Rolex GMT-Master

Rolex GMT-Master Watches

The 1950s were an exciting decade for Rolex and included the introduction of the classic Rolex GMT- Master. It was one of the first watches to utilize a second hour hand to indicate a second time zone. With the simple rotating 24 hour bezel, one could fairly easily tell the time in any time zone. The late 70s saw the introduction of the GMT-Master II which was basically the same, except now the user could easily adjust the 2nd hour hand with the crown in position 2. The steel models are only offered with black dials. The bezels are available in all black, red/ black, or red / blue. Until the late 1990s, most GMT's came with a Jubilee bracelet installed. Since then, the Rolex has sold most with the Oyster band.

The original GMT-Master (16700) was phased out in the late 1990s. The latest serial number Bernard's had for the 16700 was a U#, putting its birthday around 1997. With the flood of new models with a second time zone function from other manufactures, retiring it was a smart move, as most consumers will want to adjust the 2nd hour hand.