| Brand | Rolex |
|---|---|
| Model | |
| Reference | 16710 |
| Year of production (circa) | 1991 |
| Material | Steel |
| Crystal | Sapphire |
| Dial color | Black |
| Movement | Automatic |
| Diameter | 40 mm |
| Bracelet/strap: | Steel |
| Lug Width | 20 mm |
A-Rolex
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710 Pepsi
When Rolex replaced the fabled ‘Sophia Loren’ GMT Master II in 1989, it was succeeded by the refs. 16700 and 16710, the latter of which we see here.
This is a bit of a sweet spot in the GMT Master line-up. Its sapphire crystal and bullet proof cal. 3185 give it the ruggedness of a modern Rolex. At the same time, the faded aluminium bezel, tritium lume and thin case give it a ton of vintage charm.
The star of the show here is that faded bezel. While the blue is still quite strong, the red half has faded to a beautifully light pinkish red. This is how we love to see a GMT bezel!
This Rolex GMT Master II Ref. 16710 from ca. 1991 is now available at Amsterdam Watch Company.
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Details
Backstory
Shipping
Brand
Rolex
Movement
Automatic
Model
GMT Master
Diameter
40 mm
Reference
16710
Bracelet/strap:
Steel
Year of production (circa)
1991
Lug Width
20 mm
Material
Steel
Warranty
2 year (AWCo)
Crystal
Sapphire
Dial color
Black
The Rolex GMT Master was developed on request by Pan-Am airways in 1954. It was the age of air travel and for the first time in history, it became common practice to routinely cross timezones. Pan-Am requested a watch for its crews, that would allow for easy referencing of the time while doing so. Rolex obliged with an adapted Turn-o-graph Ref. 6202. It got a different bezel and a fourth 24-hour hand. It was labeled GMT Master Ref. 6542.
Rolex fitted the GMT Master with a bakelite bezel insert, displaying 24 hours. A, now iconic, color-scheme of blue for the night and red for the day was introduced. The Pepsi Rolex was born. Since bakelite was prone to breaking, an aluminum bezel insert was introduced in 1956.
The Ref. 6542 had a relatively short production period of five years, before being replaced by the fan-favorite Ref. 1675 in 1959. The updated model was equipped with crown-guards and a hacking movement. It is the archetypal Rolex GMT Master we all know and love. It has been produced in a variety of colors, in steel, gold and two-tone variants and with different bracelet options.
In 1981, the Ref 16750 was introduced, which came with a quickset date and a higher water resistance of 100 meters over the Ref. 1675’s 50 meters. It was accompanied by the Ref. 16760 in 1983, also known as the GMT Master II. For the first time, the fourth hand could be individually set, upping the number of trackable timezones from two to three. The two versions coexisted for about five years. The Ref. 16760 featured a sapphire crystal and a slightly thicker case, earning it the nicknames “Fat Lady” and “Sophia Loren”.
The late 80’s and 90’s saw a few more updates to both the GMT Master and the GMT Master II. In 2005, the ceramic GMT Master II (the six-digit references) was launched, putting us firmly into modern GMT territory.
The GMT Master is still a watch that exudes adventure. It is all about globetrotting in style. It is both rugged and elegant, a tool and a piece of jewelry. You can opt for that iconic blue & red look, or go for an almost-Submariner-like black version. And as with all Rolex, there are loads of rare and exotic versions to be found.
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