reference, and the black branch carries its own late-run sunburst and gold-surround dials worth looking at closely.


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


[[File:Ref 16758 hero.webp|thumb|right|340px|alt=18k gold GMT, quick-set date|18k gold GMT, quick-set date]]
==Core facts==


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


Line 58: Line 70:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the solid-gold counterpart to the steel [[Reference:16750|16750]] and sits between the vintage gold GMT-Master line and the later gold GMT-Master II. It keeps the linked-hand system, so the 24-hour hand cannot be set independently of the main hour hand. The [[Reference:16718|16718]] that follows in spirit adds the clicking bezel and the separately adjustable GMT hand. The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is therefore the last gold GMT that still behaves like a GMT-Master rather than a GMT-Master II.
Within the five-digit GMT-Master line the 16758 is the gold counterpart to the [[Reference:16750|16750]], the same watch executed in 18K yellow gold throughout. It ran alongside the all-steel 16750, the two-tone 16753 Rootbeer, and from 1983 the [[Reference:16760|16760]] GMT-Master II. The 16758 carries the caller mechanic into 1988 with the 16750 and 16753; the next-generation gold GMT is the 16718 of 1989 onward, on the caliber 3185 flyer mechanic.
 
The 1675/8 predecessor wore acrylic, as did the contemporary steel 16750 and 16753. The gold 16758 is documented with sapphire, a material distinction that helps separate the references when the case and movement are also checked.


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


The broad production frame is stable at 1979–1988, and the clearest way to read the run is by dial phase. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual treats it as three stages that map loosely to time rather than to hard cutoff years.
The launch year is disputed. Sotheby's and Hodinkee use 1980, while other specialist references use 1979 or 1981. The documented run closes in 1988. Phillips' Geneva X 2019 lot 106 is a circa-1985 SARU example with case 8,510,585 and movement 1,100,222.
 
No total-production figure exists for the regular 16758. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 SARU examples; that estimate should not be read as a complete census.


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


The earliest [[Reference:16758|16758]] watches read closest to the outgoing 1675/8. Matte dials with the older visual warmth give the strongest continuity with the late vintage gold line. This phase sits at the front of the run, from around 1979 through the first years of production, which places it in parallel with the early matte [[Reference:16750|16750]] watches. The dial surface reads flat rather than glossy, with brown or black printed text and raised nipple indexes carrying the older visual recipe forward.
Some early 16758 examples are documented with matte dials resembling late 1675/8 production. The surviving record is too small to set a clean serial boundary, and a dial should be checked against the case, movement, and service history.


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


Glossy sunburst dials take over through the middle of the run. The reference starts to read as 1980s Rolex while the case, bezel, and movement stay identical to the early phase. Brown sunburst dials show a radial grain that catches light in concentric rings; black sunburst dials do the same with less color shift. The Field Manual places this phase through the middle of the 1980s without naming a cutoff year, and documented 1982 and 1987 watches sit on either side of the window.
Glossy sunburst dials appear in the mid-run auction record. Sotheby's 2018 GE1804 lot 15 is a circa-1984 brown “nipple” example, and the 2019 Driver's Collection lot 8 is a circa-1981 black-dial example. These lots document individual configurations rather than a complete transition schedule.


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


Later dials add the familiar gold surrounds around the lume plots. Each applied plot sits inside a polished gold ring, which changes the dial's reflection pattern without altering the layout. The visual effect lines up with the neo-vintage gold GMT-Master II watches that follow, and a gold-surround dial is the strongest late-run signal on a surviving [[Reference:16758|16758]].
Some later dials carry applied gold surrounds around the lume plots, commonly called “nipple” markers. The same broad marker treatment appears on later two-tone GMT-Master references, but the surviving 16758 examples do not establish a precise changeover year.


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


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


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


[[File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Brown Root Beer 16758|Brown Root Beer 16758]]
Regular 16758 examples include black, brown, and champagne serti dials; tropicalized or cracked lacquer is a condition of some dials rather than a separate factory branch. SARU watches stand apart as gem-set variants. Period examples use tritium markings, but service dials can differ, and champagne serti dials do not use the standard nipple-marker layout.
[[File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black-dial 16758|Black-dial 16758]]
[[File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black dial close-up|Black dial close-up]]
The [[Reference:16758|16758]] reads along two axes: a color split between brown and black, and a three-phase finish evolution from matte to glossy sunburst to gold-surround.


<span id="brown-root-beer-branch"></span>
<span id="black-nipple"></span>
=== Brown Root Beer branch ===
=== Black nipple ===


This is the branch most collectors reach for first. A brown dial, brown bezel insert, and the lingering visual vocabulary of the older gold GMT line keep the watch tied to the 1675/8 even though the mechanics are newer.
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|alt=Black-dial 16758|Black-dial 16758
File:Ref 16758 black-nipple-square.webp|alt=Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay|Black nipple 16758 on gold Jubilee, lifestyle flat-lay
</gallery>
The black branch uses a glossy black ground with applied gold markers and is commonly shown with the all-black 24-hour insert. Auction frequency does not establish that it was the most common factory dial, and condition varies from example to example.


<span id="black-branch"></span>
<span id="brown-sunburst-nipple-rootbeer"></span>
=== Black branch ===
=== Brown sunburst nipple ===


The black branch is not secondary. The Field Manual records that [[Reference:16758|16758]] watches were offered with either black or brown dials from the start, and surviving examples bear that out.
[[File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Brown Root Beer 16758|Brown Root Beer 16758]]
The brown branch pairs a brown sunburst dial and applied gold markers with a brown 24-hour insert. Sotheby's catalogued a circa-1984 example with this combination. Patina, lacquer damage, and service work need to be assessed on the individual dial.


<span id="nipple-indexes-and-gilt-coronet"></span>
<span id="champagne-serti"></span>
=== Nipple indexes and gilt coronet ===
=== Champagne serti ===


The Field Manual fixes the reference's place in the dial sequence. The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the last GMT branch with nipple indexes and the first with a gilt coronet, which lets a collector date a dial at a glance independent of the brown-or-black question.
[[File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black dial close-up|Black dial close-up]]


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


The reference uses a solid yellow-gold Oyster case with crown guards and an aluminum 24-hour insert. The Field Manual reads the [[Reference:16758|16758]] as keeping the older friction-fit, non-clicking bezel, with the clicking format arriving only on the later [[Reference:16718|16718]].
<span id="tropical-and-aged"></span>
=== Tropical and aged ===


The friction-fit bezel rides on a smooth spring ring and rotates with no stop and no sound, the same unnotched feel that defines the [[Reference:1675|1675]] and 1675/8. The later [[Reference:16718|16718]] replaces that with a toothed click-spring indexed to 120 positions per rotation, which gives the modern GMT bezel its tactile stops and audible clicks. On an unmodified [[Reference:16758|16758]], the bezel should turn smoothly rather than click.
Some brown and black lacquer dials show colour change or cracking described by cataloguers as tropical or aged. Important Watches lot 228 (circa 1984, serial 8,390,209, caliber 3075) is one documented example; the condition label does not prove the cause of the change.


The crystal is the one real hardware dispute on the 16758. Sapphire is the stronger reading across the run, but an early brown example with acrylic keeps the question open for the first years.
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
== Case, bezel, crystal, and crown ==


<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging-notes"></span>
The case is a 40mm Oyster in 18K yellow gold, with crown guards and a sapphire crystal with Cyclops. The reference is rated to 100m in the cited reference guides, as is the contemporary steel 16750. Case and crystal measurements in auction catalogues are approximate.
 
Regular examples are documented with black or brown bidirectional aluminium inserts. The SARU uses blue sapphires and red rubies to create a red-and-blue bezel effect. A bezel insert can be replaced, so insert colour alone cannot date or authenticate a 16758 watch head.
 
<span id="bracelets-end-links-clasps-and-packaging"></span>
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==
== Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes ==


Surviving [[Reference:16758|16758]] watches turn up mostly on the Jubilee bracelet, with at least one black-dial example wearing a concealed-clasp Jubilee. Born-with delivery data across the full run is not laid out cleanly, so this is observed market evidence rather than a factory configuration chart.
Published examples use the 18K Jubilee 8386 with hidden clasp or the 18K Oyster 8385. Phillips Hong Kong XI 2020 lot 1016 documents the Oyster combination on a black-dial example.
 
Phillips' Geneva X 2019 SARU lot is documented with a diamond-set President bracelet. That lot establishes the fitment on that example; it does not prove that every gem-set 16758 used the same bracelet.


Service history gets noisy quickly on the brown branch. One well-documented brown example carries updates that extend into the caseback stamp, which drifts toward [[Reference:16750|16750]] territory. That watch is a useful reminder that gold GMTs have often been through decades of service by the time they reach the market, and a clean, matching [[Reference:16758|16758]] is harder to find than its listing count suggests.
A different bracelet or regional delivery needs its own documentation. Clasp codes date the bracelet, not the watch head.


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


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


The brown branch is the easiest way to connect the [[Reference:16758|16758]] to the older gold GMT story. Retail buyers ordering a gold GMT in the early 1980s were most often reaching for the warm brown-and-gold visual continuation first documented on the 1675/8, and the [[Reference:16758|16758]] inherited that market expectation when it launched in 1979. That produced more brown dials in period, and the surviving market still reflects the imbalance: brown examples remain the more commonly encountered format at auction and dealer level.
The 16758 SARU is a gem-set branch with a sapphire-and-ruby bezel, diamond hour markers, and a documented diamond-set President bracelet. A specialist source reports fewer than 36 examples, but that is an estimate rather than a Rolex production figure.


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


The black branch matters because it breaks the habit of reducing every gold GMT to Root Beer. Black dials existed as a parallel factory option across the run, as the Field Manual states, but they appealed to a narrower buyer profile, someone who wanted a gold GMT without the tropical color story. The black branch is not rare in the strict sense, but it is less common, and late-run black sunburst and gold-surround examples have attracted renewed collector attention as the broader gold-sports-watch market has matured.
The SARU shares reference 16758 with the regular gold GMT-Master. Authentication therefore depends on the gem-set components, case and movement numbers, provenance, and service history. Auction catalogues describe the cited examples as factory watches, but Rolex production records for the branch are not published in the sources reviewed.


<span id="transitional-gold-identity"></span>
=== Transitional gold identity ===
The [[Reference:16758|16758]] is the last gold GMT that still lives on the old side of the family split. Caliber 3075, a non-clicking friction bezel, nipple indexes, and linked-hand GMT logic sit in the same case. Every one of those features leaves with the [[Reference:16718|16718]].


<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 ==


Most [[Reference:16758|16758]] market activity sits at the dealer level. In practice the watch trades as a transitional gold GMT: later than the 1675/8, earlier than the full GMT-Master II era.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Sale !! Lot !! Year !! Configuration !! Hammer
|-
| Sotheby's Driver's Collection || 8 || 2019 || c.1981 black dial, black bezel, Jubilee, serial 7,092,867 || est. USD 15,000–25,000
|-
| Sotheby's Important Watches GE1804 || 15 || 2018 || c.1984 brown nipple, Jubilee || not publicly listed
|-
| Phillips Geneva XIV || 91 || 2021 || c.1987 golden serti rootbeer, serial R288227, Rolex-serviced 2020 || not publicly listed
|-
| Bonhams Skinner timed sale || 1095 || 2021 || c.1984 champagne serti, serial 8,108,474, full set with 1990 receipt || est. USD 30,000–40,000
|-
| Important Watches || 228 || 2024 || c.1984 gray-blue tropical, Jubilee, cal. 3075 || est. USD 9,000–12,000
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong XI || 1016 || 2020 || black dial, gold Oyster || not publicly listed
|-
| Phillips Winning Icons || 24 || 2017 || SARU sapphire-and-ruby bezel || USD 240,000
|-
| Phillips Geneva X || 106 || 2019 || SARU Sultanate-of-Oman Khanjar caseback, full set, case 8,510,585 || CHF 256,250 (vs est. CHF 180,000–280,000)
|-
| Christie's Keystone Collection || 224 || 2020 || SARU || est. USD 280,000–320,000
|}
 
The table records individual auction examples across regular, serti, and SARU configurations. Estimates and results vary with condition, service history, provenance, and completeness; they are not a price guide or evidence of a fixed tier structure.
 
== Related references ==
 
* [[Reference:16750|GMT-Master 16750]], 1979–1988
* [[Reference:16753|GMT-Master 16753]], 1979–1988
* [[Reference:16760|GMT-Master 16760]], "Fat Lady", Coke Bezel (1983–1988)
* [[Reference:16700|GMT-Master 16700]], 1988–1998
* [[Reference:1675|GMT-Master 1675]], Pepsi & Root Beer (1959–1979)
* [[Reference:16710|GMT-Master 16710]], Pepsi, Coke & Black (1989–2007)
 
See also the [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master family index]], [[Reference:Movements|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers|serial numbers by year]].
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 16758 hero.webp|Whole-watch view
File:Ref 16758 black-dial.webp|Black-dial branch
File:Ref 16758 black-nipple-square.webp|Black nipple dial on gold Jubilee
File:Ref 16758 root-beer-brown.webp|Brown Root Beer branch
File:Ref 16758 dial-closeup.webp|Champagne serti dial
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Chevalier Edition — unknown, Morning Tundra
 
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-gmt-master-and-gmt-master-ii-1955-2024-iconic-traveller-watch-in-depth-review/ In-Depth: The History of the Rolex GMT-Master and GMT-Master II] — unknown, Monochrome
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/oyster-collection/gmt-master-ii Rolex, GMT-Master II newsroom — GMT mechanism and model chronology]
* [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] (Sotheby's)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/a-concise-guide-to-the-rolex-gmt-root-beer A Closer Look at the Rolex Root Beer] — Christina Bohn, Sotheby's
* [https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/rolex-gmt-master-reference-points Reference Points: Understanding the Rolex GMT-Master] (Hodinkee)
* [https://www.vrfm.io/gold-gmt-masters.html The Vintage Solid Gold Rolex GMT Master] — MORNINGTUNDRA, VRFM.io
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-rolex-gmt-master-16758/ #TBT Rolex GMT Master 16758, Yellow Gold is Here] (Fratello)
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/vintage-rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-root-beer.html Vintage Rolex GMT-Master Ref 16758 Root Beer] — unknown, Bob's Watches
* [https://bespokeunit.com/articles/watches/rolex-vintage-gmt-master/ Rolex Vintage GMT-Master review] (Bespoke Unit)
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-gmt-master-16758-yellow-gold.html Rolex GMT-Master 16758 Yellow Gold] — unknown, Bob's Watches
* [https://www.watchcollectinglifestyle.com/home/rare-bird-rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-saru-for-sultanate-of-oman Rare Bird: 16758 SARU for Sultanate of Oman] (Watch Collecting Lifestyle)
* RolexForums 16758 thread bundle — RolexForums community, RolexForums
* [https://revolutionwatch.com/the-saru-saga-gem-set-gmt-master-story-from-saru-to-bruce-wayne/ The SARU Saga: Gem-Set GMT-Master Story] (Revolution Watch)
* [https://thekeystone.com/blogs/passingtime/saru-16758 Featured: Original SARU GMT-Master Ref. 16758] (The Keystone Watches)
* [https://www.the1916company.com/in-focus/featured/champagne-serti-rolex-16758/ Champagne Serti Rolex 16758 In Focus]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2019/watches-online-the-drivers-collection/rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-a-yellow-gold Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 c.1981, Sotheby's Driver's Collection lot 8] (Sotheby's, 2019)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/important-watches-ge1804/lot.15.html Reference 16758 GMT-Master c.1984 brown nipple, Sotheby's Important Watches GE1804 lot 15] (Sotheby's, 2018)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080219/106 Rolex Sultanate-of-Oman SARU GMT-Master Ref. 16758, Phillips Geneva X lot 106] (Phillips, 2019)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080117/24 Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 SARU, Phillips Winning Icons] (Phillips, 2017)
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/skinner-2021-1095/ Champagne Serti Rolex 16758, Bonhams Skinner timed sale lot 1095] (Bonhams, 2021)
* [https://www.windvintage.com/rolex-gmtmaster-reference-16758-yellow-gold-unpolished Rolex GMT-Master Reference 16758 Yellow Gold Unpolished] (Wind Vintage)
* [https://oliverandclarke.com/products/rolex-gmt-master-ref-16758-sunburst-brown-nipple-1980 Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16758 Sunburst Brown Nipple 1980] (Oliver & Clarke)
* [https://www.amsterdamvintagewatches.com/shop/rolex-gmt-master-16758/ Rolex GMT-Master 16758] (Amsterdam Vintage Watches)
* [https://www.chorost.com/products/rolex-16758-yellow-gold-presidential-mexican-market Rolex 16758 Mexican-Market Presidential] (Chorost & Co.)
* [https://www.rescapement.com/blog/keystone-collection-saru-preview Keystone Collection SARU preview] (Rescapement)
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'', Colin A. White, Morning Tundra


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

Latest revision as of 06:18, 29 September 2026


GMT-Master › 16758

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

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

Core facts

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

Where it sits in the line

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

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

Production outline

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

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

Early matte phase

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

Middle glossy sunburst phase

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

Late gold-surround phase

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

Movement notes

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

Dial map

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

Black nipple

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

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

Brown sunburst nipple

Brown Root Beer 16758
Brown Root Beer 16758

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

Champagne serti

Black dial close-up
Black dial close-up

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

Tropical and aged

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

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

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

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

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

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

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

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

Special branches

SARU (Sapphire And RUby)

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

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

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


Historical market and auction record

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

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

Related references

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

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

Sources

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