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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 16718 GMT-Master II}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 16718 GMT-Master II}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex GMT-Master 16718 (1989–2007) — Production & Dial Guide | BezelBase
|title=Rolex GMT-Master II 16718, all-yellow-gold GMT
|description=The 16718 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master II of 1989 to 2005. Caliber 3185 with rare late cal 3186, four documented dials (black, brown sunburst, white, champagne / silver serti), black or brown ("rootbeer") aluminium bezel, 18K Oyster or Jubilee bracelet.
|description=The Rolex 16718 is the all-yellow-gold GMT-Master II from the 16710 generation, with caliber 3185, aluminium bezel inserts, and Oyster or Jubilee bracelet options.
|keywords=Rolex, 16718, GMT-Master II, yellow gold, caliber 3185, serti dial, rootbeer
|keywords=Rolex, 16718, GMT-Master II, yellow gold, caliber 3185, serti dial, rootbeer
|image=Ref 16718 hero.webp
|image=Ref 16718 hero.webp
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|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-04-18T03:22:37Z
|published_time=2026-04-18T03:22:37Z
|modified_time=2026-06-29T01:17:17Z
|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:09:56Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] -> '''16718'''</small>
<small>[[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] › '''16718'''</small>


The [[Reference:16718|16718]] is the all-yellow-gold variant of the 16710 — the 18K case-and-bracelet sister to the steel [[Reference:16710|16710]] and the two-tone [[Reference:16713|16713]]. Production runs 1989 to approximately 2005, succeeded by the 116718LN with the new ceramic Cerachrom bezel and the 50th-anniversary green dial. Same caliber 3185 across most of the run, same 40mm Oyster case dimensions, same flyer-GMT mechanic — but executed in 18K yellow gold throughout, with the dial palette weighted toward Cellini-buyer evening-dress configurations alongside the standard sport variants.
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 16718 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex GMT-Master II 16718 in 18K yellow gold, black dial and bezel, 3/4 angle|Rolex GMT-Master II 16718 in 18K yellow gold, black dial and bezel]]
</div>
 
The 16718 is the all-yellow-gold branch of the 16710 generation, alongside the steel [[Reference:16710|16710]] and two-tone [[Reference:16713|16713]]. Sources date the five-digit gold reference to the late 1980s or early 1990s and place its replacement by the 116718LN in 2005. It uses caliber 3185 for most of the run, a 40mm Oyster case, and the independent-hour GMT mechanism. Documented dials include black, brown, white, and gem-set configurations.


<span id="core-facts"></span>
<span id="core-facts"></span>
[[File:Ref 16718 hero.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=18k yellow-gold GMT-Master II|18k yellow-gold GMT-Master II]]


== Core facts ==
== Core facts ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable rp-facts"
|-
|-
! detail
! detail
Line 35: Line 37:
|-
|-
| production
| production
| 1989 to approximately 2005. Replaced by the 116718LN at Baselworld 2005 alongside the GMT-Master 50th-anniversary green-dial release. The "2003" reading sometimes cited for end of production is wrong — that date traces to the steel 116710LN launch, not the gold version
| 1989 to approximately 2005. Replaced by the 116718LN at Baselworld 2005 alongside the GMT-Master 50th-anniversary green-dial release. Some listings use 2003 as the end year; the page’s cited catalogue and auction record place the gold reference’s replacement with the 116718LN in 2005
|-
|-
| total examples
| total examples
Line 47: Line 49:
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| caliber 3185 across most of the run (Nivarox flat hairspring with Breguet overcoil); rare late-production caliber 3186 with Parachrom blue hairspring on end-of-run examples. The 3186 is documented inconsistently for the 16718 specifically — the bulk of the corpus reads cal 3185 throughout
| caliber 3185 across most of the run (Nivarox flat hairspring with Breguet overcoil); rare late-production caliber 3186 with Parachrom blue hairspring on end-of-run examples. The 3186 is documented inconsistently for the 16718 specifically; the bulk of the documented record reads cal 3185 throughout
|-
|-
| GMT mechanic
| GMT mechanic
| flyer GMT — independently adjustable local hour hand, 24-hour hand tracks home time independently
| flyer GMT; independently adjustable local hour hand, 24-hour hand tracks home time independently
|-
|-
| dial generations
| dial generations
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|-
|-
| bezel
| bezel
| 24-hour aluminium insert in two factory configurations: black or brown ("rootbeer"). No factory pavé-diamond bezel surfaces in major-house lots — diamond-set bezels on 16718 cases circulate as aftermarket conversions
| 24-hour aluminium insert in two factory configurations: black or brown ("rootbeer"). Published major-house lots in the source set show standard black or brown aluminium inserts; diamond-set bezels seen on 16718 cases should be treated as separate fitment claims and checked against provenance
|-
|-
| bracelet
| bracelet
| 18K Oyster (sport-leaning, more often paired with black-dial) or 18K Jubilee (more often paired with serti and rootbeer). Bracelet codes: 78368 Oyster, 8386 Jubilee — both stamped on the largest centre link
| 18K Oyster (sport-leaning, more often paired with black-dial) or 18K Jubilee (more often paired with serti and rootbeer). Bracelet codes: 78368 Oyster, 8386 Jubilee; both stamped on the largest centre link
|}
|}


Line 65: Line 67:
== Where it sits in the line ==
== Where it sits in the line ==


The 16718 is the all-yellow-gold counterpart to the [[Reference:16710|16710]] within the five-digit GMT-Master II line — same case shape, same caliber, same flyer-GMT mechanic, but executed in 18K yellow gold throughout. It runs in parallel with the all-steel 16710, the two-tone 16713 Rootbeer, and (from 2005) the ceramic 116718LN successor. The reference replaces the [[Reference:16758|16758]] (1979/80–1988, caliber 3075, caller GMT) which ran on the synchronized hand-set logic of the original GMT-Master line.
[[File:Ref 16718 catalogue-portrait.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=All-yellow-gold GMT-Master II 16718, catalogue-style portrait shot|All-yellow-gold 16718, catalogue-style portrait shot]]
Within the five-digit GMT-Master II line the 16718 runs in parallel with the all-steel [[Reference:16710|16710]] and the two-tone [[Reference:16713|16713]] Rootbeer, and from 2005 with the ceramic 116718LN that replaced it. It followed the [[Reference:16758|16758]], built from 1979/80 to 1988 on caliber 3075, whose local hour moved only with the 24-hour hand in the synchronized manner of the original GMT-Master line.


The 16718 inherits the gold case-and-bracelet positioning of the 16758 but adopts the new GMT-Master II flyer mechanic and the 1989-onwards sapphire-crystal Oyster case with crown guards. The next-generation gold GMT is the 116718LN (2005-onwards, caliber 3186 flyer GMT, Cerachrom ceramic bezel, Maxi dial, Super Case, solid-centre-link Oyster bracelet).
The gold case-and-bracelet positioning carries over from the 16758. The flyer mechanic and the 1989-onward sapphire-crystal Oyster case with crown guards are new. The next-generation gold GMT is the 116718LN, from 2005, running caliber 3186 under a Cerachrom ceramic bezel with a Maxi dial, Super Case, and solid-centre-link Oyster bracelet.


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


Launch year unanimous at 1989 — the 16718 entered the catalog as the gold partner to the new flyer-GMT 16710, retiring the 16758 it succeeded. End year reads at 2005 across the editorial and Major-house lots, lining up with the Baselworld launch of the 116718LN as the 50th-anniversary green-dial replacement. The "2003" reading sometimes carried in dealer summaries traces to the steel 116710LN launch year, not the gold version — the all-gold 116718LN is a 2005 release, not 2003.
Production began in 1989. The 16718 entered the catalog as the gold partner to the new flyer-GMT 16710, retiring the 16758 it succeeded. The available editorial and auction material places the end of the five-digit all-gold reference around 2005, when the 116718LN was introduced with a Cerachrom bezel and green anniversary dial. A 2003 date appears in some listings but is not used here as a production endpoint.


A discrete intra-production case-stamp transition runs c.2002–2003 alongside the steel and two-tone sisters: lug holes drop and the laser-etched coronet appears on the sapphire crystal at 6 o'clock. The 16718 follows the same case revision sequence as the 16710 / 16713, although the gold-case-stamp variant is sometimes catalogued without the "T" suffix that the steel sister carried.
A case-stamp transition runs c.2002–2003 alongside the steel and two-tone sisters, when the lug holes drop and the laser-etched coronet appears on the sapphire crystal at 6 o'clock. The 16718 follows the same case-revision sequence as the 16710 and 16713, although the gold case stamp is sometimes catalogued without the "T" suffix the steel sister carried.


No total-production figure surfaces in the surveyed sources. Specialist coverage describes the gold variant as much rarer than the steel 16710 — the run is meaningfully smaller given the case material, but no source quantifies it.
No total-production figure is available in the cited sources.


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


Caliber 3185 powers most of the run. Specifications carry over directly from the 16710 / 16713: 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, 50-hour reserve, hacking, quickset date, COSC chronometer, Glucydur balance with Microstella four-screw regulation, Kif Elastor anti-shock. The 3185 hairspring is Nivarox flat with a Breguet overcoil — the blue Parachrom hairspring arrives later on caliber 3186.
Caliber 3185 powers most of the run, carrying over unchanged from the 16710 and 16713. It is a 31-jewel COSC chronometer beating at 28,800 vph with about a 50-hour reserve, hacking seconds, and a date that advances through the independently adjustable local-hour hand, a Glucydur balance regulated by four Microstella screws, and Kif Elastor shock protection. Its hairspring is flat Nivarox with a Breguet overcoil; the blue Parachrom arrives later, on caliber 3186. The independent local-hour hand is the main functional change from the linked-hand 3075 used in the 16758.
 
Late-production 16718 examples may carry the upgraded caliber 3186 with the Parachrom blue hairspring and the spring-loaded date mechanism that fixed the 3185's GMT-hand creep. The 3185 → 3186 transition window for the 16718 specifically is documented inconsistently across editorial — the bulk of documented examples reads cal 3185 throughout the 16718 production. A 3186 in a 16718 case warrants serial-aware verification.


The flyer-GMT mechanic with independently adjustable local hour is the same architectural break from the linked-hand 3075 that ran in the 16758 predecessor.
Late-production examples may carry the upgraded caliber 3186 with its Parachrom blue hairspring and the spring-loaded date mechanism that cured the 3185's GMT-hand creep. Where that changeover falls on the 16718 specifically is documented inconsistently, and the bulk of documented examples read cal 3185 throughout the run. A 3186 in a 16718 case is worth checking against the serial before money changes hands.


<span id="dial-map"></span>
<span id="dial-map"></span>
== Dial map ==
== Dial map ==
[[File:Ref 16718 early-black.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Early black 16718|Early black 16718]]


Four documented dial branches across the run.
Four documented dial branches across the run.
Line 97: Line 96:
=== Glossy black ===
=== Glossy black ===


The standard sport configuration. Glossy black lacquer with applied yellow-gold-surround indices ("nipple" markers — precious-metal cones with a central tritium plot in earlier production, applied yellow-gold-surround indices in later production). Pairs most often with the all-black aluminium bezel insert. The black 16718 lacquer is the more stable formulation; black-dial examples age more cleanly than the brown sunburst.
[[File:Ref 16718 early-black.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Early black 16718|Early black 16718]]
Black is the standard sport configuration: glossy black lacquer carrying nipple markers in earlier production and applied indices with yellow-gold surrounds later. A nipple marker is a precious-metal cone with a tritium plot at its centre. It pairs most often with the all-black aluminium insert. Black and brown dials show different ageing and service histories; condition should be judged from the individual watch.


<span id="brown-sunburst-rootbeer"></span>
<span id="brown-sunburst-rootbeer"></span>
=== Brown sunburst ("rootbeer") ===
=== Brown sunburst ("rootbeer") ===


The signature gold-rootbeer configuration on the 16718. Brown sunburst lacquer with applied yellow-gold nipple markers; pairs with the brown-and-cream "rootbeer" bezel insert. The lacquer carries the period formulation that produces flaking on the 16713 and 16753 brown sunburst — the standing condition warning is identical, with damage typically concentrated around the index circumference. Italian and Middle-Eastern collector demand drove much of the regular 16718 brown market through the 1990s.
The signature gold-rootbeer configuration is brown sunburst lacquer with applied yellow-gold nipple markers, paired with the brown-and-cream "rootbeer" insert. Brown dials can show surface damage or refinishing. The available sources do not establish a single failure pattern or a regional demand history that applies to every example.


The "Sundust" finish that appears on modern Everose Daytona / Datejust / Day-Date production is a different surface treatment — using "Sundust" on a 1989–2005 yellow-gold GMT will read wrong to collectors. The vintage 16718 brown is correctly described as brown sunburst or rootbeer.
The term "Sundust" belongs to a different surface treatment, the one on modern Everose Daytona, Datejust, and Day-Date production. The period GMT dial is called brown sunburst or rootbeer.


<span id="white-dial"></span>
<span id="white-dial"></span>
=== White ===
=== White ===


A less-common factory dial configuration. White ground with applied yellow-gold-surround indices and yellow-gold coronet, paired with the all-black bezel insert. Surfaces less frequently than the black or brown branches and carries its own collector niche.
The white dial is a factory configuration on a white ground, with applied indices in yellow-gold surrounds under a yellow-gold coronet, paired with the all-black insert. It appears less often in the cited auction and dealer material than black and brown examples.


<span id="champagne-silver-serti"></span>
<span id="champagne-silver-serti"></span>
=== Champagne / silver serti ===
=== Champagne / silver serti ===


A factory gem-set variant on the standard 16718 architecture. Champagne or silvered ground with diamond hour markers and triangular ruby markers at 6 and 9 — replacing the standard nipple-marker / luminous-plot layout with precious-stone hour markers. The 16713 and 16718 are the only two GMT references to receive serti dials (the Submariner serti uses sapphires; the GMT serti uses rubies, the diagnostic distinction). Serti-dial 16718s most often pair with the 18K Jubilee bracelet.
The serti is a factory gem-set variant on the standard 16718 architecture, a champagne or silvered ground carrying diamond hour markers and triangular rubies at 6 and 9 in place of the nipple markers and luminous plots. The cited 16713 and 16718 examples use diamond markers with triangular ruby accents on champagne or silvered grounds. Serti configurations are often seen on Jubilee bracelets, but bracelet pairing is not a factory rule.


<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>
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[[File:Ref 16718 bezel-closeup.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black 24-hour bezel close-up|Black 24-hour bezel close-up]]
[[File:Ref 16718 bezel-closeup.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Black 24-hour bezel close-up|Black 24-hour bezel close-up]]


The case is the standard 40mm Oyster of the 16710 era, executed in 18K yellow gold throughout — mid-case, lugs, bezel ring, crown, and outer bracelet links all gold. Sapphire crystal with Cyclops over the date sits on the standard sapphire-era crown-guard architecture; from approximately 2003 the laser-etched coronet appears at 6 o'clock on the sapphire. Water resistance is 100m.
The case is the standard 40mm Oyster of the 16710 era in 18K yellow gold throughout, mid-case, lugs, bezel ring, crown, and outer bracelet links all gold. A sapphire crystal with Cyclops covers the date on the usual sapphire-era crown-guard architecture, and from approximately 2003 the laser-etched coronet appears at 6 o'clock. Water resistance is 100m.


The bezel is a 24-hour bidirectional aluminium insert in two factory configurations: black aluminium or brown-and-cream "rootbeer." The bezel itself is solid 18K yellow gold; the colour comes from the insert. Pepsi (red and blue) does not appear as a factory option on the 16718 — that exists on the steel 16710 only.
The bezel itself is solid 18K yellow gold and the colour comes from the insert, a bidirectional 24-hour aluminium ring in one of two factory finishes, black or brown-and-cream "rootbeer." Pepsi (red and blue) is a steel 16710 option and never reached the gold case.


A factory pavé-diamond bezel for the 16718 does not surface in major-house lots. Diamond-set bezels do exist on 16718 cases in the dealer market but circulate as aftermarket conversions rather than factory configurations. Treat any "factory diamond bezel 16718" claim as unverified pending a primary catalog or Rolex archive citation; aftermarket bezels are common on the 16718 in the gold-watch dealer market.
The reviewed major-house material does not establish a factory pavé bezel for the 16718. A diamond-set bezel on an individual watch requires case and provenance review; its presence alone does not establish factory delivery.


<span id="bracelets-end-links-and-clasps"></span>
<span id="bracelets-end-links-and-clasps"></span>
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[[File:Ref 16718 gold-oyster.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Gold Oyster bracelet|Gold Oyster bracelet]]
[[File:Ref 16718 gold-oyster.webp|thumb|right|280px|alt=Gold Oyster bracelet|Gold Oyster bracelet]]


Two factory 18K bracelet options on the 16718:
Two factory 18K bracelets fit the 16718. The Oyster 78368 is the three-link, sport-leaning option and turns up most often under black dials. The Jubilee 8386, sometimes with the hidden "Super Jubilee" clasp, is the five-link dress option and pairs most often with serti and rootbeer dials.
* '''18K Oyster 78368''' — three-link, sport-leaning configuration. More often paired with black-dial sport configurations.
* '''18K Jubilee 8386''' (sometimes hidden-clasp "Super Jubilee") — five-link, dressier configuration. More often paired with serti and rootbeer dials.


Clasps are 18K Fliplock Oyster or hidden-crown Jubilee. Bracelet codes (78368 Oyster, 8386 Jubilee) date the bracelet, not the watch head — a clasp dating later than the case head implies a swap or service replacement. Both bracelet options run across the entire 1989–2005 production window with no clean delivery split by year.
Clasps are 18K Fliplock Oyster or hidden-crown Jubilee. The bracelet codes date the bracelet and not the watch head, so a clasp dating later than the case points to a swap or a service replacement. Both bracelets appear in the surviving record; the cited sources do not establish a complete delivery split by year or dial.


<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
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! Sale !! Lot !! Year of watch !! Configuration !! Result
! Sale !! Lot !! Year of watch !! Configuration !! Result
|-
|-
| Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XIV || 148 || 2021 || rootbeer dial with brown insert, full Rolex service April 2021, engraved-Rolex caseback intact || login-gated
| Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XIV || 148 || 2021 || rootbeer dial with brown insert, full Rolex service April 2021, engraved-Rolex caseback intact || not publicly listed
|-
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction SEVEN || 956 || 2018 || c.1990 18K yellow gold, early production || login-gated
| Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction SEVEN || 956 || 2018 || c.1990 18K yellow gold, early production || not publicly listed
|-
|-
| Sotheby's Watches || — || 2020 || yellow-gold automatic dual time || login-gated
| Sotheby's Watches || || 2020 || yellow-gold automatic dual time || not publicly listed
|-
|-
| EveryWatch aggregate || Rare Watches lot 207 || — || 1989 champagne dial || aggregate
| EveryWatch aggregate || Rare Watches lot 207 || || 1989 champagne dial || not publicly listed
|-
|-
| EveryWatch / Watches Online: The Geneva Edit || — || — || c.1989 (catalog "1985" likely typo) || aggregate
| EveryWatch / Watches Online: The Geneva Edit || || || c.1989 (catalog "1985" likely typo) || not publicly listed
|}
|}


The 16718 trades on the gold-watch dealer market more than at major auction. The Phillips Geneva XIV 2021 lot is the strongest single auction-house anchor on the documented record. Standard black-and-Jubilee or rootbeer-and-Jubilee examples cluster across a higher band than the steel 16710 driven by the gold-case material content. Serti gem-set examples sit in their own tier above the standard market — the 16713 and 16718 are the only GMT references with the factory serti option, which the gold variant carries with the most documented collector demand.
The auction and dealer record is smaller than the steel 16710 record. Results vary with dial, case condition, bracelet, papers, service history, and whether gem-setting or bezel work is original. The listed lots should be read individually; they do not establish a fixed price band or a universal serti premium.
 
== Related references ==
 
* [[Reference:16710|GMT-Master 16710]]: Pepsi, Coke & Black (1989–2007)
* [[Reference:16713|GMT-Master 16713]]: 1989–2007
* [[Reference:16700|GMT-Master 16700]]: 1988–1998
* [[Reference:16760|GMT-Master 16760]]: "Fat Lady", Coke Bezel (1983–1988)
* [[Reference:116718LN|GMT-Master 116718LN]]: 2005–2019
* [[Reference:16750|GMT-Master 16750]]: 1979–1988
 
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 16718 hero.webp|Whole-watch view
File:Ref 16718 catalogue-portrait.webp|Catalogue portrait
File:Ref 16718 early-black.webp|Black-dial branch
File:Ref 16718 bezel-closeup.webp|Black aluminium bezel insert
File:Ref 16718 gold-oyster.webp|Yellow-gold Oyster bracelet
</gallery>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==


* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/oyster-collection/gmt-master-ii Rolex, GMT-Master II newsroom — Cerachrom and model chronology]
* [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)
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/tbt-rolex-gmt-master-16718/ #TBT Rolex GMT Master 16718] (Fratello)
* [https://watchbase.com/rolex/gmt-master/16718 Rolex GMT-Master 16718 reference page] (Watchbase)
* [https://watchbase.com/rolex/gmt-master/16718 Rolex GMT-Master 16718 reference page] (Watchbase)
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/golden-boy-with-retro-flair-the-new-rolex-yellow-gold-gmt-master-ii-p_114312/ Golden Boy with Retro Flair: The New Rolex Yellow Gold GMT-Master II] (Chrono24 Magazine)
* [https://www.chrono24.com/magazine/golden-boy-with-retro-flair-the-new-rolex-yellow-gold-gmt-master-ii-p_114312/ Golden Boy with Retro Flair: The New Rolex Yellow Gold GMT-Master II] (Chrono24 Magazine)
Line 171: Line 189:
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/5-unforgettable-examples-serti-dial.html 5 Unforgettable Examples of Serti Dials]
* [https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/watch-review/5-unforgettable-examples-serti-dial.html 5 Unforgettable Examples of Serti Dials]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-steel-yellow-gold-two-tone-rolesor-126713grnr-hands-on-review-price/ Rolex GMT-Master II 126713GRNR hands-on review] (Monochrome)
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-steel-yellow-gold-two-tone-rolesor-126713grnr-hands-on-review-price/ Rolex GMT-Master II 126713GRNR hands-on review] (Monochrome)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080221/148 Rolex 16718 rootbeer — Phillips Geneva XIV lot 148] (Phillips, 2021)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080221/148 Rolex 16718 rootbeer; Phillips Geneva XIV lot 148] (Phillips, 2021)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080218/956 Rolex 16718 c.1990 — Phillips Hong Kong SEVEN lot 956] (Phillips, 2018)
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080218/956 Rolex 16718 c.1990; Phillips Hong Kong SEVEN lot 956] (Phillips, 2018)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches/rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-16718-a-yellow-gold Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16718 — Sotheby's Watches] (Sotheby's, 2020)
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/watches/rolex-gmt-master-ii-ref-16718-a-yellow-gold Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16718; Sotheby's Watches] (Sotheby's, 2020)
* [https://everywatch.com/rolex/16718/watch-9016154 1989 16718 champagne dial Rare Watches lot 207] (EveryWatch)
* [https://everywatch.com/rolex/16718/watch-9016154 1989 16718 champagne dial Rare Watches lot 207] (EveryWatch)
* [https://watch.the1916company.com/videos/rolex-gmt-master-ii-jubilee-16718-review Rolex GMT-Master II Jubilee 16718 review]
* [https://watch.the1916company.com/videos/rolex-gmt-master-ii-jubilee-16718-review Rolex GMT-Master II Jubilee 16718 review]
Line 182: Line 200:
* [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/watches/rolex-gmt-master-rootbeer-18k-yellow-gold-vintage-mens-watch-16718-32175/ Rolex GMT-Master Rootbeer 18K Yellow Gold 16718]
* [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/watches/rolex-gmt-master-rootbeer-18k-yellow-gold-vintage-mens-watch-16718-32175/ Rolex GMT-Master Rootbeer 18K Yellow Gold 16718]
* [https://www.jaztime.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-yellow-gold-black-dial-oyster-bracelet-116718ln 116718LN Yellow Gold Black Dial] (Jaztime)
* [https://www.jaztime.com/rolex-gmt-master-ii-yellow-gold-black-dial-oyster-bracelet-116718ln 116718LN Yellow Gold Black Dial] (Jaztime)
* ''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]]

Latest revision as of 05:29, 29 September 2026


GMT-Master › 16718

Rolex GMT-Master II 16718 in 18K yellow gold, black dial and bezel, 3/4 angle
Rolex GMT-Master II 16718 in 18K yellow gold, black dial and bezel

The 16718 is the all-yellow-gold branch of the 16710 generation, alongside the steel 16710 and two-tone 16713. Sources date the five-digit gold reference to the late 1980s or early 1990s and place its replacement by the 116718LN in 2005. It uses caliber 3185 for most of the run, a 40mm Oyster case, and the independent-hour GMT mechanism. Documented dials include black, brown, white, and gem-set configurations.

Core facts

detail value
reference 16718
family GMT-Master II (all-yellow-gold variant)
production 1989 to approximately 2005. Replaced by the 116718LN at Baselworld 2005 alongside the GMT-Master 50th-anniversary green-dial release. Some listings use 2003 as the end year; the page’s cited catalogue and auction record place the gold reference’s replacement with the 116718LN in 2005
total examples no published Rolex production figure
case 40mm 18K yellow-gold Oyster with crown guards, 100m water resistance
crystal sapphire with Cyclops; laser-etched coronet at 6 o'clock from approximately 2003
movement caliber 3185 across most of the run (Nivarox flat hairspring with Breguet overcoil); rare late-production caliber 3186 with Parachrom blue hairspring on end-of-run examples. The 3186 is documented inconsistently for the 16718 specifically; the bulk of the documented record reads cal 3185 throughout
GMT mechanic flyer GMT; independently adjustable local hour hand, 24-hour hand tracks home time independently
dial generations four documented configurations: glossy black, brown sunburst ("rootbeer"), white, champagne / silver serti gem-set with diamond hour markers and ruby accents at 6 / 9. (GMT serti dials use rubies, not the Submariner's sapphires.)
bezel 24-hour aluminium insert in two factory configurations: black or brown ("rootbeer"). Published major-house lots in the source set show standard black or brown aluminium inserts; diamond-set bezels seen on 16718 cases should be treated as separate fitment claims and checked against provenance
bracelet 18K Oyster (sport-leaning, more often paired with black-dial) or 18K Jubilee (more often paired with serti and rootbeer). Bracelet codes: 78368 Oyster, 8386 Jubilee; both stamped on the largest centre link

Where it sits in the line

All-yellow-gold GMT-Master II 16718, catalogue-style portrait shot
All-yellow-gold 16718, catalogue-style portrait shot

Within the five-digit GMT-Master II line the 16718 runs in parallel with the all-steel 16710 and the two-tone 16713 Rootbeer, and from 2005 with the ceramic 116718LN that replaced it. It followed the 16758, built from 1979/80 to 1988 on caliber 3075, whose local hour moved only with the 24-hour hand in the synchronized manner of the original GMT-Master line.

The gold case-and-bracelet positioning carries over from the 16758. The flyer mechanic and the 1989-onward sapphire-crystal Oyster case with crown guards are new. The next-generation gold GMT is the 116718LN, from 2005, running caliber 3186 under a Cerachrom ceramic bezel with a Maxi dial, Super Case, and solid-centre-link Oyster bracelet.

Production outline

Production began in 1989. The 16718 entered the catalog as the gold partner to the new flyer-GMT 16710, retiring the 16758 it succeeded. The available editorial and auction material places the end of the five-digit all-gold reference around 2005, when the 116718LN was introduced with a Cerachrom bezel and green anniversary dial. A 2003 date appears in some listings but is not used here as a production endpoint.

A case-stamp transition runs c.2002–2003 alongside the steel and two-tone sisters, when the lug holes drop and the laser-etched coronet appears on the sapphire crystal at 6 o'clock. The 16718 follows the same case-revision sequence as the 16710 and 16713, although the gold case stamp is sometimes catalogued without the "T" suffix the steel sister carried.

No total-production figure is available in the cited sources.

Movement notes

Caliber 3185 powers most of the run, carrying over unchanged from the 16710 and 16713. It is a 31-jewel COSC chronometer beating at 28,800 vph with about a 50-hour reserve, hacking seconds, and a date that advances through the independently adjustable local-hour hand, a Glucydur balance regulated by four Microstella screws, and Kif Elastor shock protection. Its hairspring is flat Nivarox with a Breguet overcoil; the blue Parachrom arrives later, on caliber 3186. The independent local-hour hand is the main functional change from the linked-hand 3075 used in the 16758.

Late-production examples may carry the upgraded caliber 3186 with its Parachrom blue hairspring and the spring-loaded date mechanism that cured the 3185's GMT-hand creep. Where that changeover falls on the 16718 specifically is documented inconsistently, and the bulk of documented examples read cal 3185 throughout the run. A 3186 in a 16718 case is worth checking against the serial before money changes hands.

Dial map

Four documented dial branches across the run.

Glossy black

Early black 16718
Early black 16718

Black is the standard sport configuration: glossy black lacquer carrying nipple markers in earlier production and applied indices with yellow-gold surrounds later. A nipple marker is a precious-metal cone with a tritium plot at its centre. It pairs most often with the all-black aluminium insert. Black and brown dials show different ageing and service histories; condition should be judged from the individual watch.

Brown sunburst ("rootbeer")

The signature gold-rootbeer configuration is brown sunburst lacquer with applied yellow-gold nipple markers, paired with the brown-and-cream "rootbeer" insert. Brown dials can show surface damage or refinishing. The available sources do not establish a single failure pattern or a regional demand history that applies to every example.

The term "Sundust" belongs to a different surface treatment, the one on modern Everose Daytona, Datejust, and Day-Date production. The period GMT dial is called brown sunburst or rootbeer.

White

The white dial is a factory configuration on a white ground, with applied indices in yellow-gold surrounds under a yellow-gold coronet, paired with the all-black insert. It appears less often in the cited auction and dealer material than black and brown examples.

Champagne / silver serti

The serti is a factory gem-set variant on the standard 16718 architecture, a champagne or silvered ground carrying diamond hour markers and triangular rubies at 6 and 9 in place of the nipple markers and luminous plots. The cited 16713 and 16718 examples use diamond markers with triangular ruby accents on champagne or silvered grounds. Serti configurations are often seen on Jubilee bracelets, but bracelet pairing is not a factory rule.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

Black 24-hour bezel close-up
Black 24-hour bezel close-up

The case is the standard 40mm Oyster of the 16710 era in 18K yellow gold throughout, mid-case, lugs, bezel ring, crown, and outer bracelet links all gold. A sapphire crystal with Cyclops covers the date on the usual sapphire-era crown-guard architecture, and from approximately 2003 the laser-etched coronet appears at 6 o'clock. Water resistance is 100m.

The bezel itself is solid 18K yellow gold and the colour comes from the insert, a bidirectional 24-hour aluminium ring in one of two factory finishes, black or brown-and-cream "rootbeer." Pepsi (red and blue) is a steel 16710 option and never reached the gold case.

The reviewed major-house material does not establish a factory pavé bezel for the 16718. A diamond-set bezel on an individual watch requires case and provenance review; its presence alone does not establish factory delivery.

Bracelets, end links, and clasps

Gold Oyster bracelet
Gold Oyster bracelet

Two factory 18K bracelets fit the 16718. The Oyster 78368 is the three-link, sport-leaning option and turns up most often under black dials. The Jubilee 8386, sometimes with the hidden "Super Jubilee" clasp, is the five-link dress option and pairs most often with serti and rootbeer dials.

Clasps are 18K Fliplock Oyster or hidden-crown Jubilee. The bracelet codes date the bracelet and not the watch head, so a clasp dating later than the case points to a swap or a service replacement. Both bracelets appear in the surviving record; the cited sources do not establish a complete delivery split by year or dial.

Historical market and auction record

Sale Lot Year of watch Configuration Result
Phillips Geneva Watch Auction XIV 148 2021 rootbeer dial with brown insert, full Rolex service April 2021, engraved-Rolex caseback intact not publicly listed
Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction SEVEN 956 2018 c.1990 18K yellow gold, early production not publicly listed
Sotheby's Watches 2020 yellow-gold automatic dual time not publicly listed
EveryWatch aggregate Rare Watches lot 207 1989 champagne dial not publicly listed
EveryWatch / Watches Online: The Geneva Edit c.1989 (catalog "1985" likely typo) not publicly listed

The auction and dealer record is smaller than the steel 16710 record. Results vary with dial, case condition, bracelet, papers, service history, and whether gem-setting or bezel work is original. The listed lots should be read individually; they do not establish a fixed price band or a universal serti premium.

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
  • Catalogue portrait
    Catalogue portrait
  • Black-dial branch
    Black-dial branch
  • Black aluminium bezel insert
    Black aluminium bezel insert
  • Yellow-gold Oyster bracelet
    Yellow-gold Oyster bracelet

Sources

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