Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 2000 Reference No: 16710 Movement No: 8’402’636 Case No: A588’658 Model Name: GMT-Master II, "Chuck Yeager" Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3185, 31 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped “78790”, endlinks stamped “501,B”, max length 195mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp stamped “X9” Dimensions: 40mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by The Real McCoy’s Rolex Chuck Yeager guarantee stamped The Real McCoy’s dated 22nd March 2000, instruction manual, product literature, 1999-2000 calendar card, hang tag, green card holder, green passport holder, outer packaging and fitted presentation box.
Catalogue Essay
With an illustrious career as a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force, Captain Chuck Yeager (1923-2020) was further known for being the first ever human to travel faster than the speed of sound with the fast and furious Bell X-1 jet plane which he flew over the Mojave Desert in. During his time as a fighter pilot, Captain Chuck Yeager was also celebrated by watch enthusiasts as he famously wore a Rolex during his flights including an Oyster Perpetual, a ref. 6538 “Big Crown” and most notably his Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 16710. Yeager sent a signed autograph image of the Bell X-1 and himself to Hans Wilsdorf, and 60 years later Rolex featured Yeager in an advertisement as a testament to his exceptional career.
Celebrated by many, a Japanese brand “The Real McCoy’s” released a series of limited edition watches to commemorate Captain Chuck Yeager and his relationship with Rolex and the community. The limited edition timepiece featured the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 16700 and was produced with only 50 examples. The firm also released a series of unnumbered special edition Rolex GMT-master ref. 16710 similarly with a special dial featuring its signature “Chuck Yeager” designation in red above “GMT-Master II” and a specially engraved caseback with pictograms of the P-51 and Bell X-1 jet planes and further engraved with “Glamourous Glennis” where he would name each jet he flew after his first wife Glennis.
The present example Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 16710 “Chuck Yeager” is offered with its full set of accessories.
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.
