Vintage Rolex GMT Master 1675 - Vintage of the Week Episode 7 | Bob's Watches

In this episode of Vintage of the Week, we’re taking a closer look at the GMT Master 1675. Shop the watch featured in this video and more here: https://www.bobswatches.com/vintage-r...

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00:00 INTRO
00:26 Wrist Check
01:55 Rolex GMT Master 1675
03:23 Rolex Pepsi Bezel
04:20 Rolex Matte Dial
06:06 Rolex GMT Hand
06:29 Rolex GMT Master 1675 Value
07:45 Condition
09:52 Outro

Are you interested in learning more about the GMT Master ref. 1675, including its history, feature set, and pricing? Check out our complete Vintage of the Week review here: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blo...

Hundreds of watches come through our doors each week, including many of the world’s most beloved vintage timepieces. Our Vintage of the Week series will showcase a different remarkable vintage watch right here on the Bob’s Watches YouTube channel.

The GMT Master Ref. 1675

The GMT Master has been a staple of the Rolex catalog for decades, beloved by so many for its nostalgic pilot’s watch aesthetic and dual-time capabilities. The series is always characterized by a rotatable 24-hour bezel and a dedicated hand on the dial.

While modern iterations of the watch feature an independent GMT hand and the ability to read up to three time zones at once, many vintage models, including the subject of this review, do not and can only display home and local time.

The first GMT Master to hit the market was 6542, followed shortly by ref. 1675 in the late 1950s. Reference 1675 remained in production for twenty years, featuring several design set options.

The Movement

Reference 1675 was powered by the self-winding caliber 1565 Perpetual movement until the mid-1960s when it was replaced by the cal. 1575 powering our example here. With this upgrade, the frequency was improved from 18,000 bph to 19,600 bph.

The Case

Ref. 1675 is a 40mm GMT Master outfitted with an acrylic crystal and a screw-down crown waterproof up to 50 meters/165 feet. Reference 1675 was the first GMT to feature crown guards. Additionally, the Oyster case on this ref. 1675 is in excellent condition and appears to have been polished at some point.

The Bracelet

Rolex produced ref. 1675 on both the Jubilee bracelet with five-piece links and the Oyster bracelet with three-piece links. The example we have here keeps it sporty and classic on the 78360 Oyster bracelet and 580 end links. As with many watches produced during this era, the bracelet exhibits some stretch and other normal signs of wear.

The Dial

When the GMT Master 1675 came to market in the 1950s, it was the first reference within the series to include the text “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” on the dial to signify that it is COSC-rated.

Initially, it featured a glossy dial, followed by a matte dial with printed hour markers. Typical of watches made during this time, ref. 1675 also featured Tritium luminescent material on the markers and hands.

Rolex also upgraded the GMT hand, which remained a little bit smaller until the late 1960s, when it was replaced with a larger hand.

The example we’ve got here features a very widely sought-after matte dial, complete with the iconic Rolex coronet logo, arrow GMT hand, and Mercedes hands.

Other Variations

The GMT Master Rolex 1675 was produced with either all-black or red and blue “Pepsi” bezels. The two-tone bezel was meant to distinguish between day and night hours.

Rolex also released several metal iterations of the watch during its production run, including one in yellow gold (ref. 1675/8) and one in two-tone pairing stainless steel with yellow gold (ref. 1675/3).

However, the stainless steel ref. 1675 remains one of the most sought-after, especially those outfitted with a red and blue Pepsi bezel like the one featured in this video. Ours even features some very desirable fading, with the red insert transforming to an almost raspberry hue.

Ref. 1675 is easily one of the most iconic Rolex watches in existence. It boasts an impressive production run that spans decades, making it relatively easy to find one on the market in a price range to meet nearly any budget.

Depending on the feature set and year produced, one can expect to pay anywhere between $13k and $50k for a Rolex 1675. Early editions produced with a gilt dial tend to trade hands for more than the later-production matte dial examples.

Still, if the GMT 1675 is your grail watch, it is possible to invest in one without breaking the bank.