Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1972 Reference No: 1675 Case No: 2'980'759 Model Name: GMT-Master Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Jubilee bracelet, endlinks stamped 555, max length 185 mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp 62510H Dimensions: 39mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
Catalogue Essay
Instantly recognizable and eternally chic, the present GMT-Master ref. 1675 with a stylish black dial and bezel is an essential addition for any Rolex collectors. The practical second time-zone complication makes the GMT-Master ref. 1675 one of the most appreciated wristwatches ever designed. Combining great daily wearability and rarity, the present lot offers great value for any collector.
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.