Introduced in 1981, the Rolex GMT-master ref. 16758 is the yellow gold version of the ref. 16750. Succeeding the coveted ref. 1675, which enjoyed a long production spanning over 20 years, the new reference featured essentially very similar aesthetics to its predecessor with a few upgrades. While the ref. 1675 only had a depth rating of 50 meters, the new model featured double of that with 100 meters. Fitted with an upgraded cal. 3075, the movement features a practical quickset feature allowing the wearer to adjust the date and time separately via the crown. The reference was discontinued in 1988.
The present example Rolex GMT-Master ref. 16758 from circa 1988 features a beautiful and rare gold dial with diamond and ruby-set hour markers referred as a “Serti” dial and is offered in attractive condition and complete 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.