Why This Watch Matters The 16750 is a great transitional model, offering an improved caliber but retaining the good looks of the mythical reference 1675. You get a quick-set date, but retain the plexiglass crystal that gives the matte dial its richness and warmth – the soul of this GMT Master reference. The Full Story Let’s get geeky here and look at the difference between the 1675 and this early 16750. At first glance, it wasn’t much of a change – you still see an attractive matte dial, a nicely faded Pepsi bezel, and the red GMT hand. But if you look closer, the 16750 offers a higher beat movement with a groundbreaking change: the quick-set date. It doesn’t sound like a major technical advance, but it is a big improvement in convenience – having to move the hands a full 24 hours just to advance the date a single day quickly becomes tedious. There is an easy shortcut, by the way, for telling the difference between the 1675 and the 16750: the order of the hands differs. The 1675 stacks the hands in the following order: GMT, hour, minute, second; while on the 16750, the GMT hand is above the hour hand. This reference 16750 has aged very gracefully, with an evenly and elegantly faded bezel and nicely (and consistently) patinated lume plots. Overall, a vintage GMT Master with charm to burn, and the air of the seasoned traveler it undoubtedly is. The Fine Print Maker: Rolex Model: GMT Master Reference: 16750 Year: 1980 Case No: 6273XXX Material: Stainless Steel Dimensions: 40mm diameter; 12.5mm thickness Sapphire Crystal: No Lume: Yes, tritium Caliber: Automatic movement reference 3075 with hackset and quick-set date Bracelet/Strap: Later Rolex stainless steel bracelet reference 78360 with end links reference 580 Lug Width: 20mm Box/Papers: No What we Love and What You Should Know The highlight of the watch is probably the Pepsi bezel – its even, beautiful fading is what collectors look for. The matte dial of this early 16750 offers a nice patina, slightly darker than the one on the hands, but this is common with this reference. Furthermore, the hands of the 16750 were extremely prone to corrosion; it is possible that they were replaced very early on, but the patina developed here could also be consistent with original hands. The watch comes on a later bracelet, which is extremely tight. In short, this is a very clean and honest GMT, which like many very desirable vintage references, are becoming harder and harder to find in really exemplary condition.
