Rolex GMT-Master 16758

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A precious metal toolwatch is an oxymoron, save for one exception: the pilot’s watch.

And sure, not every pilot’s watch is suited for the full gold treatment. But let’s imagine you’re a person of some means who has decided to take on flying as a hobby and you’re looking for the perfect sporty yet precious wrist companion. Well, there really is just one choice: the venerable GMT-Master.

And vintage GMT-Masters are perfectly suited for the occasion. Take this wonderful ref. 16758 GMT-Master from 1982: it’s undoubtedly a sports watch but much sleeker and thinner than its contemporary brethren.

More importantly, the ref. 16758 trades in the no-nonsense 40 mm stainless steel Oyster case for a luxurious 18K yellow gold one, here with a matching 18K yellow gold Jubilee bracelet. The 18K yellow gold rotating bezel features a classy black anodized aluminium inlay that matches perfectly with the glossy black nipple dial with gilt accents.

This ref. 16758 is powered by the upgraded caliber 3075 automatic movement, which introduced the quickset date function to the GMT line. The watch is in wonderful condition with thick lugs and sharp lines, as well as a great bracelet.

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

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.