THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 1675
YEAR: 1960
BOX/PAPERS: YES/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

In vintage Rolex collecting, the GMT-Master 1675 is arguably one of the most interesting references (and Tommy’s personal favourite). Rolex introduced the GMT-Master line in 1954 with the reference 6542, initially created for airline pilots who needed to track more than one time zone at a time. The 6542 features a 38mm case and a “Pepsi” bakelite bezel, a downright gorgeous watch, though not the most practical due to the lack of crown guards and the fragility of the bezel insert.

A few years later, in 1959/60, the reference 1675 was born and remained in production until 1980. Over its 20+ years of production, Rolex introduced numerous changes to the 1675, from the movement and case to the dials (transitioning from gilt to matte), and even the bezel design. These updates give 1675s from different eras distinct characters.

What we have here is the very first iteration, featuring the “Type 0” OCC gilt dial. Here at Falco, we are fortunate to have handled many exceptional 1675s over the years. This one, however, is without a doubt the best of them all. The dial has turned a gorgeous tropical brown hue over time, and the “Eagle Beak” case remains in fantastic condition. The original lume on the markers is fully intact. “OCC” denotes “Officially Certified Chronometer” similar to that found on earlier 6542s (and notably missing the “Superlative” text). The original bezel, hands, and date wheel have all survived the test of time, with only the hands having been relumed at some point in the past.

The movement has been recently serviced and is running perfectly at +2 s/d, with 276 amplitude and a beat error of 0.5 ms.

We could go on for ages about how special this watch is, but in this instance, we’ll let Jake’s images do the talking.