Last GMT-Master II with an independently adjustable 24-hour hand before the current 126710; the "LNIB" market for this reference is strong.
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.
Early 16710 Pepsi examples with matte dials are harder to find in honest condition than the later glossy versions. Collectors prize the matte surface for its tie to the vintage 1675.
The late-production 16710 with Coke bezel and glossy dial is the most common configuration. It is a straightforward buy with no dial-specific premiums or pitfalls beyond the usual bezel fade concerns.
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The 16710 is the last GMT-Master II with the aluminium bezel insert, produced 1989 through 2007, replaced by the ceramic-bezel 116710 the next year. Pepsi (red/blue), Coke (red/black), and black-bezel variants all sit under the same reference number. The wearable case (40mm, 12.6mm thick) and the period-correct color options make this the GMT a lot of collectors regret skipping in 2010 when they were still under $5,000.
The 16710 replaced the 16760 'Fat Lady' GMT-Master II in 1989, adopting Rolex's slimmer case and the caliber 3185 (and later, briefly, the 3186 with the redesigned GMT lever). Production ran through 2007. Three bezel-insert color combinations were factory-issued: black (most common), Coke (red/black, less common, mostly early production), and Pepsi (red/blue, the famous one).
Two crown-guard variants (square and rounded) span the production run.
Common things to check: bezel insert (originals fade to soft tones in sun-exposed examples, replacements are typically too vivid and even); crown (a Triplock crown is correct for the entire production run); dial (the swiss-only dial on early 1989-1990 production is a small premium; matching tritium lume on dial and hands is the originality check); the rehaut on a 16710 is NOT engraved; bracelet (the 78360 Oyster with 501B end-links is correct; later 93250 are also seen on late-production); 'service Pepsi' bezels are common, original-fade Pepsi bezels carry a meaningful premium.
The pre-ceramic GMT-Master II has been one of the strongest vintage-Rolex performers of the last decade. Honest Pepsi-bezel examples on Jubilee bracelets routinely trade in the high-$10,000s with full set; black-bezel examples trade meaningfully lower despite the same case and movement. The 'Coke' is the rarest factory configuration and trades at a premium when paperwork verifies factory issue (versus a swapped bezel insert).
Caliber 3185 service is Rolex routine; service intervals 7-10 years; cost in the high-three-figures from an independent or low-four-figures from Rolex. A 16710 from the early production years deserves a movement inspection before purchase, many examples are in the “service overdue” window.
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The 16710 is the last steel GMT before the ceramic-bezel generation and carries strong collector demand. Bezel inserts and bracelets are the most frequently misrepresented components.
| Area | What to check | What is correct | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| dial | GMT arrow hand presence and color | Additional red GMT hand with arrow tip at 24-hour scale; should track smoothly through 24-hour bezel | GMT hand replaced with standard hour hand; incorrect red color or arrow shape |
| case | Oyster Perpetual Date GMTMaster II engraving on case side | Text runs along the case midband; crisp and deep consistent engraving in Rolex typeface | Shallow engraving; incorrect text; case midband engraving absent |
| caseback | Serial and reference alignment |
The 16710 is the last steel GMT-Master II before the ceramic-bezel era and carries strong collector demand. Aluminum bezel inserts fade and are frequently replaced; bracelet end-link matching and movement caliber confirmation are the next priorities.
| 16710 reference between the lugs at 12; serial between lugs at 6; both in period-correct Rolex typeface |
| Serial number outside the 1989-2007 production range for this reference; inconsistent font |
| movement | Cal. 3185 vs. 3186 determination | Early 16710 uses Cal. 3185; later production upgraded to 3186 with Parachrom hairspring; both are correct depending on serial range | Non-Rolex movement; Cal. 3135 (no GMT function) in a case stated as GMT |
| bracelet | Jubilee or Oyster bracelet correctness | Original 16710 shipped on Oyster; Jubilee was an option; both are correct; end-link numbers should match bracelet generation | End-link numbers inconsistent with known 16710 production period; non-Rolex clasp |
| Era | Description | Identifiers |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 to 2007 (black, Coke, or Pepsi bezel) | Three bezel variants are authentic for this reference: all-black, black-and-red (Coke), and blue-and-red (Pepsi). The dial itself is always black with the red GMT arrow hand. |
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