GMT 16750 review

[sea-dweller]

I had one of these (vintage of around 1985) and always liked the lightweight and acrylic crystal. It's much lighter than my 16710.

[T5AUS]

Originally Posted by applebook

Yes, there are also aftermarket bezels available.

My one and only bezel swapping at a Rolex dealer was a bad experience because the jeweler would not allow me to keep both my bezels --they confiscated my property!

Thanks applebook, missed this post earlier.
Yes, I have heard all sorts of stories regarding taking vintage watches to Rolex service centres and them coming back with replaced dials, hands, bezels etc, a bit of a worry.

[sea-dweller]

Beautiful 16750 !

[T5AUS]

Originally Posted by T5AUS

Thanks applebook, missed this post earlier.
Yes, I have heard all sorts of stories regarding taking vintage watches to Rolex service centres and them coming back with replaced dials, hands, bezels etc, a bit of a worry.

As a follow up to this, I was in Sydney last week working and thought I would take my gmt in to the Rolex service centre there for a service since it gains about a couple of minutes a week. I dropped it in on Monday for a quote telling the charming young lass in reception that I only wanted the movement cleaned and regulated and did not want the hands, dial or bezel replacing. I went back on Tuesday to see what they thought and was given a written quote which came to a staggering 1,314.50 Au.!!
They had totally ignored my request about me wanting to keep the original hands, dial and bezel and insisted that if I went ahead with the service it would only be done if the hands and bezel were replaced but I did have the option to keep the original dial although they didn't recommend it, which would save me $341.00 Au. and thus bring the price down to a mere $973.00 for the service. They insisted that the hands had cracked lume and that it could drop out during service, perhaps it could, but I was happy to take that risk. To me the bezel is fine, I can replace that myself when I locate a good original one of the period.
Needless to say, I declined to leave it for a service and was glad to be on my way with my baby back on my wrist.
(but wait, there is more)
The following morning in my hotel I noticed my watch hands were out of sync.!, (see pic) when the hour hand was on the hour, the minute hand was down at the half hour mark, not on the hour, ahhhh, what had happened.
I took it straight back to the service centre to see what they thought might have happened, all very odd. The service guy who actually did the quote said via the receptionist that it was nothing to do with him, all they do when doing a quote is to take the back off just to see the movement. I could not believe it, it was just too much of a coincidence, my watch had been working perfectly up to this point then straight after the quote it's wrong, very strange. I asked to speak with the technician, I needed to hear it from his mouth, and that's exactly what he told me, it could not of happened here.
By this time, we were all getting a bit excited so it was decided to send for the boss!! A nice enough lad, he explained to me exactly as the other guy had, no way it could have happened here, they don't touch the hands when quoting, just take the back off to examine it, you must have bumped it. So that was that, what could I say. He said as a show of good faith he would sort the hands out for me for $50.00 which I agreed to, accepting that I must have bumped it, cant possibly imagine what I did to cause them to jump out of sync. guess it WAS just a coincidence, it certainly left an odd feeling in my gut for my first ever visit to a Rolex service department though. I finally received my watch back the next day, hands all back as they should be and it's still going fine.

[Terry Newton]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with a RSC. It is a beautiful watch and one can tell it is your pride and joy and you take good care of it.

Here's hoping for many more good years with a fine timepiece .

Terry Newton

[Fatso]

Never ever never replace that dial, they'll switch it for a gloss version with white gold surround markers.

[T5AUS]

Originally Posted by Terry Newton

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with a RSC. It is a beautiful watch and one can tell it is your pride and joy and you take good care of it.

Here's hoping for many more good years with a fine timepiece .

Terry Newton

Thanks Terry

Originally Posted by Fatso

Never ever never replace that dial, they'll switch it for a gloss version with white gold surround markers.

Too right Paul, never ever.
I just wonder how many unsuspecting vintage watch owners there are that only wanted the movement serviced but ended up with their prize piece being ruined with a dial and hands update, its a worry.

[GMTJOHNNY]

Love it and will never part with it. SS and red/blue bez is great. Great time keeper and virtually impossible to damage.

[timackerman]

Originally Posted by Fatso

Never ever never replace that dial, they'll switch it for a gloss version with white gold surround markers.

x2

That is far too nice to replace

[goldenlace]

excellent watch review! very interesting and I learned a lot from it 8)

[Bobareno]

Great review, thanks. Love the 16750!

[colemanitis]

Almost two years after writing this review people are still finding it useful. That's awesome!!!

[etp095]

Originally Posted by colemanitis

Almost two years after writing this review people are still finding it useful. That's awesome!!!

do you still have the watch?

[colemanitis]

Originally Posted by etp095

do you still have the watch?

Nope. Sometimes I wish I did. I have a new Pepsi now.

[Scarface]

Originally Posted by colemanitis

I have a new Pepsi now.

Me too Jeff, can't wait to get it in my hands tomorrow

I enjoyed a lot your great review

[tommy_uk77]

Originally Posted by colemanitis

Nope. Sometimes I wish I did. I have a new Pepsi now.

can share where you get from ?

[jasper]

I *just* acquired the same watch you have pictured here. This thread was useul to me today because I needed info on the bezel insert sizing.

TRF still rocks.

[weiandy]

My 16750 seems to be under powered after my servicing. It seems to be able to run for 6-7 hours and it stops. Can the experts here advise on this? Is there a need to wind this watch? Clockwise?

Help.

[jasper]

Originally Posted by weiandy

My 16750 seems to be under powered after my servicing. It seems to be able to run for 6-7 hours and it stops. Can the experts here advise on this? Is there a need to wind this watch? Clockwise?

Help.

Sounds like it needs a wind. It was almost certainly run down during or after the servicing and the auto wind system will absolutely not wind the watch completely...as you have learned, just wearing the watch will keep it wound up +/- about six hours.

Whenever I wear one of my other watches I let the GMT run down in my secret drawer.. When I put it the GMT on again the first thing I do give it 30-some winds, clockwise. That's the first detent after unscrewing the crown. Then I set the date to the day before today, that's the second detent, then I set the time by first passing through midnight to flip the date to the actual date, then setting the clock to the correct time. That would be the third detent.

So yes, wind the watch.

[HDHNTER]

Starting to really want a 16750 here, great post!

[groovejosh]

Freakin Gorgeous

[timmovitz]

Great review, Wonderfull pictures

[timmovitz]

What model you have now?

[crockey]

Great review! I would have kept the original dial and hands though.

[Vasilis13]

Does anyone know what the numbers of 585, 580, and 78360 on the back of the Rolex stand for ?

[mr_gray]

just picked one of these up. i have owned many 6 digit (11 series not the newer ones) subs and various watches (AP,Blancain, Omega) and this is a great package. very comfortable on the wrist! hard to believe it is 43 years old. it does have a mk4 service dial but i will live.

the acrylic "glass" means a substantially lighter watch and the profile is very skinny which again = comfort not achievable with more modern heavier watches.

[Mos_kev]

Awesome review!

[Kongelunden]

Thanks for the review