Rolex GMT-Master 1675/8 'Nipple Dial'

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The 1675 GMT-Master is the quintessential vintage pilot’s watch and with this 18k yellow gold beauty you’ll be the flyest pilot in the sky.

All jokes aside, the chance of this watch ending up on the wrist of a pilot are rather slim. But does it really matter? Whoever gets to strap on this beauty will be flying high all day, only in the metaphorical sense.

We love vintage Rolex sports watches because they combine the rugged aesthetic of a tool watch with the elegant design cues of yesteryear. Take the 1675: it’s undoubtedly a tool watch but much sleeker and thinner than its contemporary brethren.

This 1675/8 from 1973 trades in the no-nonsense 40 mm stainless steel Oyster case for a luxurious 18k yellow gold one. The 18k yellow gold rotating bezel features an anodized aluminium inlay in a beautiful warm brown color with yellow numerals on the hour positions. The matte dial features a matching color scheme with a brown background and gold printing. Early gold GMTs like this one sport characteristic small markers that are reminiscent of nipples earning them the moniker ‘Nipple Dial’.

The watch is in great condition with thick lugs and sharp lines, indications of sparse polishing in the past. The watch comes on one of our chocolate brown alligator leather straps.

Introduction

Fasten your seatbelts for the story of the inimitable Rolex GMT-Master! As civil aviation took off after World War II, airlines began to fly over longer distances. As a result, pilots required accurate watches that could display multiple time zones simultaneously. In the early 1950s, Pan American Airways (Pan-Am) requested Rolex to develop a watch for this very purpose. The GMT-Master (‘GMT’ standing for ‘Greenwich Mean Time’) was introduced in 1954. It featured a 24-hour hand alongside the regular 12-hour hand. In combination with a bidirectional 24-hour bezel, this GMT hand could be used to read the home time zone while the 12-hour hand displayed the ‘local’ time. Despite its close links to aviation and its professional purpose, the Rolex GMT enjoys a fanbase far beyond the pilots it was originally intended for. Over the years Rolex has introduced many wonderful variations of the GMT: take your pick!

Specifications

Shipping

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping by insured courier. Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped by private courier, PostNL, FedEx or Ferrari group; depending the value and destination. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For all destinations tracking is available.