'Mysterious' GMT Master 1675 from 1974 - expertise requested

[Raarrr]

Good day fellow forum members,


I’ve joined recently because I’m trying to get as much facts as possible on my uncles Rolex GMT Master Root Beer. The information on the forum has been really helpful so far! He’s planning on selling the watch, but there’s also an opportunity for me to purchase it from him.

So I would like to call upon your experience and knowledge and I’m interested in your opinion on buying it or not and what would be a fair price!


The story goes that he bought the Rolex in Geneva in 1979. I’ve got the original receipt and certificate with matching serial numbers. It was bought for 2130,- Swiss Francs.




Some facts:

• Serial nr: 40116XX - Manufactured in 1974
• Type: 1675 - It doesn’t say anymore, but I assume that if this watch was made in the eighties it would have been a 16753 (Root Beer / Tiger Eyes / Tigerauge / Clint Eastwood). The inside of the back plate says 1675.
• Bracelet: Jubilee 18k Yellow Gold/Steel - Experts say it’s completely worn.
• End links: 450 J
• Clasp: 62523h 14 8 C - I’ve read that this dates it back to 1978; I don’t know if it’s common that the bracelet is added to the case at a later date.
• Dial: T SWISS T - I’ve read that this was used between 1960 till mid/late 1998. But when opening the watch there’s a remark that a ‘service dial’ was fitted in 1996. I think it is an original bronze nipple dial, but experts weren’t sure about the color.
• Lunette: SS with black inlay.
• The original box is still there.

Some service history (got the receipts):

• In 1980 the acrylic glass was changed in Paris.
• The original 18k gold bezel and root beer inlay got knocked off in 1984 while diving. Afterwards he had a genuine Rolex stainless steel bezel fitted with black inlay. Not original, but cheaper at the time. The acrylic glass had to be changed for a second time. This was done in Paris too.
• In 1985 it had an official Rolex servicing in Marseille.
• In 1996 it had is last service in Abu Dhabi with presumably a dial change.

So all and all it’s quite a puzzle. He used the watch continuously and had some work done. The bracelet is worn, the bezel and inlay are not original, the acrylic glass has been changed 2 times and the dial seems to be an service dial.

What to do?

Since it’s been part of the family I consider it a form of heirloom and I’m leaning to having it restored. This would mean fitting a new (vintage) bezel with root beer inlay, having the bracelet refurbished or changed and giving it a servicing. But what would you do?

Thank you very much on any advice or information.


Regards, Ruben (The Netherlands)

[Lamone]

Hello Ruben, welcome to the forum.
Great watch! if i were you, I'd get a proper insert and keep the watch. You mentioned the dial may have been changed. From the picture, it seems that they put in a period-correct dial. In addition, the "T SWISS T" under the 6 o'clock marker also indicates that your dial is from the correct era.

When exposed to a light source, do hands and indexes glow in the dark ?
The rootbeer/chocolate GMT is one of my favorite watch. I love the look of the dial and how it changed with ambient light.

Wear it in the best of health

[Raarrr]

Originally Posted by Lamone

Hello Ruben, welcome to the forum.
Great watch! if i were you, I'd get a proper insert and keep the watch. You mentioned the dial may have been changed. From the picture, it seems that they put in a period-correct dial. In addition, the "T SWISS T" under the 6 o'clock marker also indicates that your dial is from the correct era.

When exposed to a light source, do hands and indexes glow in the dark ?
The rootbeer/chocolate GMT is one of my favorite watch. I love the look of the dial and how it changed with ambient light.

Wear it in the best of health

Thanks Lamone!

I've tried lighting the hands and indexes, but the lume doesn't seem to work anymore.. It stays dark.

Even if the dial was changed, it would be 20 years old now and the indexes even older.

[saskmh]

If all else is correct for the watch it should also have a gold bezel.

[waspy1]

The watch is a 1675/3, not a 16753. It therefore has 14k gold hardware rather than 18k. The 16753 which replaced it had 18k gold hardware. The 14 in the bracelet code confirms this.

The dial is a 90s service dial as confirmed previously. It's a correct service dial but not a period correct dial.

I'm not sure what part is a puzzle or a mystery. Yes, the bezel and insert have been changed in addition to the dial.

You can probably have the bracelet refurbished for about 300usd. A bezel and insert will cost quite a lot - around 1000usd, possibly more. A service will run a few hundred from a typical non Rolex watchmaker.

A good condition correct piece with decent bracelet might be worth around 6k usd. So you should consider how much it is worth to you in order to keep the piece in the family. Your uncle may get around 3k usd selling it as is.


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[Raarrr]

Originally Posted by waspy1

The watch is a 1675/3, not a 16753. It therefore has 14k gold hardware rather than 18k. The 16753 which replaced it had 18k gold hardware. The 14 in the bracelet code confirms this.

The dial is a 90s service dial as confirmed previously. It's a correct service dial but not a period correct dial.

I'm not sure what part is a puzzle or a mystery. Yes, the bezel and insert have been changed in addition to the dial.

You can probably have the bracelet refurbished for about 300usd. A bezel and insert will cost quite a lot - around 1000usd, possibly more. A service will run a few hundred from a typical non Rolex watchmaker.

A good condition correct piece with decent bracelet might be worth around 6k usd. So you should consider how much it is worth to you in order to keep the piece in the family. Your uncle may get around 3k usd selling it as is.

This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping for :) Thanks!

The numbers on the watch and which parts are original where a mystery to me, but I'm getting a better picture!

It also places the costs of refurbishing in another perspective. In Holland they ask around €1200,- to do the bracelet alone.

Do you think sending it to Rolex for servicing would be a good choice for a watch this old?

[waspy1]

Originally Posted by Raarrr

This is exactly the kind of info I was hoping for :) Thanks!



The numbers on the watch and which parts are original where a mystery to me, but I'm getting a better picture!



It also places the costs of refurbishing in another perspective. In Holland they ask around €1200,- to do the bracelet alone.



Do you think sending it to Rolex for servicing would be a good choice for a watch this old?

Definitely not worth sending to Rolex. Plenty independent guys will do it for half what Rolex charge. I just got the same bracelet refurbished by Mike young in Hong Kong for about 300 usd. You can find him at classicwatchrepair.com




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[waspy1]

Btw, you can offset some cost by selling the existing bezel and insert. Prob worth around 300+ usd


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[Lol-x]

Very nice watch and interesting analysis

[Raarrr]

I opened the case and took pictures of the carvings. They match with the service dates:

• 184K
• FR-6-85

And something that looks like

AD / 4602 / 796
Dial changed 296 (he made a mistake and changed the 298 to 296)

I think this stands for Abu Dhabi. In the original invoice it says "4602 DF 22-7-96. I don't know what the "DF" stands for.