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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.
This Reference 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. And eventually, the 1675 would evolve into the first 5-digit GMT-Master, The Ref. 16750 that we have here. These pieces, at a glance, retain the look and feel of a 1675, but now utilize a 'quickset' date function with the Calibre 3075 movement, and are typically broken down into two different variants, each with their own appeal. The early pieces feature matte black dials, whereas the second half of production introduced glossy black dials with the first applied Tritium-filled white gold indices.
The piece that we have here is the former, with a matte black dial. Dating to circa 1981, this piece comes to us in unpolished, virtually as-found condition and has clearly enjoyed a life well-lived. The case shows honest wear, with some scattered blemishes and sleeve-polish throughout and is fitted to its correct Oyster bracelet with a signed blade clasp in matching condition. The dial within is very nice, with a clean matte black surface and gently patinated Tritium plots. The handset matched the dial beautifully to the naked eye and under UV inspection. The red/blue 'Pepsi' bezel insert on this example compliments the rest of the watch nicely, showing honest wear with a deep fade.
Overlooked for many years, these early matte-dial 16750 carry over virtually everything that collectors love about its predecessor, but have that added functionality of a quickset date. And though not exceedingly rare, are certainly not common and can still be had for less than a 1675. Sound pretty good if you ask us!
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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.
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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.
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