Didn't pull the Trigger on a GMT II Pepsi

[JackPine]

Yes, I agree, The 5 digit models do feel cheaper compared to the 6 digit models. I have small wrists but like the feel of a heavy watch.

[rollee1]

Something for everybody.
IMO I love the lightness and skinny lines of the 5 digits, the tuna can clasp is sexy and timeless.

[mikeps2006]

Feel the same way. I tried on a yellow gold sub with blue dial (pre ceramic) and just wasn't feeling it. It feels light and cheap. Can't see myself buying an older watch either.

[MVP]

Wait a month see what happens w the coke rumor

[Carrera997]

Stretch in the 78360 bracelet can exacerbate the "not so solid" feeling as well. Once it's on your wrist it's not as noticeable as holding it in your hand. My 16710 is very comfortable to wear. My 116622 is comfortable too but that watch is hard to forget that I'm wearing it.

[SeaDweller50]

I totally agree with the Op, the 5 digit's are just not worth the asking price now. I can't believe Rolex got away with it for as long as they did if I'm honest. That's not to say I dislike the older references. Just way too expensive now.

[WS9D]

I know what the OP means. My Pepsi sits in the safe more days than not because of it. After getting the DSSD Blue, it really sits there. Even my Tudor NF sits as it doesn't have that heft factor. I have been debating on selling the Pepsi but I love the color scheme. What to do... I've thought about brushing my 116710 bracelet and putting it on the Pepsi to see if it changes things for me.

[douglasf13]

Originally Posted by Airborne

I totally agree with the Op, the 5 digit's are just not worth the asking price now. I can't believe Rolex got away with it for as long as they did if I'm honest. That's not to say I dislike the older references. Just way too expensive now.

Why, because of a piece of ceramic and a new bracelet, among a few other little things? How much more do you actually think it costs to make the new version?

The current 116710 is $3500 more than the price of the 16710 the last time it was new on the market. When the 116710 first came out, it was still nearly a grand more than the prior 16710, which is fair.

[Amex4711]

feel also the same way, it's a difference between the new and the vintage models

[irish john]

i felt the same with the older subs ,, the bracelet was so flimsy,couldnt bring myself to part with my money
however
i now have a subc with the glidelock and its a substantial watch

[Onikage]

Originally Posted by Airborne

I totally agree with the Op, the 5 digit's are just not worth the asking price now. I can't believe Rolex got away with it for as long as they did if I'm honest. That's not to say I dislike the older references. Just way too expensive now.

I don't understand why so many place great value in a few extra millimetre slivers of steel in the bracelet mid link, a new clasp and bezel insert material and minor fluff like a blue hairspring and AR coating under the cyclops. Also to compare a 116710 to a well worn 20+ year old 16710 with hollow end links is unfair as they're getting into vintage territory, where condition means a difference of thousands.

[Nairn1980]

I also totally get this. I've got a BLNR and have had in the past SubC, Daytona SS, LV, SD etc.

I was keen on an older Pepsi and also tried one on. I was shocked that it was almost delicate feeling and felt totally fragile. Very similar to the older DJ I had.

People probably don't expect them to feel quite so different.

[timeex1]

the newer ones might give you the right feel.. try batman

[Dan Pierce]

Sounds like some feel the need to over compensate, the Hummer affect. For what, I don't know. Imagine Chuck Yeager worrying about his delicate fragile GMT when breaking the sound barrier.
dP

[bobabreath]

True, the 5 digit GMT may seem flimsy in comparison. But after wearing for a week you can appreciate the comfort compared to the 6 digit. This is an unseen factor that keeps the prices up.

[samson66]

Wow, I love my 16710. Never heard of someone being disappointed with it. Some folks seem to have this obsession with heavy watches, but I can assure you in the long run bigger (heavier) is not always better. I love the lighter feel of the older GMT's. Extremely comfortable. I forget it's on many times, which is not something I can say about my DJII. I think you should have given it a try for a few months. You could probably recover most if not all of what you were going to spend on it if you decided to sell.

[karmatp]

I loved my old 16710's back in the day but not these days. They are $4000-$4500 watches max, how people are paying the silly asking prices for a mass produced, assembly line model is beyond me, I know, supply and demand, but the reality is there are plenty to go around.

I would love a Stainless steel coke and pepsi, I hate Rolex for making the pepsi is gold.

I just looked at the FS section and there are 7 older GMT II's for sale on the 1st two pages, all overpriced.

[fishingbear]

Current used market overpriced, I agree.
But there is just something so special about these watches......

[Ledesc]

Originally Posted by fishingbear

...
But there is just something so special about these watches......

The blue touch

[Dusko.Popov]

All the passive aggressiveness towards the op is hilarious.

"Overcompensating"

"If you don't get it ..."

Does everyone have to feel the same way about something for folks to feel actualized in the acquisition of their veblens?

Never understood the high regard for this watch. It's seems like liking it because you're supposed to like it type thing.

Given a choice of a watch with the same complication, one that's better constructed and perceptibly more robust, against one that's less so, and absent any signinficant collectibility considerations, I'm going with the former if there isn't a huge disparity in cost.

So I'm 100% with you op. I took an unpolished, one owner 16710 Pepsi on a trade. Wore it for three weeks and sold it. I hated it. It feels insubstantial and cheap compared to my blnr and ln. It has nearly 0 wrist presence. It's comfortable but no more so than my blnr or ln. The minimalest crown and crown guard doesn't help.

And this is from someone who hates big watches.

I also find that you can get really good deals on a 116710ln. I paid about 7k for mine new from an ad and that cost is all in.

[gmcassidy]

I understand....when I got my 114060 a couple years ago, my 16713 GMTII began to spend more time in the gun safe then ever before.

The new oyster w/Glidelock is the most comfortable bracelet I've owned.

I did transform my 16713 into a semi-dress watch by putting a tan leather Everest strap on it. The steel SEL's option on the Everest strap made for a nice fit & look.

[KDS777]

i tried on several new SS watches before buying the YG Sub. I wanted to make sure I ruled out all the other Rolex models before I took the plunge

The weight notice is significant and something I like in a watch and cannot do without. Light watches drive me nuts. Good thing there was no Platona in the case I guess........heh. I'm glad I went with it........especially when I had to consider that I could have had 3 new SS models for the same price as my YG.

[watchwatcher]

Yeah...I totally get it. My personal project for a rainy day is to get a 16710 someday and put a ceramic bracelet on it. Someday...

[Lew Archer]

Not "Pepsi", but this delicate watch has managed to stay in tact during the last 15 years. I bought it new, full retail price, $3,800.

It's been a regular "wear to work" watch for me and I've been in law enforcement for all that time and more.

It's comfortable, plenty substantial to my eye and unfailingly reliable.

I've been wearing it a lot lately. It's my first Rolex...and I've since owned models as light as the 36mm Oyster Perpetual and as heavy as the Sea-Dweller 4000 Ceramic.

The GMT fits nicely in between. That's what makes it so versatile.

However, that's my experience and my taste.

By all means get what you like...but be aware this is all subjective and our eye tends to adjust to what's most current as being "correct". For example, we tend to see older model cars as "dated" but those cars didn't seem so when they were new. It's easy now, for instance, to spot the common design characteristics of a car from the 1970s, 80s, even 90s. It's harder with what's current, for that's all around us and our eye accepts that as normal.

As humans, our eyes/brains instantly fix on what's different in a crowd. Look at a group photo. Your eye goes to that person that stands out, for whatever reason. They were different in some way.

So, a 1980s car, which would look unremarkable when new, lost in a sea of similar cars, stands out now as different because it's now in a sea filled with current cars.

Same with watches. Sport watches are commonplace and tend to be large. Women wear full size (formerly "man sized") watches, so men's watches are often larger still.

Some are drawn to things from the past, some prefer the latest. Some like both. I fall into that category. The new GMT is very appealing to me, but while it has a somewhat more massive presence, a heavier feel, it has just a shade less grace. Light and trim doesn't mean weak.

Anyway, it's all relative. The GMT and Submariners, when first introduced, must have seemed quite massive compared to the slim 34mm watches on leather straps that men typically wore.

Hope you find the watch list that thrills you, that you will want to keep and will stick up for in 15 years when the latest is different, as surely it will be!


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[speedmaster73]

Originally Posted by karmatp

I loved my old 16710's back in the day but not these days. They are $4000-$4500 watches max, how people are paying the silly asking prices for a mass produced, assembly line model is beyond me, I know, supply and demand, but the reality is there are plenty to go around.

I would love a Stainless steel coke and pepsi, I hate Rolex for making the pepsi is gold.

I just looked at the FS section and there are 7 older GMT II's for sale on the 1st two pages, all overpriced.

theres about 360 on chrono24

all overpriced

[behardt]

Originally Posted by Airborne

I totally agree with the Op, the 5 digit's are just not worth the asking price now. I can't believe Rolex got away with it for as long as they did if I'm honest. That's not to say I dislike the older references. Just way too expensive now.

Agreed. I think they brought out the new stuff at just the right time. The old manufacturing methods had just become out of date. Cool as vintage pieces, if that's your thing. But people looking for modern styled watches just weren't going to buy the 50 year old designs anymore.

After 20+ years of wearing them, I was sick of the styles. The maxi dials, cases and new bracelets, clasps, etc. brought me back to the market...

[anothernewphone]

Phone companies used to put weights into the handsets to make them feel more substantial. Weight does not equal quality, but I understand the feeling - trust your gut.

Some people prefer the lighter feel, while others want that heavy, solid "snick" of the clasp closing shut.

[ejvette]

I enjoy the weight and presence of the newer Rolex's it got me back interested in the brand. But here is the rub if all you have worn is the 5 digit models you don't really know your missing anything... but once you put a 6 digit on your wrist your forever ruined. After 18 yrs of wearing a 16233 I bought an Exp II and it was like holy crap this thing feels awesome! Then I started buying and flipping like many folks here and the 16233 got -0- wrist time I had absolutly no desire to wear it anymore so I traded it a few weeks back on a 126333 and so far no regrets. I was into classic cars for a long time and owned vintage vettes they were great and fun to drive but nothing like the thrill of driving a new Z06.

[TygerJaxsin]

I felt the same when i tried on the GMT Pepsi. My friend let me wear it for a couple of hours and the first thing i thought was "no way i'm dropping over $3500 on this watch, i'd rather get a new one". So that being said i know how you feel and happen to agree. Nothing to do with what's newer or not. I just don't like how light and unsecured it feels compared to the newer models. Like the guy above said if newer models didn't exist we would probably buy it with no issues however that's not the case. There are newer and better models therefore we can't bring ourselves to drop the $$$ on an older version knowing how much better the newer one feels. I get you and i would have done the same. Get a BLNR you'll be happier. Any of the new SS sport models as a matter of fact. I even prefer the 216570 over the older GMT Pepsi. (I know sacrilege get over it)

[presario]

I went the opposite way. I started with the GMT-C LN and then bought a BLNR. They are sexy watches but I think you guys are overlooking the historical significance of the Pepsi and the value that it adds to the watch.

Having owned the ceramic GMTs, I started lusting after the iconic Pepsi because so many of my heros wore one. I'm also a big movie buff so seeing a lot of Pepsi's in some of my favorite films really pushed me over the edge.

You factor all those things in - the historical relevance, the fact that a modern Pepsi is only available in precious metal, the fact that it's discontinued - all those things really drive up the price. I hate that I paid so much for an unpolished Pepsi but I figured I better get one while I still can instead of missing out. The fact is, it's only going to continue to go up.