Initially only available in White or Yellow Rolesor (Rolex’s name for a combination of steel and gold), they were just successful enough for an all-steel reference with a smooth bezel to follow in 2012.Yet it seemed to be too much of a design departure for either the traditional customer base or else the brand itself, and the Datejust II was discontinued by 2016. The Datejust 41 replaced it as a very much a scaled-up version of the 36mm piece, with the classic dimensions intact.But there was always a relatively small but enthusiastic audience for the DJII, as decidedly masculine a dress watch as you are likely to find. Issued with a range of dial options (although, strangely, only ever produced on the Oyster bracelet) it offers plenty of choices and is the ideal model for a larger wrist.Rolex is very proud of their patented Cerachrom ceramic alloy, and rightly so. Scratchproof, fade-proof, nigh on unbreakable, it is the perfect material for the brand’s bezels and it has been rolled out across most of the tool watch collection. On the Daytona, it is fitted to models forged from platinum, all three flavors of gold, and the only two steel pieces left in the contemporary lineup – those lusted after models which are more difficult to get ahold of than a Wonka factory golden ticket.But Cerachrom is a fairly new invention. Previous iterations of the stainless steel Daytona have always had steel bezels, something no longer obtainable if you are buying brand new. The last reference to have one was the ref. 116520, which ran from 2000 to 2016, and was the first Daytona to house Rolex’s own in-house chronograph movement, the Cal. 4130.
Much like the red line of text on the dial of the latest Sea-Dweller, the bright orange, arrow-shaped 24-hour hand on the latest incarnation of the Rolex Explorer II is a design element directly borrowed from the very first version of the watch from 1971. For a number of decades, this style of 24-hour hand was entirely absent from the Rolex watch catalog, during which time, the Explorer II shared a 24-hour hand design with Rolex’s GMT-Master II line of watches.However, in 2011 for its 40th anniversary, the Explorer II line received a complete makeover, both inside and out. Although the vast majority of the new reference 216570 Explorer II was completely different from the original version and classifies it as an undisputedly modern timepiece, the large, orange-colored, arrow-shaped, 24-hour hand is aesthetically almost identical to the one on the original version of the Explorer II from the early 1970s.A significant part of the allure of the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO is rooted in its vintage-inspired design elements, such as its red and blue, “Pepsi” bezel insert and its Jubilee-style bracelet. The very first Rolex GMT-Master watches from the mid-1950s were made from stainless steel and fitted with half-red, half-blue bezel inserts; however, ever since the introduction of Cerachrom (ceramic) bezels, half-red, half-blue “Pepsi” bezel inserts were only available on the 18k white gold version of Rolex’s GMT-Master II. The reference 126710 GMT-Master II marked the return of a stainless steel “Pepsi” GMT, as well as the return of the Jubilee bracelet to the GMT-Master line.
The GMT Master II ref. 16710 is one of the most iconic and influential examples of the brand’s multi-time zone pilot’s watch. It brought an upgraded case and movement to the line, making it a huge success and leading to its impressive production run of almost twenty years. The ref. 16710 was then replaced by the ref. 116710 in the late 2000s as a completely new generation of Rolex GMT-Master tool watches began to make an appearance with a brand new case and bracelet design, improved materials, and a new movement.Rolex developed the GMT-Master in the early 1950s at the request of Pan Am Airlines. Its release came during the dawn of international flight. The famous air carrier required a dual-time wristwatch to issue their pilots, and the GMT-Master was born. The GMT-Master II was released a number of years later in 1983 with the ref. 16760, and brought with it independent hour hands that allow the wearer to read two time zones on the dial and a third on the bezel.The first GMT-Master II ref. 16760 featured a bulkier case and is often referred to by avid collectors as the “Fat Lady” or “Sophia Loren.” In 1989, Rolex would release a refined variation of the Fat Lady GMT in the form of the sleeker reference Rolex 16710 with a thinner case and movement. The ref. 16710 was well-received among collectors for its upgraded case and movement, and it would go on to become one of the most successful GMT-Master II models, remaining in production for nearly twenty years.A completely redesigned version of the stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II was introduced in 2007, which meant the discontinuation of the long-running ref. 16710. The Rolex 116710 is similar in design as its 5-digit predecessor with an all-steel finish, a perpetual movement with independent hour hands, and a bidirectional bezel; however, that’s where its similarities end. The ref. 116710 is almost an entirely new watch and boasts a redesigned bezel, case, bracelet, and dial, as well as the newer Caliber 3186 perpetual movement.
