Rolex GMT-Master has been chosen and owned by collectors with different professions and lifestyles, and when you say GMT-Master, what comes first to mind is either the beverage or the superhero. Yes, Pepsi and Batman, indeed. Aside from them, however, there is a schematizing GMT-Master watch existing elegantly in the sky. It is referred to as the GMT-Master II Root Beer, and its current model is reference 126711CHNR launched back in 2018 at Baselworld, which garnered more talks from the aficionado since it is carrying unique features in itself. It made the spotlight shine on it during its launching, but the great fact is that it needs to share that spotlight with the other big members of the Masters family. In this article, interesting facts about the GMT-Master II Root Beer are highlighted for you to love it like how some of its celebrity fans fancy it so much.
GMT-Master II Root Beer’s Brief History
The Rolex GMT Master ii Root Beer watch has a long way to go when talking about its history. The Rolex GMT-Master made its debut in 1954. Having already conquered the seas with the Submariner. And the mountains with the Explorer. In those days, several pilot watches were available, but Pan-Am Airways preferred a watch that could indicate more than a one-time zone. And having a collaboration with the famous watchmaker, Rolex came up with a solution and introduced a fourth hand to the dial. It pointed to a 24-hour scale displayed on a rotating bezel with its distinctive two-tone blue and red colors, visually distinguishing the daytime and nighttime hours.
A bakelite bezel with no crown guards was featured on the first GMT-Master watch reference 6542. Bakelite, however, cracked too easily and rapidly. This led to Rolex transforming the bakelite bezel to aluminum within a couple of years. GMT-Master has been issued to Pan-Am crews for long-distance navigation, and aside from the mentioned airways, many airlines have the GMT-Master as their official watch.
In 1959, Rolex replaced the GMT-Master 6542 with GMT-Master 1675, which was considered as the GMT-Master of the finest vintage. In 1980, because of the GMT-Master 1675’s long-running production, Rolex decided to end it, along with the solid gold GMT-Master 1675/8 and the two-tone GMT-Master 1675/3 that have both debuted in the early 1960s.
The first GMT-Master offered in yellow Rolesor, a combination of steel and yellow gold, was the GMT-Master 1675/3, and it was available in two versions. The first one has a black dial and black bezel. The second version was in the brown dial and brown bezel that later became bicolor, splitting between the color brown and tan or cream, in which the nickname Root Beer originated.
Aside from Root Beer, the GMT-Master 1675/3 has been distinctively referred to as Tiger Eye or Tiger Augen. Because of its brown dial, it is known as the Nipple Dial because of the gold hour markers conical shape.
The GMT-Master Root Beer reference 16753, and the GMT-Master 1675/3’s evolution, is referred to as Clint Eastwood. It was the American actor and director Clinton Eastwood Jr’s favorite watch, and he was wearing it on at least three of his well-known films, including Firefox (1982), Tightrope (1984), and In The Line of Fire (1993).
The Root Beer 2.0
Rolex took a surprising move in 2018, after a considerable length of time since the Root Beer GMT was discontinued when the GMT-Master reference 126711CHNR was made public. It then unofficially became Root Beer 2.0. The watch was incredibly amazing, but some of the Rolex enthusiasts observed several lacking traits from its forerunner. They even argued that the reference 126711CHNR is not a Root Beer, even if it has the same DNA and resemblance as the original. Rolex never claimed anyway that it was the remake.
The new Ref 126711CHNR is bimetallic as in the original Ref 1675/3, but it features 18 ct Everose gold instead of yellow gold. It is not a terrible thing, but it does lessen somewhat that quirky 70s atmosphere the Root Beer originally had. The Oyster case is still shared in the original and the newest versions, with 40 mm diameter, 12.5 mm thickness, monobloc middle case, screw-down case back, and winding crown combined to offer water-resistance of up to 100 meters. The bidirectional bezel of reference 126711CHNR is in rose gold laying perfectly in the ceramic insert, but it was not similar to the original, which was in black and brown bezel instead. The dial, also, is only available in black. Anyhow, it is a great watch, expected to be a classic standard for the future.
GMT-Master II Root Beer Ref 126711CHNR
The 40 mm case of the latest model is in Oystersteel and Everose gold features a brown and black Cerachrom insert in a ceramic bezel with engraved numerals and graduation, waterproof to 100 meters. The Matt black dial with 18 ct Everose gold hour markers and Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence on hour markers and hands are also featured. Its perpetual movement is supported by Calibre 3285 and has a 70-hour power reserve. The Oyster bracelet closes using an Oysterlock.
GMT-Master Root Beer Ref 1675/3
The 40 mm case of the vintage Rolex GMT-Master 1675/3 is in Gold and Steel, and it features the nipple dial with a tritium handset and index. It is in automatic movement, and its bracelet is 185 mm long, made of 18 ct yellow gold.
In A Nutshell
Rolex makes inimitable watches that are marking the life of many collectors. The unique bi-color GMT-Master II wristwatches are a true statement on the wrist. It is perfectly created because it is more sporty and has a casual configuration. It’s very great to have one wherever you are traveling since it is very convenient and functional. Aside from Clint Eastwood Jr., there are many more celebrities who enjoy wearing the GMT-Master Root Beer that can attest its credibilities like Hunter Thompson, Bradley Cooper, Bill Wyman, and Mark Wahlberg.
