Introduction
Released in 1954, the Rolex GMT-Master resulted from a collaboration between now-extinct airline Pan Am and Rolex on a watch that would display the time across two time zones at once. Thanks to the popularisation of commercial air travel, planes were becoming more advanced and traveling longer distances. This resulted in pilots crossing time zones during flights more frequently, and thus a need for uniformity across the aviation industry was highlighted. To eliminate errors caused by time confusion, the industry adopted a standard time-zone, Greenwich Mean Time. As such, the GMT-Master's fourth hand, its 2nd hour hand, was used to constantly display Greenwich Mean Time, as its model name implies, while its regular hour hand displayed local time. While the aviation industry's standard time-zone switched to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) in 1972, the name of the legendary GMT-Master was far too long in use for Rolex to change it. Today, the GMT-Master has become one of Rolex's most iconic models, with very few pilot's watches, if any, rivaling its level of fame, popularity, or signature design – and it certainly looks like it will stay that way.
Derived from the ref. 1675 which replaced the ref. 6542 in 1959, the Rolex GMT Master ref. 16750 was released in 1980 and continued where its predecessor left off. Featuring the crown guards and "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" inscription that the ref. 1675 introduced to the collection, the new ref. 16750 also introduced the cal. 3075 movement to the collection which featured the not-yet-seen quickset feature, and 100m water resistance - double the previous models, and still the collection's standard to this day. Exiting production around 1988, the ref. 16750 is one of the rarer GMT variants, with some enjoying over 20 years of production. Combined with its short 7-year production run and given that it is the very last of the acrylic crystal GMT-Master references, the ref. 16750 is a highly sought-after timepiece with an iconic heritage and some of watchmaking's modern superstar timepieces existing as its descendants.
Loupe This Scorecard
Grade
V 8.5
Status
Vetted & Approved
Included
Watch, box, papers, original receipt, serialized hang tag and booklets
Est. value range
$10,000 – $15,000
The Details
Brand
Rolex
Dimensions
39.5mm x 12.5mm
Model
GMT-Master
Movement
Automatic cal. 3075
Reference
16750
Bracelet
Stainless steel Oyster bracelet
Year
1986
Condition
Excellent
Material
Stainless steel
Included
Watch, box, papers, original receipt, serialized hang tag and booklets
Dial Color
Black
THE DIAL
Offered with its original matte dial and hands, this example sports a beautiful and consistent creamy yellow patina across its luminescent hour markers and hands.
THE CONSTRUCTION
A transitional reference, as mentioned, the ref. 16750 introduced a new movement to the GMT-Master collection, yet it still boasted an acrylic crystal that combines with its aluminum bezel to give it a distinctly more vintage feel on the wrist than the ref. 16700 that replaced it.
TIMING MACHINE READOUT
This reading was taken (crown down) with a ONEOF Accuracy Boutique Edition timing machine at time of cataloging. It is provided as a courtesy only, and shall not be construed as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Please refer to our terms and conditions of sale for more information.
Condition
Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case retains sharp chamfered edges with minor surface wear which consists of small scratches and a few tiny dings, including a small one on the edge of the lower right lug. Bezel insert has minimal surface wear, and the bezel teeth are sharp. Crystal has some scratches as seen in the images. Dial near-mint with luminous plots that are slightly darker than the hands. Bracelet has 11 links, 1 of which is removable. Minimal stretch on band. There are two additional links included with the watch. At the time of cataloging, the action when winding the watch with the crown is a bit tight, please refer to the timing machine readout for is current timekeeping state.
Our Perspective
A wonderful example of a 1980s Rolex sports watch, this 16750 is the definition of "transitional", with its updated quickset movement and 18kt white gold applied indices, but with the charm of the earlier generation plexi crystal.
Justin Gruenberg
Co-founder
