Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675 - 'Fuchsia' MK1 Unpolished

Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675 - 'Fuchsia' MK1 Unpolished

Name: Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675 - 'Fuchsia' MK1 Unpolished
Brand: Oliver & Clarke
SKU: OC2409
Price: 23250.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

SOLD

The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the most historic and iconic watches the brand ever produced. Its origin dates back to a commission request by Pan American World Airways in the early 50’s for their fleet of pilots who needed access to different time zones.

These pieces would feature a similar design to another watch that Rolex was developing around that time, the Submariner, but would include a fourth hand running on 24-hr time, and a bi-colored bezel insert to represent AM/PM times. Those colors, naturally, would be the PanAm colors: Red & Blue. Thus, in 1953, the Ref. 6542 GMT-Master was born. These early pieces were ultimately, fragile arguably flawed in some ways, and were therefor succeeded by the updated Reference 1675 in 1959.

These pieces introduced a larger case size with crown-guards and a bi-colored blue + red bezel insert made of aluminum. The Ref. 1675 underwent many small changes over its 21-year production run, with a slew of dial, bezel, bracelet, and hand variations. You know, Rolex stuff.

The example that we have here, a 'MK1' variant from circa 1969, comes to us in excellent, honest overall condition. The case remains unpolished, with thick, defined factory lug chamfers and crown guards. It remains symmetrical and shows normal wear throughout from a life well lived. The correct 'Long-E' matte black dial inside has developed a rich and patina across the Tritium elements, with the handset matching beautifully. This examples comes fitted with its period-correct Jubilee bracelet with a blade clasp, also in matching unpolished condition and showing matching normal wear.

And then, of course, there is that standout 'Fuchsia' bezel insert. It remains vibrant & rich in color, with something of a gradient-fade across the blue half and a stunning lower half with that unique shade of purple. It shows honest wear consistent with that of the rest of the watch.

All things considered, this is a very attractive and honest example of a sought-after variant of the reference, and frankly, these do not surface on the open market as often as they used to!

Stainless Steel 1969 Unpolished Automatic 40mm

Condition Report & Details

Condition:

Case: Unpolished, with clear factory lug chamfers and extremely thick crown guards. Shows normal
signs of wear throughout consistent with its age with a few very small impressions present on the left case profile, one on the bottom edge of the left case profile, the tip of the upper left lug, the tip of the upper right lug, and some light tooling marks on the underside of the lugs.

Bezel: Unpolished, showing normal wear with crisp factory finishing. The correct 'Fuchsia' insert is in good condition overall with virtually no chipping on the inside edge and an attractive fade throughout. It shows normal wear and has "GMT" etched into it at the 15 position.

Dial: Excellent overall, with a clean matte black surface and deeply patinated Tritium indices with minor variance in color. There is some light edge wear on the bottom between 4:30-7:30. The handset matches nicely, also varying in color slightly and shows fractures in the hour and minute hands. The 24hr and seconds hands are slightly lighter.

Movement:

Automatic-winding chronometer certified caliber by Rolex.

Bracelet/Strap:

Rolex stainless steel Jubilee Bracelet with 18 links and signed blade clasp stamped '2-70.' Seemingly-unpolished and shows normal signs of wear throughout with minimal stretch. Sized for ≈7.3" wrist.

Shipping, Returns, & Warranty

Every Oliver & Clarke timepiece comes with a one-year mechanical warranty starting from the date of delivery. We ensure all watches are in wonderful working condition and are ready for daily wear. Many have been fully serviced by our team of watchmakers.

Please note:

Due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, they may not keep time as accurately as when new, nor as precisely as quartz or electronic devices.
We do not guarantee water resistance and do not warranty against moisture or water damage. Deliberate exposure to water or steam is not recommended.

Warranty Exclusions:

Internal or external damage caused by accidents, mishandling, abuse, modifications, or services performed by anyone other than our authorized personnel.
Our warranty is non-transferable.

The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee

At Oliver & Clarke, we meticulously vet each watch to ensure its authenticity and quality. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and our mission is to help you find the perfect timepiece. If you have any questions, we are here to assist you promptly.

Our Guarantee:

Each timepiece is thoroughly evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our expert team before it is offered for sale.
We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise stated.
The authenticity of each watch is guaranteed in perpetuity.

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