GMT-Master

The Rolex GMT-Master family is built around a practical pairing: a 24-hour hand and a rotating bezel that keep another time zone in view. Across early acrylic-crystal models, aluminum-bezel generations, and later ceramic versions, the important distinction is how the hands work—not simply which colors frame the dial.

Introduced in 1955, the original GMT-Master keeps its 12- and 24-hour hands linked; you turn the bezel to read a second zone. The long-running 1675 brings acrylic-crystal warmth, while the later 16700 combines the original operating principle with a sapphire crystal and quickset date. The GMT-Master II, introduced in 1982, lets you jump the local-hour hand independently, making a time-zone change possible without disturbing the minutes or home-time indication.

Within the second generation, the 16710 belongs to the aluminum-bezel era, with red-and-blue Pepsi, red-and-black Coke, and black inserts. Later ceramic models bring more substantial case proportions and sharply different bezel personalities: blue-and-black Batman, brown-and-black Root Beer, and green-and-black Sprite. The last is also distinguished by its left-side crown and date display—a layout change, not just another color combination.