The Rolex GMT-Master 1675 is the vintage GMT-Master, the 40 mm steel travel watch with an aluminium bezel insert, a 24-hour hand and a date with Cyclops that Rolex made from 1959 until 1980. It is not a GMT-Master II: the II arrived in 1982 with an independently adjustable hour hand, and the modern ceramic versions are a different generation. This guide covers the specifications, how the 1675 changed during two decades of production, how it compares with the 16710 and the current GMT-Master II, what the dials, bezels and bracelets mean for value, how it wears, what Bizak's catalogue asked on 1 October 2026 and what to check before buying a watch that is now more than 45 years old. Bizak & Co. sources the 1675 to order; the GMT-Master collection lists what we can seek.
Last reviewed on October 1, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.
Rolex GMT-Master 1675 specifications
| Attribute | 1675 |
|---|---|
| Case | 40 mm stainless steel with crown guards, screw-down crown; early examples have pointed crown guards |
| Bezel | Rotating 24-hour bezel with aluminium insert, in red and blue, black or other colourways |
| Movement | Calibre 1565 in the earliest watches, then the calibre 1575 with quickset date; automatic, no hacking seconds |
| Dial | Black; glossy gilt text on early dials, matte later; radium, then tritium lume; date at 3 with Cyclops |
| Crystal | Acrylic (Plexiglas) with Cyclops |
| Bracelet | Oyster, riveted on early watches and folded-link later, or Jubilee |
| Water resistance | Rated about 50 m (165 ft) when new; assume none on a vintage watch without a recent pressure test |
| Production | 1959 to 1980; replaced by the 16750 in the early 1980s |
Source: the Rolex GMT-Master II collection page lists the current model that descends from this watch, and Rolex watch care and service covers service intervals and the parts policy that governs older references.
What is the Rolex GMT-Master 1675?
Rolex introduced the GMT-Master in 1954 as the 6542, a watch for airline crews who needed to read two time zones at a glance, with Pan American World Airways the best-known customer. The 1675 followed in 1959 and became the long-running version, with the lugs, crown guards and bezel that most people picture when they think of a vintage GMT. The 24-hour hand points to a 24-hour bezel, so rotating the bezel lets the wearer read a second time zone. The hour hand on the 1675 is linked to the minute hand and cannot be jumped on its own, so changing local time means resetting the whole watch, a limitation the GMT-Master II removed in 1982.
1675 vs 16710 vs 126710BLRO: which GMT?
| 1675 | 16710 | 126710BLRO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | 1959 to 1980 | 1989 to 2007 | 2018 to date |
| Case | 40 mm, acrylic crystal | 40 mm, sapphire crystal | 40 mm, sapphire crystal |
| Movement | 1565 then 1575 | 3185 then 3186, independent hour hand | 3285, 70 h, independent hour hand |
| Bezel | Aluminium | Aluminium | Cerachrom ceramic |
| Bizak guide | This page | Ask for a quote | Pepsi GMT-Master II guide |
The 1675 is the one to buy for vintage character: the domed acrylic crystal, the patina and the history. The 16710 offers an aluminium bezel with a sapphire crystal and a modern-feeling movement, and the 126710BLRO is the current ceramic version. If you want the red-and-blue bezel in modern form, the Pepsi guide covers it; the brown-and-gold equivalent is the Root Beer, covered in our 126711CHNR guide.
Which 1675 bezels, dials and bracelets matter?
- Bezel colour. Red and blue is the "Pepsi" and the most recognised; solid black is quieter; brown and other colours appear on some examples. The insert is original only if it ages in step with the dial.
- Dial generation. Early dials carry glossy gilt text and radium lume; the dials changed to tritium and to matte printing over the 1960s and 1970s. A dial that does not match the case-serial era is a replacement.
- Crown guards. Early cases have pointed crown guards, later cases rounded ones; both are original to their era.
- Bracelet. A riveted Oyster bracelet suits an early watch and a folded-link Oyster a later one; Jubilee bracelets were also offered. Original bracelets stretch and are often replaced.
- Fading. Aluminium inserts fade, sometimes attractively; collectors pay for even fading and discount a bright insert that looks new on an old watch.
Bizak's catalogue handles carry suffixes such as RB and RB1962. They are internal codes for the individual example, not different Rolex references; every one is a 1675.
How does the GMT-Master 1675 wear?
At 40 mm with slim lugs, a domed acrylic crystal and a bezel that sits proud, the 1675 wears smaller and thinner than modern GMT-Master II models, and it suits wrists of roughly 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 inches). The acrylic crystal gives a warm, slightly distorted view of the dial and scratches that can be polished out, which many collectors prefer to sapphire. With no hacking seconds and an older movement, it is a watch to wear carefully rather than to use as a daily beater, and with water resistance now unreliable it is best kept away from water altogether.
How much is a Rolex GMT-Master 1675? Dated prices
- Retail. Rolex discontinued the 1675 in 1980 and does not list it. The current GMT-Master II prices are on the Rolex page linked above.
- Bizak catalogue asks. On 1 October 2026 our sourced catalogue listed three pre-owned 1675 examples: US$19,567 for a black-bezel watch, US$20,459 for a brown-bezel watch coded 1675RB and US$20,804 for a watch coded 1675RB1962, all sourced to order.
- What moves the price. Original gilt or tritium dial with even patina, original bezel insert, an unpolished case with sharp crown guards, original bracelet and a full set each add; replaced dials, service parts, heavy polishing and a stretched bracelet each subtract.
Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Our Q2 2026 wholesale report does not print a figure for the 1675, so we do not quote a market median. For auction context on vintage Rolex, see the catalogues at Phillips and Sotheby's, and ask us for a dated quote for the exact watch; our Rolex price guide explains how to compare quotes.
Is the 1675 a good investment?
It is a collector's watch more than a financial product. Supply is fixed and the reference is one of the best known in vintage Rolex, but value depends on originality to a degree that makes two watches with the same reference number very different purchases. A correct, complete and lightly polished example holds its value better than a heavily serviced one, and buying from a source that documents what is original is worth more than the saving on a watch with unknowns. If resale matters, ask for a written cash-buy assessment before you commit.
Buying a used 1675: what to check
- Serial and case. The serial between the lugs should fall in the 1675 range and the case should match the dial era; ask for photographs of the case back and the lug holes.
- Dial and hands. Gilt or matte text, lume plots and hands should age to the same colour; mismatched lume is a sign of a replaced hand or dial.
- Bezel insert. Check that the insert, the 24-hour numerals and the triangle at 12 are correct for the era, and that the bezel rotates in both directions with a firm click.
- 24-hour hand and GMT function. The 24-hour hand should rotate once a day and set with the main hour hand, because the 1675 has no independent hour hand.
- Crystal. An acrylic crystal with a Cyclops that sits square; deep scratches can be polished, cracks cannot.
- Bracelet. Hold the watch by the clasp; a stretched bracelet is common and costly to replace with a correct one.
- Service history. Ask for the last service and any parts replaced; a watch with a documented service history is easier to value.
Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch, and our vintage Submariner authentication guide covers many of the same dial and insert checks that apply to the GMT-Master.
Quick answers
How much is a Rolex GMT-Master 1675?
Rolex no longer lists the 1675. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed three pre-owned examples between US$19,567 and US$20,804 on 1 October 2026, sourced to order.
Is the 1675 a GMT-Master II?
No. It is the original GMT-Master. The GMT-Master II, with an independently adjustable hour hand, arrived in 1982.
What years was the Rolex 1675 made?
From 1959 to 1980, before the 16750 replaced it.
Is the 1675 the Pepsi?
The red-and-blue bezel on a 1675 is the classic Pepsi. The 1675 was also made with a black bezel and other colourways, all with the same reference number.
What do the RB and RB1962 suffixes mean?
They are internal codes in Bizak's catalogue for the individual example, not separate Rolex references. Every one is a 1675.
Request a GMT-Master 1675 sourcing quote
Tell us the bezel colour, dial generation, preferred year range, condition and whether papers are required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, papers and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: 1675 pre-owned, 1675RB pre-owned, 1675RB1962 pre-owned; browse the GMT-Master collection, the GMT watches collection, or sell or trade your GMT-Master.
Related reading: Pepsi GMT-Master II guide · GMT-Master II Root Beer guide · Vintage Rolex authentication · Rolex price guide.
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