Rolex
GMT-Master
1675
The definitive GMT-Master of the jet age — built for two time zones.
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Overview
The Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675 stands as one of the most historically significant sport watches of the twentieth century, produced across a remarkable two-decade span from 1959 to 1980. Conceived to allow wearers to read a second time zone simultaneously via its distinctive 24-hour bezel and additional hand, the 1675 became the benchmark against which all subsequent GMT complications would be measured. Its 40 mm stainless steel case and evolving dial treatments chart the full arc of Rolex design philosophy through the 1960s and 1970s.
History
The reference 1675 succeeded the original GMT-Master ref. 6542 and refined the formula with a crown-protecting case design that would define the GMT-Master silhouette for a generation. Throughout its long production run, the watch appeared in numerous dial configurations — most notably early gilt and gloss examples giving way to the matte black dials that characterised the later years. The calibre 1575, a development of Rolex's proven 1500-series movement, provided the reliable automatic timekeeping at the heart of every example. By the time production concluded around 1980, the 1675 had accumulated a devoted following among pilots, travellers, and collectors that has only deepened in the decades since.
Notable points
- Produced from 1959 to 1980, the ref. 1675 enjoyed one of the longest continuous production runs in GMT-Master history.
- Early dials feature gilt printing and glossy lacquer surfaces, while later examples transition to the matte black finish typical of 1970s Rolex sport references.
- The bidirectional 24-hour bezel insert — most famously in the red-and-blue 'Pepsi' colourway — allows simultaneous reading of a second time zone at a glance.
- Power comes from the calibre 1575, a robust automatic movement from Rolex's 1500-series lineage, known for its reliability and serviceability.
- The 1675 was issued with both pointed-crown-guard (PCG) and later square-crown-guard case variants, making case evolution a key point of study for serious collectors.
