{"product_id":"rolex-gmt-master-ii-as02198","title":"Rolex GMT Master II","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThere are vintage watches, there are modern watches, and then there's the Rolex GMT Master II Reference 16710.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eLike its cousin the Submariner, the GMT Master was intended from its inception to be a tool watch. Its no-frills appearance (a clean, black dial with healthy dollops of luminescent material on the hour plots) and its trademark two-tone bezel set the standard for a particular breed of pilot’s watch. Not as martial in appearance as Breitling’s Navitimer, nor as spartan as the Glycine Airman, the GMT Master was meant for commercial pilots, specifically the enterprising men of Pan-American Airlines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe references from the mid 1960s to the 1980s represent the pinnacle of collectibility for GMTs in the eyes of collectors. The Reference 1675 in particular is often dubbed \u003ci\u003ethe\u003c\/i\u003e reference to obtain. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eHowever, the desirability of matte dial examples from the 1960s and 1970s has created a scarcity of them on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eMany collectors turn to the Reference 16750, with which Rolex replaced the Reference 1675, as the next best thing. Produced for only eight years, the Reference 16750 has the hallmarks of the 1675—matte dials in earlier examples—with the added benefits of a sapphire crystal and a quickset date. However, due to the Reference 16750’s short production run, it’s less plentiful than the Reference 1675.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eA collector seeking to snatch up a GMT Master for himself might be tempted to throw up his hands and buy a Submariner, but the good news is that Rolex didn’t stop making the model when the last 16750s rolled off the production line in Geneva.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eIn 1989, Rolex rolled out this watch, the Reference 16710. This, along with the Reference 14060 Submariner, is the last of 'old guard' sports Rolexes. Whereas the current crop of GMT Master IIs have gotten fatter and larger with white gold cases, the Reference 16710 is still a svelte 39mm, having the proportions of a GMT of yesteryear, with thin lugs and a bracelet with brushed—not polished—center links.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe only concessions to modernity are the glossy and and the ever-present sapphire crystal. Earlier versions (such as this one) had tritium on the dial, before transitioning to Super Luminova. The movement is different, too, a COSC-certified Calibre 3185 hacking movement with a quick-set date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p2\"\u003eThe Reference 16710 is a seamless blend of old and new, with vintage looks and modern technology—all that we could ask for in a Rolex.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rolex","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37790958401,"sku":null,"price":7700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0809\/1255\/products\/Rolex_GMT_Master_II_16710_AS02198_2.jpg?v=1518798034","url":"https:\/\/www.analogshift.com\/products\/rolex-gmt-master-ii-as02198","provider":"Analog:Shift","version":"1.0","type":"link"}