Help with vintage GMT Master

[NickTruswell]

Hi All,
This is my first post in the vintage section so please go easy. I've just posted a thread in the general Rolex board regarding a great experience I had at a UK pre-owned shop. I'm considering a vintage Pepsi GMT Master for my next purchase but really know nothing about what to watch out for with vintage pieces to make sure you are buying well.

I'm looking for a late 70's GMT ideally a 1978. I tried on the watch below yesterday and it looked and felt great. I guess what I'm asking is what should I be looking for on watch from this period? I'm conscious that there are so many tiny variations on vintage watches that could make 2 watches that almost look the same worth very different values.

Any help would be great. Thanks Nick

[Submarino]

That's a beautiful example with a nice dial with matching patina on hands and dial.

Here's what you need to look for:

1.The dial needs to look like the one on the picture you posted.

2. You need to make sure the watch comes with a silver calendar wheel (in your picture it seems that the calendar wheel is white) with open 6s & 9s and flat top threes.

3. For a watch from 1978 the serial number needs to be between 5.4 million and 5.9 million. Case number should be stamped 1675 and the 'E's on Registered Design should have short middle sticks.

4. The movement should be a hacking movement cal.1575 (it could be stamped 1570 as Rolex used stamped bridges indistinctively during that time period).

5. The bracelet needs to be a 78360 with 580 end pieces and a clasp that could have an A,B,C as the clasp code unless the bracelet or clasp was switched after 1978.

6. Inside the case back it should be stamped 1675 and no date code underneath unless the case back was replaced.

7. Box and Papers if you are buying directly from the original owner.

Let's see if I can think of anything else but I think this is all for now.

[HORNBLOWER]

Study Study AND Study some more. There is lots of info on 1675s and the GMT experts on the Forum are always willing to help out.

[jds1017]

Originally Posted by Submarino

That's a beautiful example with a nice dial with matching patina on hands and dial.

Here's what you need to look for:

1.The dial needs to look like the one on the picture you posted.

2. You need to make sure the watch comes with a silver calendar wheel (in your picture it seems that the calendar wheel is white) with open 6s & 9s and flat top threes.

3. For a watch from 1978 the serial number needs to be between 5.4 million and 5.9 million. Case number should be stamped 1675 and the 'E's on Registered Design should have short middle sticks.

4. The movement should be a hacking movement cal.1575 (it could be stamped 1570 as Rolex used stamped bridges indistinctively during that time period).

5. The bracelet needs to be a 78360 with 580 end pieces and a clasp that could have an A,B,C as the clasp code unless the bracelet or clasp was switched after 1978.

6. Inside the case back it should be stamped 1675 and no date code underneath unless the case back was replaced.

7. Box and Papers if you are buying directly from the original owner.

Let's see if I can think of anything else but I think this is all for now.

Quick question: do all the "E"'s in REGISTERED DESIGN have the short middle stick. Have seen the first "E" in REGISTERED with the long stick while the last 2 have the short middle stick. Your thoughts please. Thanks in advance.

[Submarino]

They all need to be short on the middle. Also here's a great thread started by Orchi with regards to the GMT and its dial variations. Enjoy the read!

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=74976

[gabo76]

Hello everyone!
Whom could I contact if I was selling a very similar GMT to the one on the pictures above?
Thanks.