We admit that for us, the GMT Master in all its variations is one of our favorite Rolexes ever; we will even admit that in this case, the older versions are dearer to our hearts – but this one is also very attractive. It is not for nothing that this is the model with the most nicknames (as you know, many of Rolex's special models have nicknames by which they are known among connoisseurs and which have become so common that they are more popular than their official names). We will list perhaps the most famous of them: Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Root Beer and of course from the newer ones Batman, Pepsi, Sprite, Bruce Wayne. All of them are currently selling above their launch price, and even the contemporary models sell for well above their official price – a "marketing trick" some skeptic might say, but in our opinion, it is yet another proof of the correct market strategy and price positioning.
But why is this model so liked and sought-after - it is neither the most expensive, the most robust, the most complex, or the most beautiful watch? Certainly, one of the reasons is its now-iconic "true GMT" in-house movement, Caliber 3186, which has a reputation for being robust, accurate, durable, and easy to service. The Parachrom used in the production of this model's movement improves accuracy and allows the power reserve to be increased to over 48 hours and for the robustness and service life of the movement to be improved. The model presented here is from the last, current series, introduced by the brand in 2010.
We are sure that most of our fellow forum readers are aware that Rolex calls its water-resistant cases Oyster. I.e., if this name is present in the watch's designation, it means that it is water-resistant. And of course, the GMT Master II meets this qualification 100% - although, unlike the Submariner, here this indicator is only 100 m, but as you can guess, the meters here are real.
The dial of the watch is very clean and easily legible, and the luminescence on the hands and indices facilitates its use at night. This particular model is one of the first in which Rolex replaced the green color of the luminescence with blue (which is proven to be much more pleasant and harmless to the human eye) – and the so-called Chromalight used by Rolex allows the indices to appear milky white during the day. Here, Rolex also uses the so-called "Maxi dial" style, which was launched a few years ago and with which the manufacturer increases the size of the hands and markers – one of the reasons I like this model much more than the previous ones.
Regardless of the fact that the GMT Master II is a professional instrument, as was the manufacturer's intention from its very launch, it is clear to everyone that for a long time it has become a luxury attribute – and for quite some time now, this function has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps for this very reason, Rolex does many things in this model so that the appearance and the overall impression the watch creates prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire – Rolex applies the anti-reflective coating only on the inner side of the cyclops, and this allows the outer part of the crystal to be more brilliant and shiny to behold.
For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all its models) – and in this case, it is devoid of any markings, inscriptions, or other "decorations". As we all know, for its watches Rolex uses noble 904L steel – the difference with the usual 316L for other brands is the greater resistance (especially against salt water). It is a widely known fact that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the steel they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are done in-house to guarantee a uniform quality of the raw material – many watches have passed through my hands, but I can say with absolute certainty that no other brand devotes so much attention and effort to the quality of the final product in terms of the case finish – and as a result, a unique quality and presence cannot but be achieved.
The overall impression is complemented by the watch's 24-hour bezel – its purpose is clear, to track a second time zone – trivial, isn't it. In previous models, the bezel insert was made of aluminum with the hour markers printed on it, but this model introduces the ceramic bezel. Here again, the material is a special creation and is different from the massively used materials, which is why Rolex calls it - "Cerachrom." The traditional inverted triangle at 12 o'clock, and behold the final product – unlike the aluminum one, the ceramic one is shinier, stronger, and more scratch-resistant. Modest, isn't it? First, it was their own material for luminescence, now their own material for the bezel – what could possibly be next...
For many years, the GMT Master II was offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile tapering towards the clasp or with the multi-link Jubilee – the new models are offered only with the Oyster, and only in the new Pepsi is the Jubilee offered again. Where is the difference with the previous generations? It is mainly in the clasp – on the new GMT Master II, it is made from a solid piece of steel and has an additional security system.
Indeed, in the 60s, Rolex created a great product and invested the next 60 years to improve and perfect it. If at the beginning it was valued by customers as a not very expensive everyday watch, today it is to a greater extent a fashion accessory, which however has all the qualities to become a long-term partner to its owner, who besides not abandoning you, will also not lose much of its value, because it is no secret to anyone here that this brand, besides not being found with large discounts when new, also has the reputation of a brand with the best value-retaining watches, and this particular model can boldly rank in the forefront of Rolex in terms of popularity and is consequently one of the most sought-after and desired. Certainly, one of the reasons for this is the fact that this watch looks equally good on your wrist whether you are in a formal suit or dressed in worn-out jeans and a white t-shirt – and in both cases, the GMT Master II will help attract appreciative glances to your appearance.
