The GMT-Master 16700.....A Forgotten Reference

[WeiLo]

Love this beauty

[joe100]

16700-two time zones
16710-three time zones

[aba123]

Beautiful reference, thank you for the write up.

[eskiserkan]

I come up with a NOS “Swiss Made” dial at c24 one year ago. But dont have any idea if its serviced or not.

[Pekket]

Wow! Than you all for taking the time to respond. Very interesting.

[SaintMickey]

Amazing first article and thread...just picked up a X Serial 167000. What a keeper...
I'd post some photos but for some reason it says I've never posted and need 10 posts? Did something reset LOL?

Again great thread.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

Amazing first article and thread...just picked up a X Serial 167000. What a keeper...
I'd post some photos but for some reason it says I've never posted and need 10 posts? Did something reset LOL?

Again great thread.

First you do not need 10 post to post a picture under the reply box just click the advanced button.Then scroll down to attache your pictures making sure it the correct file type and size its very easy to do.

[GEOR]

Here's mine - 1998 U-Serial 16700 w/ SWISS only dial and black serif insert

[Yaz]

Originally Posted by GEOR

Here's mine - 1998 U-Serial 16700 w/ SWISS only dial and black serif insert

Really nice


Envoyé de mon iPhone en utilisant Tapatalk

[strafer_kid]

16700 is a great watch - would highly recommend to all!

[Nonuendo]

Interesting that the first reference model was black over red. I had always assumed that the pepsi bezel was the first. I guess its just the most iconic.

[jamesmayfield]

Originally Posted by Tools

When Pan-Am first commissioned Rolex to develop a two timezone watch for the new Boeing 707 jets in 1956 , their concern was to keep the pilots reference to home time intact, while still allowing them to track the different time zones they travelled through. It was felt that keeping a home-time reference would alleviate jet-lag as the pilots could still keep their circadian routine. This also gave Jet Navigators an in-cockpit GMT time reference necessary for Celestial Navigation of the era.

Their efforts resulted in the GMT-Master ref. 6542. The GMT stood for Greenwich Mean Time, which was the world standard for a unified or universal time clock.

It's use in practice was initially envisioned as having the watch set for local time, and the bezel was rotated to the new timezone... Local was read at the dial and the timezone you were presently in would be displayed in 24hr time on the bezel....simple. When you got back home the bezel triangle should be back at the 12 o'clock position.

The New GMT and it's line soon became the "standard" and a pilots must-have time-piece. NASA test pilots were given GMT-Masters during development of the record breaking X-series jet aircraft, and they were the personal time-piece of many American astronauts.

The ref 16700 that was produced from about 1988 until 1999 was the last of those watches with synchronized 24hr and 12 hour hands, but with the upgraded sapphire crystal, hacking seconds, and quick-set date.

Specifications
Model: .........................GMT-Master
Reference Number: ........16700
Production Years: ..........1988-1999
Movement: ...................Caliber 3175
Power Reserve: .............48 Hours
Water Resistance: .........100m
Bezel:.......................... Bidirectional
Crown: ........................Screwdown Twinlock
Crystal:....................... Sapphire
Diameter: ....................40mm
Thickness: ...................N/A
Weight: .......................123 grams
Bracelet: .....................Steel, Oyster or Jubilee
Lug Width: ..................20mm
Watchwinder Direction: ..Both


From my personal collection, a 1997 T series GMT 16700:
Attachment 34666

One of the last of the tritium dials:
Attachment 34660

Lug holes case....a treat for the eyes:
Attachment 34659

There are no numbers here....this is one of the originals:
Attachment 34661

The GMT 16700 came equipped with the 28,800bph ca 3175 movement:
Attachment 33771
This movement features a full balance bridge for stability and accuracy, one of Rolex trademarks.. You can see the KIF shock spring at the balance pivot jewel:
Attachment 33772

A 24 hour hand that travels around the dial exactly one half the speed of the main hour hand:
The bezel is turned to the number of hours you are from local time to track any other time-zone in 24hr time, provided you have set your watch to local.

Here is an excerpt from the GMT 16700 Owners Manual:
Attachment 33991
Attachment 33992
Attachment 33993
Attachment 33994

While flying and controlling in Alaska I would set the bezel at -8 hrs to keep track of GMT time, a useful reference for pilots.
Attachment 34663

One unusual aspect of the 16700 - It was offered with the 93150 Sub Style bracelet (perhaps to fit over a flight suit?), a popular option which I preferred at the time:
This one still has the original 93150/501B bracelet - V9, Sept 1996 clasp code...Purchased in early 1997:
Attachment 34664

This was the last of it's kind, almost ignored because of the new 16710 and only a few of them were made:
Attachment 34665

Great guide! After getting my first GMT Master II i decided to learn much more about the history of the model, and needless to say it's fascinating! I actually found this great GMT Master 16700 reference guide that I'm sure you'll appreciate: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-bl...ref-16700.html

"Rolex began its GMT-Master story in 1955 with its very first pilot watch made for Pan Am Airlines, the reference 6542. More than four decades later, the Swiss watchmaker concluded that chapter with its last GMT-Master watch – the ref. 16700. Of course, the Rolex pilot watch saga continues today with the GMT-Master II collection, but the original Rolex GMT-Master is no more.

Let’s delve into that very last reference with the ultimate guide to the Rolex GMT-Master 16700."

Super informative and very interesting!

[teatea]

Great read, I really enjoyed going through this long thread, I own a 16700 transitional dial "SWISS", "U" serial, it's a beautiful watch! They are becoming quiet thought after now.

[strafer_kid]

Originally Posted by teatea

Great read, I really enjoyed going through this long thread, I own a 16700 transitional dial "SWISS", "U" serial, it's a beautiful watch! They are becoming quiet thought after now.

Yes…. would imagine that these will become increasingly popular and sought after. Terrific watch that has more or less become my “daily”..……and this is from a Sub/SD guy! Highly recommended!

[jl4ec]

Good post

[pursang_]

Do we have any educated guesses on the production numbers for the tail end of the 16700 run?

[Phrank]

Originally Posted by Tools

When Pan-Am first commissioned Rolex to develop a two timezone watch for the new Boeing 707 jets in 1956 , their concern was to keep the pilots reference to home time intact, while still allowing them to track the different time zones they travelled through. It was felt that keeping a home-time reference would alleviate jet-lag as the pilots could still keep their circadian routine. This also gave Jet Navigators an in-cockpit GMT time reference necessary for Celestial Navigation of the era.


<snip>


This was the last of it's kind, almost ignored because of the new 16710 and only a few of them were made:

Rise from the Dead, Thread!

Great post, been reading this and thoroughly enjoying, doing some further research, and since someone has to take the fall, it's the OP...

Hopefully there will an "Incoming" tomorrow, before 3pm, with signature

Thanks Tools, was an awesome read and loved this thread.....

[Phrank]

Originally Posted by Phrank

Rise from the Dead, Thread!

Great post, been reading this and thoroughly enjoying, doing some further research, and since someone has to take the fall, it's the OP...

Hopefully there will an "Incoming" tomorrow, before 3pm, with signature

Thanks Tools, was an awesome read and loved this thread.....

Going to post here before doing an "Incoming".

Finally after a great snafu in shipping...again...it has landed, 32 days late!

Thanks again Tools, threads like these are one of the reasons I enjoy The Rolex Forums.

This was a fantastic thread, and decided for me, as a 5 Digit fan, that I wanted to chase down a Rolex 16700 GMT.

So Behold - Rolex 16700 GMT on Jubilee, E Serial, serial number puts it end of 1990 into beginning of 1991, bracelet/links codes all correct.

[verbal.kint]

i’m very glad i ran into this post while lurking considering it’s fifteen years old & still going! decided to make a username & make it my first post (oops, i actually had to make 10 other posts before i was able to add a picture).

my first rolex was an 1803 which i bought in 2019. i’ve always wanted a gmt but felt my wrists were too small to wear one.

but.. after trying so many on during my trip to japan, i decided to pull the trigger anyway on a 16700!

1997, t serial.

[N0trub]

Would love some help not sure my letters are lining up with the u and the e at top as it should for an a series 1999 rolex 16700 thanks for any
Replies sincery

[Glaze88]

Here is my newly acquired 1990 E Serial 16700. Love it :)

[dannyp]

The more I think about the original, non-jumping hour GMT, the more I wonder: Why not simply have had a single, 12-hour hand and a 12-hour rotating bezel? Wouldn’t that have served the same purpose? For the “II” the chosen configuration makes infinitely more sense since the 12-hour hand (not bezel) can represent local time and the date follows suit. But on the original the whole point was to avoid all the resets, wasn’t it?

[LookCloser]

Great thread!

I was hoping to chronologically place inserts for 16700/16710 models.

There’s an incredibly helpful post made by 5 digit expert. Link here: https://www.instagram.com/p/ClR2HO4S...RlODBiNWFlZA==
So I will use the Mk designations from this post to discuss below.

I have been picking up a few inserts throughout my collecting journey but not able to place the black insert that is on my U-serial 16700.

It seems to be a fat font but not quite serif bezel, so I am at a loss. Don’t think it is a Mk1 sans serif either. What are you guys’ thoughts? Would be fun to be able to place this guy!

[WaTmAn]

Love the 16700 and 16750.
Can't decide if I should go with Sapihre or Plexi.
I'm a bit scared with Plexi as a every day watch

[Phrank]

Update to this thread, I sent my E-Serial 1990 Rolex 16700 GMT Master (above Post #301), to RSC Toronto for a full overhaul and upgrade - so new dial, hands, crystal, crown, clasp and one link also had to be replaced. No polish as well.

The Lume!!!!

Very happy with the results.

[pault8084]

Pleased to have found this resource and this thread!
Here’s my 16700. Any feedback gratefully received! Believe it’s 93/94. Period correct bezel and dial in your opinions?

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