| Brand: | Rolex |
| Model: | GMT-MASTER |
| Reference: | 1675 |
| Gender: | Male/Uni-sex |
| Year: | 1965 |
| Material: | stainless steel |
| Dial Color: | black brown |
| Dimensions: | 40 mm |
| Watch Movement: | automatic |
| Bracelet/Strap: | stainless steel |
| Box/Paper: | Leather watch pouch if ordered at WRIST ICONS |
| Condition: | very good |
This is a rare opportunity to purchase a Rolex GMT Master 1675 from 1965 with a stunning gilt tropical dial turned into brown, which has some dark but also light brown or even caramel tones depending on the light conditions . The watch comes with a beautiful faded bezel with the match made in heaven on a period correct jubilee bracelet in stainless steel!
As the flight industry began to really take off in the 1940s and 1950s, pilots began flying longer distances. Originally designed in collaboration with Pan Am Airways, the Rolex GMT Master was initially created for Pan AM, and issued by them to their crews on long-haul flights. The key feature of the watch was that the wearer could tell different times simultaneously. The original GMT Master watch has a 24 hour display fourth hand complication directly linked to and displaying the same time zone as the standard 12 hour hand. The GMT hand enables the wearer to set the watch to GMT or any other time zone for the main time view, then set the rotatable 24 hour scale bezel to a second time zone. The name GMT is derived from Greenwich Mean Time. Greenwich Mean Time is also known as Coordinated Universal Time, and is the time zone that is required for all aviation planning, weather forecasts, and schedules.
The first Rolex GMT reference 6542 was introduced in 1954. It featured a bakelite bezel (which was replaced after two years by an aluminum bezel because it cracked very easily) and had no crown guards. The James Bond fan also might recognize this watch as it was on the wrist of Pussy Galore in the Goldfinger movie. The Rolex GMT-Master ref.6542 was in production till 1959.
Perhaps one of the most popular vintage Rolex GMT-Master watches is this ref.1675. This watch was introduced in 1959 and was in production till 1980, indeed a very long time. Till the late 1960s, the extra hour hand featured a small triangle and was succeeded by a red hand with a larger triangle through-out the 1970s. Early models also featured pointed crown guards and a chapter ring. It was also the first Rolex sports watch that became available on both the Oyster (reference 78360) and Jubilee (reference 62510) bracelet.
Followed by the Rolex GMT Master 16750 in ca 1980, a model with a new movement and glossy dials. Rolex started using the caliber 3075 movement, which featured a quick-set date. The movement also increased ‘speed’ to 28,800vph. This model was in production till 1988.
The Rolex GMT-Master is the most recognizable traveler’s watch in the world. One of the successful ingredients for this, is that Rolex always has been consistent regarding the design of the GMT-Master.
The Rolex GMT-Master was originally designed for professional use to aid airline pilots. However, its combination of peerless functionality and instantly recognizable aesthetics has attracted a wider audience of world travelers. Designed to show the time in two different time zones simultaneously during intercontinental flights, the GMT‑Master has come to be recognized for its robustness and versatile appearance. The GMT-Master II evokes intercontinental travel across time zones. Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) marks mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London — the location of the original meridian used for calculating longitude and determining different time zones around the world.
Tropical dials are highly valuated by collectors. But actually what are they? These dials are actually discolored due to their conditions where they have been in. That is actually what makes these vintage pieces so interesting because they are unique. They can develop their own character depending to the conditions such as sunlight, or even the abundance of light like in a safe, but also the humidity or moisture that affects the conditions of the lacquer and luminescent material on the hour markers and hands.
But the most appreciated dials that actually turned into brown or caramel are the dials that are discolored due to UV rays. The process to achieve a true tropical dial look requires UV (sun) exposure.
“One of the most important reasons why “true” tropical dial watches are rare is because not all watch dials can become discolored. Most of today’s better watches use paint and coloring processes that are specifically designed not to discolor even after long exposure to UV rays. Even those vintage watches which can discolor were not supposed to. A small handful of dial suppliers in Switzerland used paint which had a chemical manufacturing defect that was not as UV-resistant as was assumed. The irony was that discovering the defect took a number of years because the dials would not discolor after brief exposure to sunlight, but only after years of it.
Not all UV-exposure renders a watch dial attractive. Overexposure bleaches out an originally black dial resulting in a light brown color which is not particularly attractive to most collectors. The sweet spot features watch dials which have discolored to form a warm chocolate color. The “ideal” example to some collectors are tropical dials with consistent brown-colored dials”. (credits Michael Young ablogtowatch)
This is a really fine looking vintage Rolex GMT Master 1675. It is in excellent vintage condition, remarkable well preserved for its age. It is a really nice watch that you can use as a daily wearer. Movement has been fully serviced by our watchmaker.
Overall, the exceptional finishing of the Rolex GMT is noteworthy, both for its design and execution.
As with all of our pre-owned watches this watch comes with a full 12 month WRIST ICONS warranty that will be invoked from the day of purchase. Please check our website to have a look at the high resolution pictures on a macro level. You will see every detail at its best.
Viewings can be arranged at our office by appointment.