Rolex GMT Master

Why We Love It

Picture yourself in the golden age of aviation - a time in which you could cross multiple timezones in a single jaunt. A time in which the world truly became a smaller place. Designed for the "MadMen" of the jet age, the GMT-Master has exuded an effortless cool for more than 50 years.

It’s not hard to understand why the 16750 GMT-Master is viewed as the reference to own by savvy collectors. Following on the heels of the long-lived Reference 1675, the 16750 brought a high beat movement and quickset date mechanism and acted as a transitional bridge from the matte dial era to the current glossy dials with applied indices with white raised white gold surrounds. Early examples, such as this one, are particularly desirable, as they feature the classic matte dial layout - all of its upgrades lay hidden within.

This particular example shows an honest condition throughout, richly patinated luminescent elements, and a beautifully faded all-black 24-hour timing bezel. The perfect traveling companion! 

With a production run of only eights year and a cult following of its own, the Reference 16750 has come to be considered a classic in its own right - not just as a more affordable alternative to the venerable 1675. 

The Story

As the legend goes, Pan-Am approached Rolex in 1953 looking for a watch specially designed for their pilots, and a partnership was quickly formed. A Submariner became the base for this new watch, and several important modifications were made to turn a Sub into the GMT-Master that we know today. Rolex added a date function with a cyclops lens magnifier, GMT complication, and two-colored bezel to provide long-haul pilots with the info they needed as they circumnavigated the globe.

The GMT-Master’s 24-hour hand works in conjunction with the rotating bezel to make tracking a second time zone incredibly simple. When the bezel’s triangle is aligned to 12 o’clock, the red arrow hand points to the time on a 24-hour military scale, which in itself is valuable as a day/night indicator (at least if you’re a cave explorer). The usefulness of the complication really shines when the wearer rotates the bezel so that the numbers around the bezel correspond the a 2^nd time zone (such as Greenwich Mean Time), allowing the watch to track any two time zones in the world at once.

Our Pledge

Analog:Shift stands behind the authenticity of our products in perpetuity.

Condition

Since our pieces are vintage or pre-owned, please expect wear & patina from usage and age. Please read each item description and examine all product images.

Warranty

We back each Analog:Shift vintage timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty from the date of purchase.

International Buyers

Please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.

All of our watches include complementary insured shipping within the 50 states.

Most of our products are on hand and will ship directly from our headquarters in New York City. In some cases, watches will be shipped directly from one of our authorized partners.

We generally ship our products via FedEx, fully insured, within 5 business days of purchase. An adult signature is required for receipt of all packages for insurance purposes. Expedited shipping is available at an additional cost. We are also happy to hand deliver your purchase in Manhattan or you may pick it up at our showroom.

Returns must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. A restocking fee may apply. Watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.

We welcome international buyers, please contact us prior to purchase for additional details on shipping and payment options.