ROLEX GMT-MASTER WATCHES

A Review of the Rolex GMT-Master II: Info, History, Reference Numbers, and Nicknames

At the request of Pan Am, Rolex launched the GMT-Master watch in the mid-1950s, allowing pilots to keep track of two time zones simultaneously as they jetted to their multiple destinations. The Rolex GMT-Master watch came equipped with a bidirectional rotating 24-hour marked bezel along with an extra 24-hour hand.

After almost three decades the GMT-Master’s great success, Rolex unveiled the GMT-Master II in the early 1980s. This time, the extra 24-hour hand could be set independently from the main hour hand, thus allowing the wearer to keep track of three time zones.

The first was the GMT-Master II ref. 16760 from 1983—nicknamed the “Fat Lady” or the “Sophia Loren” —with a stainless steel 40mm Oyster case, an Oyster bracelet, and a black and red bezel. The bezels of the GMT-Master I/II watches carry their own nicknames depending on their colors: blue and red “Pepsi,” black and red “Coke,” and bronze and brown “Root Beer.”

In 1989, the stainless steel GMT-Master II ref. 16710 came out, available with either a black, Pepsi, or Coke bezel. During the era, there was also the two-tone steel and yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 16713, in addition to the full yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 16718.

Rolex made some drastic changes in 2005 by introducing the Cerachrom ceramic bezel, a bulkier case, and an improved bracelet to the yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 116718LN. The following year, the Rolesor two-tone steel and yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 116713LN joined and in 2007, came the stainless steel GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN. In 2013, another steel version was presented, the GMT-Master II ref. 116710BLNR, complete with the “Batman” nickname thanks to its blue and black bezel. Finally, in 2014 the white gold GMT-Master ref. 116719BLRO made its debut with a ceramic Pepsi bezel.