Succeeding the very first GMT-Master ref. 6542, Rolex released the ref. 1675 in 1959 featuring various upgrades from bearing crown guards to most notably swapping the previous delicate bakelite bezel insert to a metallic bezel insert. The GMT-Master ref. 1675 was one of the longest produced Rolex GMT-Master references enjoying a long production run of 21 years ending in 1980. Throughout its course of production, the reference featured many variations with early examples from 1959 – 1966 bearing glossy gilt dials before Rolex replaced them with matte dials after. Although, the very first matte dial examples appeared in 1964.

With various types of glossy gilt dials, the latest examples featured a “SWISS – T<25” on the bottom of the dial, such as the present example. Bearing a 1.2 million serial range, the present example from circa 1966 is one of the last to be fitted with a glossy gilt dial. Boasting a nice overall case with an attractive bezel insert that has faded over time, the vintage appeal is certainly heightened. Furthermore, a keen eye would notice the “armadillo” Portuguese hallmark stamped on the top left lug. Proving its originality, it is accompanied by its original Rolex guarantee stamped by Portuguese retailer Ourivesaria Lisboa dated 23rd May 1967.