Manufacturer: Rolex Year: 1971 Reference No: 1675 Movement No: D867'568 Case No: 2'605'658 Model Name: GMT-MASTER Material: 18k yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap: 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster, end links stamped 80, max length 200mm. Clasp/Buckle: Folding deployant clasp Dimensions: 39mm. Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by original certificate, product literature and presentation box
Catalogue Essay
Following the success of the original GMT-Master reference 6542 in 1954, Rolex introduced a successor to the reference, the 1675. The reference 1675 stayed in production until 1980, replacing the early examples without crown guards.
Accompanied by its original paperwork and presentation box, the present watch is a charismatic and great example of the GMT-Master. The watch is furthermore preserved in overall good original condition. It retains the original brown bezel, correct hands and Oyster bracelet from the same period. The clasp is stamped 2.72 for the second quarter of 1972.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.