This Rolex GMT-Master Two Tone Ref. 16753 from 1986 comes with its original inner box, outer box, Rolex wallet, and calendar. Overall, the watch is in great condition and is ready for its new owner.
Condition Report:
There is nothing more beautiful than a two tone vintage Rolex; with age, the 18k yellow gold and stainless steel combination becomes subtle and understated. The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the most convenient watches when travelling; you can use the GMT hand to track another timezone in conjunction with the bi-directional 24-hour bezel, which remains in excellent condition. From our inspection, this is a service replaced bezel by Rolex. Speaking of hands, they are original to the watch with tritium fill; there is light wear on the hour hand, which adds to the character and charm.
The black gilt dial with 18k yellow gold hour markers is also tritium-filled and has aged to a custard yellow patina. Under 6 o'clock, "Swiss T < 25" is present, and the date window is located at 3 o'clock. The date wheel has developed a gorgeous ecru background colour, matching the hour markers and hands. There is also the ability to quickset the date in the Caliber. 3075 powers the watch with a 50-hour power reserve. The 18k yellow gold crown is original to the watch and winds smoothly. A very minor amount of stretch is present on the two tone 62523 Jubilee bracelet, which is accompanied by full links and a foldover clasp. The crown on the clasp remains sharp.
Overall, the case is in great condition with minor evidence of polishing; the lugs and chamfers remain sharp and true to the case design. The plexiglass crystal is clean and shows minimal wear given its age. Our watchmaker has cleaned and oiled the internals of the watch. Currently, the watch is running extremely well at -2 seconds per day.
Examples like these are hard to come by and will only become rarer in the future. During the 1980s, Rolex was going through many transitions with movements, technology, and design. This GMT-Master is a testament to that period in time where it stands right in between classic and innovative.
Rolex GMT-Master History:
The Rolex GMT-Master was introduced in 1954 with reference 6542, and it had two groundbreaking innovations at the time. It was the first watch to feature a dual time zone complication along with the now iconic Rolex "cyclops" which is a term used for the magnifying bubble to better read the date. As mentioned, the GMT-Master can track two time zones since the local hour hand and the GMT hand move together around the dial. The second time zone is tracked by setting the rotating 24-hour bezel, so the correct hour within the second time zone is lined up with the hand.
