GMT-Master II · Generations
From the original GMT-Master to the current ceramic 126710 — how the traveller's Rolex evolved.
The defining shifts are the move from a linked to an independently adjustable hour hand (the 'II'), and from aluminium to ceramic bezels.
| Generation | Years | References | Key changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GMT-Master (origin) | 1955–1999 | 6542, 1675, 16700 | The original; 24-hour hand linked to the main hands |
| First GMT-Master II | 1983–1988 | 16760 | Independent hour hand, calibre 3085; the 'Fat Lady' |
| Modern aluminium | 1989–2007 | 16710 | Aluminium bezel, calibres 3185 then 3186 |
| First ceramic | 2007–2019 | 116710LN/BLNR | Cerachrom bezel; Batman two-colour ceramic in 2013 |
| Current | 2018–present | 126710BLRO/BLNR, 126720VTNR | Calibre 3285, Jubilee option, left-handed Sprite |
On the original GMT-Master, the 24-hour hand is fixed to the main hands — you read a second zone off the bezel. The GMT-Master II (from 1983) lets you jump the local hour hand independently, so you can change time zones without stopping the watch. That is the functional dividing line in the whole lineage.
Pre-2007 GMTs use anodised-aluminium inserts that fade and scratch — characterful on vintage, but less durable. From 2007 the ceramic Cerachrom bezel arrived; the hard part was two-colour ceramic, which is why the Batman (2013) preceded the steel Pepsi (2018).
Generations FAQ
The original GMT-Master's 24-hour hand is linked to the main hands; the GMT-Master II (from 1983) adds an independently adjustable local hour hand for true dual-time use without stopping the watch.
In 2007, with the black 116710LN. The two-colour ceramic bezels followed: Batman (blue-black) in 2013 and the steel Pepsi (red-blue) in 2018.
The current 126710 generation uses calibre 3285, with a 70-hour power reserve, introduced in 2018.