Before we start to delve into what makes the Rolex GMT Master 16700 such a covetable watch, here are a few quick facts you may not know about the red and blue icon.
- The Rolex 16700 was the last GMT-Master model, even though the second generation GMT-Master II arrived five years prior.
- The ref 16700 is the only GMT-Master to feature a sapphire crystal glass - a material with a hardness that comes second to a diamond.
- The 16700 was also made available with a black bezel, as well as the famous red and blue one.
- Some of the ref. 16700 models were made available with tritium luminous material, while the more modern iterations were made with LumiNova.
Below 1999 Rolex GMT Master 16700
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The Rolex GMT-Master ref 16700 At a Glance
The beginnings of the Rolex GMT-Master watch arrived in 1955. It was the first pilot watch made for the Pan Am Airlines. The chapter drew to a close four decades later, and while the collection is no longer in production, models from this series are as collectable as ever. In particular, the ref 16700 is respected for its symbolic role in the collection. The watch is a 40mm stainless steel design with running seconds, central hours and minutes, a date window and a second time zone displayed on its blue and red aluminium bezel. The iconic bezel frames the famous Mercedes-style hands and a red 24-hour GMT hand that stands out with legibility against a black dial. The Jubilee bracelet, crafted from matching stainless steel is another coveted feature of the design, securing with an Oysterlock clasp, which secures to a 100-meter water-resistant case, topped with sapphire crystal glass. Inside the case is the Calibre 3175 with a quickset date option.
The History of the GMT Master Watch
The entire purpose of the GMT-Master watch by Rolex, when it was originally released for Pan Am Airlines, was to track two time zones at once. The concept sounds easy, but the sophistication of this model and its unique design meant that its 24-hour bezel could be rotated, which was used to align the appropriate numeral with the striking red 24-hour hand. The first reference in this chapter of Rolex’s story was the 6542 -a 38mm stainless steel model fitted on a bracelet with a blue and red Bakelite bezel. The two colours of the bezel proved remarkably helpful in differentiating daytime and night time hours at a glance and soon became a trait of the entire series. It soon acquired its nickname of the Rolex Pepsi.
The inaugural Pepsi Rolex watch was replaced by the reference 1675, which sported a larger case of 40mm and featured crown guards for added protection against water and impact. The Bakelite bezel was switched out for the aluminium bezel. This reference stayed in production for twenty years and therefore received its fair share of updates over that duration.
The reference 16750 arrived in 1981, complete with a design language that we would later see in models to come. Rolex experts doubled the water resistance of this watch and improved the movement, equipping it with a quickset date function, which made it easier to set the date independently of the time. The watch also came with hacking seconds, which meant that the second hand would completely stop when the crown was pulled out all the way.
1988 marked the year of the Rolex GMT-Master ref 16700, boasting a handful of upgrades that included the sapphire crystal glass front, white gold indexes, and a new movement. At the time, running the 16700 alongside the newer GMT-Master II generation meant that it could be purchased at a much lower price point. The watch was in production for an entire decade before it was discontinued, marking the end of the GMT-Master era.
The Best Features of the Rolex GMT-Master Pepsi 16700
As aforementioned, the Rolex 16700 was only made available in one material and two bezel colours, yet this didn’t put collectors off. In fact, it went on to become one of the most collectable models from the entire series. The fact that the watch was the only one of the series to feature a robust sapphire crystal glass front and was only made available in stainless steel made it the affordable daily beater to own. You could, however, choose from the option of an Oyster bracelet or a Jubilee bracelet (for something dressier). The Oysterlock clasp was added to the design in 1989 for added security. The benefit of the Oysterlock design is its cover lock mechanism, which prevents accidentally opening when wearing the watch while on the go. There was also the added option of the Oyster bracelet with a diver’s extension clasp.
The Rolex GMT-Master 16700 also had the lug holes that give the watch a vintage tool-like look. The familiar mix of circular, rectangular and triangular hour markers was one of the most appealing features of the design. Rolex experts ensured they kept these elements present, as with the Mercedes hands, too. The date, nestled underneath the Cyclops lens is a signature feature of the Rolex design and is seen in many other models from the brand’s catalogue. This feature, together with the glossy black dial and distinctive red travel hand, made the Rolex Pepsi an iconic collectable over a short space of time. When the bezel is in the zero position the red GMT hand of the Rolex Pepsi 16700 watch will show the same time as the main hour hand, but in 24-hour format. However, turning the bezel to align with a corresponding number for an additional time zone gives the watch its dual time purpose.
One last feature that leveraged the desire and appeal of the Rolex GMT-Master Pepsi was the reliability of its movement. The Calibre 3175 is a tried and tested movement that beats at 28,800 vibrations per hour and delivers a power reserve of 48 hours once fully wound. Equipped with the quick set date function and the hacking seconds, it promises the wearer efficiency and accuracy while on the go.
At the time, the Rolex 16700 was very much competing with its younger counterpart, since it coincided with the production of the GMT-Master II, yet today, its nostalgic Pepsi colours and core functionality are appreciated more than ever. If you’d like to own the ref. 16700, call and speak to a member of our sales team here at Charles Martin Watch Company on 01889 560002 or email us on https://charlesmartinwatchcompany.com/pages/contact-us
