The GMT-Master ref. 1675 is regarded as one of the most iconic Rolex professional tool watch references and adored by many due to its long production run resulting in a wide array of variations. While most examples of the reference were produced in stainless steel cases, the reference was also available in yellow gold giving collectors a luxurious alternative to the coveted model. Although its complications remain entirely the same as its stainless steel counterpart, the gold versions featured some slight aesthetical differences such as the brown sunburst dial and its indexes in much smaller sizes with gold border earning its nickname the “nipple dial”.
The present example Rolex ref. 1675 in 18K yellow gold features an attractive brown sunburst dial. Boasting a nice overall case with thick lugs retaining its hallmarks, the intense fade of the bezel insert provides an excellent vintage appeal matching its gold case and brown dial.
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.