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

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 thereforsucceeded 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, withthick, 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

"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."

"The company focuses on good prices for its pieces, elite customer service and full transparency."

"The appointment-only space is inviting, with comfortable seating areas and exposed brick walls."

From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.

Oliver & Clarke

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