Rolex GMT-Master 16700 “Cherry Blossom” Bezel (1996)

Pan Am Origins and the Jet-Age GMT Concept

In 1953 Pan American World Airways asked Rolex for a wrist-worn instrument that could display both Greenwich Mean Time—used for flight planning—and local time for each destination. Rolex responded the following year with reference 6542, the first GMT-Master. Its fourth hand revolved once every 24 hours, while a rotating bicolour bezel allowed pilots to read a second zone at a glance. The bezel colours were practical as well as distinctive: red for daytime hours, blue for night. Within a decade that vivid “Pepsi” ring had become a global shorthand for long-haul travel, adorning the wrists of cockpit crews, military navigators, and later business travellers flying the new Boeing 707.

Evolution through References 1675 and 16750

Reference 1675 arrived in 1959, stretching the case to 40 mm, introducing crown guards, and improving water resistance to 100 metres through a new Twinlock crown. It ran the calibre 1565 at first, then the hacking 1575, and remained in production until 1980—one of Rolex’s longest-lived references. During that run the GMT-Master accompanied U.S. Air Force pilots into Vietnam, rode NASA training flights, and even found favour among globe-trotting celebrities. Its successor, reference 16750 (1981 – 1988), added the high-beat calibre 3075 with quick-set date and switched the dial from matte to glossy lacquer mid-decade, marking Rolex’s gradual move toward the modern era while keeping the linked 24-hour and local hour hands that defined the original GMT system.

Birth of the Reference 16700

Introduced in 1988, the GMT-Master 16700 represents the final expression of the classic single-crown GMT before the GMT-Master II became Rolex’s primary travel watch. It carried calibre 3175—an updated, 28,800 vph movement with free-sprung balance, Microstella regulation, and hacking seconds—yet retained the traditional GMT operating logic: the wearer rotated the bezel to track a second or third time zone rather than adjusting an independent local-hour hand. Production spanned 1988 to 1999, giving the reference a concise eleven-year window that now appeals to collectors looking for late-vintage Rolex models with modern reliability.

1996: A Year of Transition

The mid-1990s were pivotal for Rolex. The firm had just shifted from tritium to LumiNova lume, but many 1996 serials—particularly in the U-prefix range—still left Geneva with “Swiss-T<25” dials. Global demand for luxury watches was rising after the early-1990s recession, and Japan had become Rolex’s second-largest market outside the United States. Japanese buyers prized unpolished cases, full sets, and factory originality, laying the groundwork for the thriving vintage scene that would blossom in Tokyo’s Nakano Broadway, Shinsaibashi’s arcades, and the high-rise watch floors of Ginza. In that context our 1996 GMT-Master 16700, sourced on a recent trip to Japan, embodies both a technical milestone and a cultural exchange: Swiss engineering seasoned by Japanese enthusiasm for patina.

Fading Aluminium: The “Cherry Blossom” Bezel

Rolex anodised its aluminium inserts in bright primary colours, but ultraviolet light and humidity attack red dye molecules more aggressively than blue. When exposure is gradual and uniform, the red fades first to raspberry, then to the pastel pink seen here; the blue softens in tandem to a muted sky-tone. Because each insert’s environment is unique—varying sun angles, temperature swings, perspiration chemistry—no two fade identically. Japanese wear patterns often produce especially even pastel hues, perhaps owing to lifestyle factors such as limited car use and a culture of storing watches in shaded spaces. The result on this example is a bezel half the colour of sakura petals, earning it the informal nickname “Cherry Blossom GMT”. In Japan, where the aesthetic concept of wabi-sabi values graceful ageing, such patina is celebrated rather than corrected.

Oyster Case: Materials and Proportions

Machined from Rolex’s corrosion-resistant 904L steel, the 16700’s 40 mm Oyster case balances robustness with slimness. At 12.7 mm thick—including the acrylic crystal Rolex used until the late 1990s—it slips easily under a cuff yet preserves the warm distortions that acrylic lends to dial textures. The lugs arc gently toward a 47.5 mm tip-to-tip span, while polished chamfers catch ambient light and delineate the case profile. Brushed flanks and bracelet links underscore the watch’s tool origins. Water resistance remains officially rated to 100 metres thanks to the Triplock crown introduced on GMTs in the early 1980s, though prudent collectors avoid submerging vintage acrylic-crystal models.

Calibre 3175 in Detail

Calibre 3175 evolved from the 3000-series workhorses but added a 24-hour driving wheel and date cam tuned to quick-set via the crown. The movement’s balance bridge secures the free-sprung Glucydur balance at two points, improving shock resistance over earlier balances mounted on a single cock. Four Microstella screws allow micro-adjustment without disturbing the hairspring stud. A Breguet overcoil aids isochronism, while a 48-hour power reserve gives the traveller two full days before winding. Unlike the GMT-Master II’s 3185, the 3175 keeps the 24-hour and main hour hands geared together—a purist’s nod to the 1954 original—and allows a third time zone by turning the bezel rather than the crown.

Dial and Hands: Subtle Ageing

This 1996 dial remains glossy jet-black, its surface free of spider cracks often found on earlier lacquer. The applied white-gold hour markers contain tritium lume that has mellowed from bright white to a warm vanilla, perfectly complementing the pink bezel half. Matching tritium resides in the Mercedes hour hand, pencil minute hand, seconds stick, and the long red 24-hour pointer capped in white. Synchronised patina across dial and hands confirms originality. The date window at 3 o’clock retains its classic Cyclops magnifier, and the printed minute track is crisp, with micro-serif numerals reflecting Rolex’s mid-nineties typography refinement.

Bracelet and Clasp

Rolex paired most 16700s with the hollow-link 78360 Oyster bracelet and 501B end-links. Lightweight and fluid, this configuration underscores the reference’s roots as a travel instrument rather than a luxury statement. The full-size folding clasp closes with a stamped steel blade bearing regional code “M” on this Japanese-delivered example, dating the bracelet to the correct production year. Minor stretch testifies to regular but respectful use, and all screw-links remain sharp at their slot edges, indicating the bracelet has never seen plier-marks or aggressive polishing.

Field Use and the Allure of Two-Time-Zone Simplicity

Rotating the bezel on a classic GMT-Master is intuitive: align the triangle with the 24-hour hand to track home time, then twist the bezel so local midnight rests opposite the hand to read a second zone. If a third time zone comes into play—say, negotiating a Sydney vendor while visiting Tokyo—offset the bezel accordingly and read each zone without touching the crown. Airline crews once relied on this simplicity to minimise cockpit workload; modern owners still appreciate that elegance when juggling conference calls across continents. On the wrist the watch feels balanced, its 40 mm footprint large enough for modern tastes yet unburdened by the mass of solid-link bracelets or maxi-cases.

Final Thoughts

The Rolex GMT-Master 16700 bridges eras, closing the book on the original linked-hand GMT architecture while benefiting from late-twentieth-century improvements in movement precision and case metallurgy. This 1996 example carries that history on its dial, hands, and above all its cherry-blossom bezel—an accidental art piece painted by ultraviolet light, careful wear, and nearly thirty springs in Japan. It reminds us that a watch’s beauty can evolve long after it leaves Geneva, acquiring colours and stories on each journey. Whether tracking Sydney time while walking Tokyo’s lantern-lit lanes or simply marking the seasons at home, the “Cherry Blossom” GMT embodies a philosophy shared by both Rolex engineers and Japanese artisans: craft something functional, let time refine it, and the result will be more compelling than anything produced on day one.

• Case excellent vintage condition. No noticeable wear around the case. 
• Bracelet has minimal stretch. 

Dial and hands are in very good condition.