Rolex GMT-Master 1675 'Underline'

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This ref. 1675 Rolex GMT-Master has all the hallmarks of an amazing vintage GMT: sumptuous patina, beautiful glossy gilt dial, pointed crown guards, and original 6636 Oyster bracelet.This is a very early specimen of the ref. 1675 GMT-Master, dating back to 1962. A number of rare details make these early 1675s exceedingly desirable. The 40 mm stainless steel case features pointed crown guards (PCG), also known by the Italian nickname ‘Cornino’. This rare case variant is only found on Submariners and GMTs produced between 1959 and 1964. The case is in great condition with the original beveled edges still prominently on display.The dial, however, is the main attraction here. This early 1960s glossy gilt dial features a rare ‘Underline’. This small detail was used by Rolex on these early dials to indicate that the radiation level had been lowered to adhere to new Atomic Energy Agency regulations. Dials with this detail were only produced for a short period of time, adding to the watch’s rarity.The dial is in amazing condition. It features thick tritium indices that have patinated to a warm custardy color. The watch comes with the original handset, with the small red GMT-hand, that has aged slightly darker than the lime on the dial. The patination can also be found on the original aluminium ‘Red back Pepsi’ bezel inlay, which display strong red and blue, yet slightly discoloured over time.Last but not least, the watch is delivered with the original 6636 expandable Oyster bracelet. These bracelets are hard to come by, especially considering the great condition of this particular one. This 1675 is the perfect GMT-Master for the vintage connoisseur. Be sure to jump on it as you won’t find another one like this anytime soon!

Introduction

Rolex GMT-MasterFasten 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!Ref. 1675The ref. 1675 GMT-Master replaced the legendary ref. 6542 in 1959 and enjoyed an unusually long production run: over 20 years! The first 1675s received the well-known ‘pointed crown guards,’ which were replaced by regular rounded crown guards in 1964/1965. The dial of the 1675 also changed over time, starting with a glossy gilt chapter ring dial and ending with a matte radial dial (with significant variation in between, like the rare ‘exclamation mark,’ ‘underline’ and ‘Double-swiss’ dials).The 1675 was produced mostly in steel but was also available in 18k yellow gold or bicolor (steel and gold). The 1675 was the first Rolex ‘tool watch’ for which a factory-fitted jubilee bracelet was an option, starting in the early 1970s.‘Pepsi bezel’The red/ blue bezel inserts on steel GMTs are often referred to as ‘Pepsi bezels’ because people associate the color scheme with the famous soda company. However, the colors red and blue were actually taken from the Pan-Am logo and meant to indicate day (red) and night (blue).The Pepsi bezel was available for nearly sixty years until it was discontinued in 2007. In 2014, Rolex relaunched the beloved Pepsi bezel with the new Cerachrom insert, which was only available on the white-gold model. At Baselworld 2018, the Pepsi was reintroduced on a stainless steel model.

Specifications

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.