A Pilot's 1967 Rolex GMT-Master

[Clyde from Carolina]

Just probably blew my jacket budget for the forseeable future on a watch.

I got this from a regular on some of the watch forums, and the watch was fully serviced last year by Bob Ridley in Texas, one of the top restoration guys in the biz.

The story behind this watch- which isn't documented- it's just a "story"- is that a pilot during the Vietnam War bought the watch and when he passed away some years later his wife re-married and then passed away herself. The second owner/husband, having no attachment to the watch, sold it to the collector I bought it from.

I've always thought the GMT was a neat looking watch with a neat history. It was orignally developed for Pan Am airlines in the 50s to help the Pan Am aircrews adjust to jet lag with the new fangled jet airliners coming into service. The rotating bezel can be adjusted to track a different time zone in concert with the red 24 hour hand. The early references of this watch like mine, which is a 1675, were fairly primitive compared to later GMT-IIs which were able to independently adjust the hour hands in one hour jumps. Mine isn't even hack-set or quick-set, but it's very cool looking, I think.

Heck, even Tom Selleck wore one on Magnum PI in the later years of that show.

Here's a few shots on the wrist, with folded Oyster bracelet and a British military G10 NATO strap in Admiralty grey.

 

[watchmanjimg]

That's a real beauty, Clyde! I recently sold my mid-'80s 16750 at a HUGE loss due to the weak market, but I held onto my 1967 1500-series Date model that was purchased by a US serviceman at a Navy exchange in Taiwan in February 1969. I was told by the previous owner that he was an Air Force pilot, although I haven't had a chance to research this. However, I do have the original inner and outer box, warranty, COSC certificate, and two Rolex Service Center receipts. I plan to send it to Rolex Dallas soon for a complete overhaul.

 

[Happy Hooligan]

I soo want a pepsi dial gmt master....

Awesome watch! I've been looking but in the last few years the prices have gone crazy... they use to be 1500-2000 now they're twice that!

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

Thanks, guys.

Jim- that Date sounds very cool, especially with the extra bits you have for it. I wish mine had come with some of those.

Yeah, the Pepsi GMT isn't for everybody, but in my opinion it is hard to find a cooler "tool watch" from that era and I've been wanting one for years.

 

[TankBuster]

Very nice! Congrats on the new purchase.

 

[greyhound52]

Great watch. I got one with a black bezel and really like it.

 

[Anonymous]

Me too! Pepsi baby! GMT II from 2001, has spring bar holes in the case, hack and the time zone hour change feature. Keeps very consistant time aswell.

Nice pics, enjoy your vintage pilot's GMT.

 

[MikeyB-17]

My favourite Rolex, one of the few watches I'd like to have as well as my Omega Speedmaster, which is currently in for service and I'm missing it like Hell!

 

[Anonymous]

Funny, the only other watch I want is a Speedy Pro moon watch. I hear the turnaround for service is quite long at omega?

 

[watchmanjimg]

Jim- that Date sounds very cool, especially with the extra bits you have for it. I wish mine had come with some of those.

Thanks, Clyde! Here are some quick shots of the watch and accessories. A Sub or GMT with the same provenance would be far more desirable, but this is the real deal and it cost me a lot less!

First of all, this is probably where the serviceman bought the watch:

Here's the watch with its warranty and COSC certificates as well as the box. Unfortunately the price tag was removed at some point, but I suspect in those days a watch like this would barely have cost $200 at the exchange, maybe less. As you can see, the original bracelet was replaced with a modern heavy Oyster somewhere along the line, probably in 1988 when it received its second overhaul at a Rolex service center. Enjoy!

 

[MikeyB-17]

Funny, the only other watch I want is a Speedy Pro moon watch. I hear the turnaround for service is quite long at omega?

It's not with Omega, it's with a chap about half a mile away from my house who services Rolex, Omega etc. I've used him before and he's excellent, but it's still expected to take a few weeks. I had trouble with Omega UK a few years ago and swore never to use them again, but he tells me they've stopped letting the accountants run it , and they've greatly improved. A job takes as long as it takes, not so good for turnaround times, but it gets done right first time.

 

[Anonymous]

You are very lucky to have a trusted watchmaker/repair that close.

Just remember hearing a lot of complaints about very slow service by Omega.

Time for me to set my GMT II to the atomic clock.

 

[Anonymous]

This is my '77 GMT I on a NATO 20mm.

I also use a Submariner bracelet - it's my third bracelet ! - I still have the original in the box with all the original paperwork. Cost £350 when it was bought for my 18th b'day and I have been offered over £2000 for it. Strange world.

I also use a CWC divers watch these days to give the Rolly a rest or when out kayaking.

J_H

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

Jim and JH, nice watches guys. Thanks for posting them.

The G10/NATO strap is very cool and really changes up the look of the watch. I'm loving mine, and yes Mikey you're very fortunate to have someone good close by to work on your watches.

I'm jealous- my guy is in Texas, but he's good.

 

[Anonymous]

Nice watches. I see we have a few Rolex GMT fans. I think the 16710 will be a sought after model as they are no longer made.

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

I agree about the 16710, and the Sea Dweller, and the old style Sub when the new case models come out in steel...and.... :roll:


Not a big fan of the way the whole line is heading to be honest, but I guess that's what makes me a vintage lover.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, me too, however the new GMT has that new parachrome blue main spring. Inables the watch to keep near perfect time, resistant to any tempreture changes. Have to admire that. Wonder if that spring can be placed in a 16710???

 

[deeb7]

Yes, me too, however the new GMT has that new parachrome blue main spring. Inables the watch to keep near perfect time, resistant to any tempreture changes. Have to admire that. Wonder if that spring can be placed in a 16710???

The new Parachrom Bleu is a new alloy hairspring, not a mainspring..

The mainspring is the one you wind up and is completely different from the hairspring. The mainspring used to be one of the major reasons a watch would break back when they were made of heat treated carbon steel.. Now days the mainspring is made of high alloy steel and is less likely to take a "set" or break....but it still could happen.

The Parachrom hairspring is a very tiny spring that coils and uncoils 8 times per second and is attached to the balance wheel. If Rolex has not changed the dimensions of the staff, or axle, of the balance wheel, then it doesn't matter which spring is fitted, it will retro-fit to an older movement..

I think that on the newer watches, the only way to know if you have a parachrom bleu hairspring, is to take the back off and look..
Rolex Forum

 

[Anonymous]

Very cool. Thanks David, I might retro fit a new P. Blue on my next service. I read on one site that a few 16710's had the newer movement/harspring as Rolex used up the old parts. Rolex reference web site I believe.

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

It would be very cool if you could retro fit the new hairspring, seems like I've heard opinions both ways expressed on the watch sites, some saying it is possible and others it's not. Let us know if you find out definitively.

I guess a phone call to a service center could answer it one way or the other?