Rolex GMT-Master 1675/3 'Rootbeer Nipple'

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Damn, this sweet 1675/3 is a seriously sexy watch. Quite literally, it’s a rootbeer GMT with nipple dial!The 1675/3 is Rolex’s very first two-tone sports watch. This example dates back to 1970 and features a brown sunburst dial and two-tone bezel. Among watch aficionados, this particular execution is commonly known as the ‘Rootbeer’, due to its resemblance to the famous North American soft drink.Whereas steel 1675s featured painted tritium hour markers, this two-tone model sports applied 18k yellow-gold hour markers. Early two-tone executions, like this one, sport characteristic small markers that are reminiscent of nipples. As a result, these dials are known among collectors as ‘nipple dials’.The brown dial is in excellent condition and features an 18k yellow gold handset as well as gilt printed text. The tritium luminous compound in the markers and hand has aged to a custardy color. Together, these details give the watch a sumptuous and warm look.The watch’s stainless steel case measures a hair under 40mm in diameter and features a thinner profile than its cousin, the Submariner. The luxurious sporty look of this traveller’s/pilot’s watch is complemented by the inclusion of a two-tone Jubilee bracelet.

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.

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.