Name: Rolex GMT-Master II "Root Beer" (two-tone) 16713
Brand: Rolex
SKU: 16713

The 16713 is the two-tone GMT-Master II, steel-and-yellow-gold case, brown/champagne 'Root Beer' bezel, the caliber 3185, produced 1988 through 2007. It shares the case and movement with the steel 16710 but in a configuration that the modern market briefly dismissed and then quietly rediscovered. The 2018 reintroduction of the two-tone 'Root Beer' (126711CHNR, with the ceramic bezel) firmed the vintage 16713 market in turn.

What it is

The 16713 launched alongside the steel 16710 in 1988, replacing the earlier two-tone 16753 'Tiger Eye' / 'Root Beer.' Production ran through 2007. Two crown-guard variants (square and rounded) span the production run. Bezel inserts shipped in factory brown/champagne ('Root Beer'), black, and a rare brown/black ('Tiger Eye').

Dial variants include 'nipple-dial' (gold-set markers, earlier production) and 'four-line' / 'two-line' depth-rating variants. The 16713 is the canonical pre-ceramic two-tone GMT-Master II.

Buying notes

Common things to check: gold-plating vs solid-gold (the 16713 is solid-gold center links + solid-gold case top, not plated, verify hallmarks on the case-back and the bracelet center links); bezel insert (originals fade unevenly; replacement inserts are typically too vivid, original-fade brown/champagne carries a real premium); 'nipple dial' gold-set markers (early-production examples; later-production replaced with applied gold markers), both are correct but the nipple dial is the collector preference; case (over-polishing rounds the gold on the case top, the soft gold is harder to refinish without value loss); the rehaut on a 16713 is NOT engraved; bracelet (the 78363 two-tone Oyster is correct; later 93153 are seen on late-production); 'service Root Beer' bezels are common.

Market read

Two-tone Root Beer 16713 examples on Oyster bracelets trade in the $10,500-$14,000 range through 2025-2026, meaningfully below the steel 16710's market despite the same case, movement, and complication, and significantly below the 18kt all-gold 16718. The two-tone has been the value play in the pre-ceramic GMT family for years; the 2018 ceramic two-tone reintroduction firmed the vintage 16713 market modestly but not dramatically. Full-set with original papers carries the strongest market; 'service bezel' examples trade at meaningful discounts.

Service expectations

Caliber 3185 service is Rolex routine; service intervals 7-10 years; cost in the low-four-figures from Rolex or high-three-figures from an independent. The gold case top requires careful refinishing, most authorized service centers handle it, but the soft gold is less forgiving of aggressive polishing than steel. A 16713 from the early production years deserves a movement inspection before purchase.

Editorial copy is AI-drafted from primary sources and reviewed by Grail Atlas before publication. Where the text is uncertain about a fact, it says so. Email corrections@grailatlas.com if something reads wrong. Signals on this page (community, OSINT) are clearly separated from the editorial sections.

Two-tone root beer GMT-Master II at secondary prices well below equivalent steel references; collectors who want the GMT function without the sport-watch premium often land here.

Uncommonsleeper#4 in familyOfficial press photos

Originality

Originality matters on this reference. An original dial and hands command a significant premium. Service replacements typically trade at a 20-40% discount to original examples.

Dial variants

Root Beer bezel (brown/gold) with champagne dial1988 to 2007UncommonPremium

Brown/gold two-tone anodized aluminum bezel insert
Champagne or cream-colored dial in some configurations
Yellow Rolesor (steel/gold) case and bracelet
Gold applied indices with no luminous fill on some early dials

The 16713 Root Beer has a loyal following but a polarizing look. The steel/gold construction pushes price above the all-steel 16710 in equivalent condition. Dial color ranges from warm champagne to near-black depending on the production run.

Condition affects price

Pre-owned watches trade across a wide condition spectrum. These ranges are typical for the secondary market.

New Old Stock

Unworn example retaining original packaging, tags, and warranty documentation.

+30–50% vs median

Unpolished

Worn but the case has never been polished; original brushed and polished surfaces are intact.

+15–25% vs median

Polished

Case has been professionally or amateur polished at some point; edge definition is softened.

-15 to -5% vs median

Recently Serviced

Movement has been recently serviced with documented service records; case condition varies.

At median

Project

Needs service, has dial or hand issues, non-original parts, or other remediation before daily wear.

-50 to -25% vs median

Full condition grading guide →

Market price

$5,000–$8,000

varies by metal·2026 Q2

Price trend chart coming soon

The two-tone root beer GMT-Master II 16713 trades at a steep discount to equivalent steel references; buyers who prioritize the GMT function over metal purity find an accessible entry here.

Editorial estimate, 2026 Q2. Actual prices vary by condition, date, and box/papers status.

In-house manufacture caliber · caliber Rolex Cal. 3185: in-house automatic GMT, 28,800bph, 48h PR, 31j; bidirectional rotor, Nivarox hairspring; predecessor to current 3285 · 48h power reserve (2 days)

Also uses Rolex Cal. 3185

Medium-large: suits wrists 6.5 in+ (16.5 cm+)

40 mm case. Wears confidently on average to larger wrists. May overhang on slender builds.

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Authentication

Two-tone 18k gold and steel construction with root beer (brown/gold) GMT bezel and Cal. 3185 authenticate the 16713

Known issues in the market

"Root Beer" two-tone is among the most counterfeited Rolex GMT variants due to the gold content premium
Gold sections must be solid 18k gold, not plated; a gold acid test on the bracelet center links is the definitive check
Brown/tan bezel color fades over time; artificially induced fading is applied to standard bezels
Cal. 3185 is the correct movement; Cal. 3186 appeared on later GMT-Master II references

Area	What to check	What is correct	Red flag
case	Two-tone 18k gold and steel construction	Polished 18k yellow gold bezel, crown, and select case components; brushed steel case body; "Rolex" on crown; weight consistent with gold/steel combination (heavier than all-steel); hallmarking on case for gold content	Plated or rolled gold center links (test with acid or XRF); uniform weight inconsistent with genuine gold/steel mix; no hallmark on gold sections
crystal	Brown/gold two-tone GMT bezel insert	"Root Beer" brown/gold color scheme on 24-hour bezel; brown occupies the PM (day) sector; gold occupies the AM (night) sector per documented split; 24-hour scale legible; aluminum insert (this reference used aluminum)	Blue/red "Pepsi" or all-black bezel (wrong reference); color split at incorrect position; ceramic insert (later references only); faded brown that looks gray
bracelet	Jubilee or Oyster bracelet in two-tone	Jubilee or Oyster bracelet with 18k gold center links and steel outer links; solid link construction; "Rolex" on clasp; "750" or 18k hallmark on gold sections; correct taper and link pitch	Hollow bracelet links; plated center links without hallmark; incorrect bracelet type for the reference; clasp without "Rolex" engraving
movement	Cal. 3185 automatic GMT	Cal. 3185 with GMT complication; rotor visible; "Rolex" signed; date mechanism at 3; correctly set independent GMT hand; 48-hour power reserve	Cal. 3135 (Submariner/Date, missing GMT complication); Cal. 3186 (later reference, different hairspring); movement without GMT functionality

Common legitimate replacements

Jubilee bracelet center links are soft gold; stretching and polishing are common; unpolished bracelets with original brushing command a significant premium.
Bezel insert replacement with incorrect color tone is a common secondary market issue on "Root Beer" references.

Expert resources: Rolex authorised dealers authenticate via serial. WatchCSA and Watchfinder have published root beer authentication guides. An XRF test is the definitive gold content verification.

Authentication guide

Last reviewed June 2026

The 16713 is the Rolesor (half steel, half yellow gold) GMT-Master II with the brown/black "root beer" aluminum bezel, produced from 1988 to approximately 2005 on Cal. 3185 and later 3186. The Rolesor construction is expensive to fake well; the primary risk is parts substitution, especially endlinks and bezel inserts.

Known reproduction risks

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MEDIUM

Rolesor construction is expensive and difficult to fake convincingly in solid gold and steel. Most fakes show obvious tells in the endlink gold tone or case-side finishing.

Endlink gold tone that is too uniform, too pale, or the wrong yellow hue compared to the case gold
Case-side gold that shows plating wear at high-contact points (the sharp chamfer line being a particularly telling area)
Gold-steel boundary line that is not perfectly straight and clean
Bracelet center-link gold tone inconsistent with the case gold

The Rolesor construction means that a convincing fake requires either solid gold components (cost-prohibitive) or high-quality gold plating over steel. Plating eventually wears at wear points. Scrutinize the case horn area, endlinks, and crown carefully.

Dial variants by era

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Era	Description	Identifiers
1988 to ~2005 (standard)	Black dial standard configuration. Rolesor case with yellow gold bezel and crown. Brown/black aluminum "root beer" bezel insert.	Black dial with applied gold hour markers (matching the yellow gold case metal) "GMT-Master II" text on the dial below center Brown/black aluminum bezel insert -- brown covers the AM hours on the 24-hour scale Rolesor construction: polished yellow gold bezel, crown, and case middle sides; brushed steel lug tops Oyster bracelet with gold center links and steel outer links in matching Rolesor configuration
~1995 to ~2005 (Tiger Eye -- extremely rare)	Semi-precious stone "Tiger Eye" dial replacing the standard black. Among the rarest factory dial options for this reference.	Natural tiger eye stone dial with the characteristic golden-brown chatoyant shimmer No applied hour markers -- the stone surface serves as the backdrop Original factory dials have crisp, clean edges where the stone meets the chapter ring Stone grain direction is consistent and the stone thickness is even across the dial face

Service part flags

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Bracelet endlinks

Original: Gold-filled endlinks matching the Rolesor color split -- the endlink outer face is yellow gold to match the case horn finish. Original endlinks seat flush against the case horn with no play.

Replacement tells

All-steel endlinks on a Rolesor reference -- immediately visible as wrong color at the case-bracelet junction
Endlinks with a gold tone that does not match the case gold (too yellow, too green, or too pale)
Endlinks that do not seat flush against the case horn -- loose fit indicates non-original or heavily worn replacement parts
Gold plating on endlinks that is wearing through to reveal steel underneath

Case finishing

Original: Rolesor cases have yellow gold bezel and case middle sides (polished) with steel lug tops (brushed). The chamfer line between the gold and steel sections is a precision finish: a sharp, clean separation between the two metals. Gold is softer than steel and loses the sharp lug chamfer geometry with polishing.

Replacement tells

Rounded or softened chamfer line where gold meets steel on the case sides -- indicates over-polishing
Gold sections that show polishing striations inconsistent with factory finishing
Case sides where the gold-steel boundary is not a straight, sharp line
Excessively polished lugs that have lost their original flatness and corner sharpness

Bezel insert

Original: Aluminum "root beer" insert with 24-hour scale. The brown section fades over time, more aggressively than the black section. Original aged inserts show brown fading toward a lighter tan in heavily worn examples.

Replacement tells

Uniformly vibrant brown on an insert mounted in a heavily worn, aged case
Brown section that has been re-inked to restore color -- look for color that sits proud of the aluminum surface
Black section replacement insert on a stated root beer reference
Ceramic insert incompatible with this aluminum-bezel production era

Crown

Original: Yellow gold Twinlock crown (two-dot) matching the gold portions of the Rolesor case. The crown material is solid gold for the external body, mating to the steel case tube.

Replacement tells

Steel crown on a Rolesor case -- wrong material and wrong color against the gold bezel
Crown with a gold tone that does not match the case and bezel gold
Triplock crown (three-dot) on a 16713 -- this reference used Twinlock

Case back markings

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1988 to ~2005

Plain caseback outer face in steel with no engravings
Rolesor material split is visible at the case-to-bracelet junction: gold case middle, steel caseback
Reference 16713 stamped between lugs at 12 o'clock
Serial number stamped between lugs at 6 o'clock
Production serials fall in the L through Z and random series range across the full production period

Movement tells

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The 16713 used Cal. 3185 through most of its production, transitioning to Cal. 3186 in later examples. Both calibers have independent local-hour adjustment: the local hour advances or retards in one-hour increments without stopping the seconds.
The Cal. 3186 added the Parachrom hairspring (blue-violet color visible on the balance assembly). The 3185 does not have Parachrom -- a blue hairspring on a stated early-production 16713 suggests a movement swap.
Both calibers run at 28,800bph. A movement beating at 19,800bph in a 16713 is incorrect.
The GMT hand should track 24-hour time accurately. Drift between the GMT hand and an independent 24-hour reference over a full day indicates setting-mechanism wear.
At service, a Rolex service center will note the specific caliber. Service documentation listing a non-Rolex movement is an immediate concern.

Sources: Rolex Forums -- GMT-Master II authentication threads; Chrono24 -- 16713 reference data and price history; Phillips Watches -- GMT-Master II auction archives.

Rolex

GMT-Master

Ref. 16710