THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 16710
YEAR: 2002
BOX/PAPERS: YES/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

This week at Falco, while our talented Jake was shooting watches on Friday, he was asked a question: which one of the fifteen watches in front of him was his favourite? To our surprise, among a strong lineup of dressy APs, vintage Tudors, Omegas, and Rolexes, this watch was Jake’s pick. His words summed it up perfectly: “We all just need a solid watch we don’t have to worry about, but with a bit of character.”

We love the GMT-Master II 16710 here at Falco for good reason—it is perhaps the most versatile five-digit Rolex ever made. With three bezel colour options and two bracelet choices, one can effectively enjoy six different looks from a single watch. You don’t need to look far to see this in action: the three 16710s we currently have in stock each have their own distinct character, despite being produced only a few years apart.

This example dates to 2002 and features a Swiss-Made Super-Luminova dial with lug holes. The dial is spotless, and the case remains very strong. What truly sets this watch apart, however, is the original black serif bezel, which has faded beautifully to a bluish-grey hue. The original “AD”-stamped bracelet shows no perceivable stretch. The movement arrived in excellent condition and is running superbly at +2 s/day, with an amplitude of 280° and a beat error of 0.1 ms.

The watch comes with its inner and outer box and Rolex service papers. 

The 16710 has long been a cornerstone of the neo-vintage world. Remarkably, they now trade at close to half the price of their modern BLRO descendant… and we all know which one is cooler.