Last minute question before I buy a 16710T tomorrow

[PaulGER]

Hello,

I have a question about the Rolex GMT Master 2 Pepsi (reference 16710 T, year 2005, LC888, Stick Dial). The certificate is still the old paper format.

I would like to buy the above-mentioned watch tomorrow and have now come across a detail that has confused me.
On the hangtag which comes with the watch the serial number (D series) is displayed and the reference 16710LN.
The „LN“ part caused the confusion for me.

After doing some research, I saw that "LN" normally stands for Lunette Noir (black bezel).
This would not fit the Pepsi bezel.

However, the commercial seller, who seems very trustworthy overall, says that the additional abbreviations were only introduced for watches produced from 2006 onwards.
Before that, all watches were treated as black bezel insert on delivery.
The delivering AD or buyer could then decide whether to use black, Coke or Pepsi.
The watch was supposedly delivered as Pepsi by the Rolex AD at the time.

I think it would be great if all parts of the watch were as originally delivered and were not changed later.
Does the seller's description above make sense?
Is it possible that the hangtag states 16710LN although the watch has been sold as a Pepsi?

I actually found another dealer online whose pictures also show the "LN" on the hangtag - despite they also stating a 100% factory original Pepsi bezel. Also LC888 and sold in 2005.

[Tools]

In the US the build-code, which includes the LN or other identifier, is exactly that, the actual final build of the watch in question.

They do not all come in as black, then get changed by a Dealer - a disaster just waiting to happen. However, Dealers do frequently change the insert at customer request.

This seller is likely not being completely honest with his description as is the case with many, many of them. Still, putting a pepsi insert on a GMT is not a crime.

[WatchTimes]

Id pass as either the dealer is playing shady or clueless.
Just could lead to issues if there were problems down the road with the watch itself.
Rolex would not care if you sent it in for service and as Tools said its common to swap bezels still don't like the dealer giving you a BS story.

[PaulGER]

Thank you both for your quick replies.

Well, the watch was delivered in Hongkong (LC888) and is now sold in Germany, not the US.

If the dealer would want to play shady, wouldn't it make more sense for him to just throw the hangtag away, because other than the hangtag, I believe on Non-US papers, there is no way to verify how the watch was born for me?

Do you guys know if it is possible that I check with an AD or Rolex how exactly the watch was delivered back in the day, by providing the serial number to them?

[Carguy87]

Originally Posted by Tools

In the US the build-code, which includes the LN or other identifier, is exactly that, the actual final build of the watch in question.

They do not all come in as black, then get changed by a Dealer - a disaster just waiting to happen. However, Dealers do frequently change the insert at customer request.

This seller is likely not being completely honest with his description as is the case with many, many of them. Still, putting a pepsi insert on a GMT is not a crime.

A nice summation. Not the end of the world, but he’s not being honest with how that insert came to be installed on that watch.

[enjoythemusic]

i'd treat it as black with a changed insert. Does he also have the black insert?

[TeddyBallGame]

Like others have said, LN indicates it was built by Rolex and arrived to the AD with the black bezel. Who changed it to the Pepsi bezel is anybody’s guess.

The seller you’re working with is either uneducated in this matter or just telling you what you want to hear to make a sale.

[Rolexken]

This is what makes this forum so good - great knowledge and advice from other members when you need it.