Why We Love It

Make no mistake, with the success of Tudor’s Black Bay Steel and Gold, two-tone watches are entering a new age.

But while we can certainly find a place in our watch boxes for the Black Bay S&G, another two-tone watch holds a special place in our hearts—this watch, the GMT Master Reference 16753.

Dating from 1984, this is a fine example of an increasingly-collectible reference of GMT. The glossy maxi dial boasts a fine patina to the luminescent (Tritium!) elements, and the Oyster case is the classic 39mm that collectors have come to love about vintage Rolex. When you add a 62523H/450 Jubilee bracelet, you get a winning combination indeed.

The Story

The Reference 16753, released in the 1980s, provided a fresh new look to the GMT line. The combination of steel and gold perfectly encapsulated the preppy stye that prevailed in that period. Moreover, this shifted Rolex into the luxury sphere, which established an upward sales trend that infused much needed life into the manufacture.

Visually and technically, the 16753 stands out from other iterations of the GMT Master.

The glossy black dial and painted bezel give the watch a sleek appearance that’s magnified by the flashes of gold. But these changes didn’t only go skin deep—a new movement was fitted inside that had hacking capabilities as well as a quickset date. Sleek and functional, the 16753 a GMT for the sophisticated traveler.