What to check when buying a used Rolex GMT-Master II

When buying a used GMT-Master II, check that the reference, bezel colours, bracelet and calibre all agree with each other, then test the GMT function itself: the hour hand should jump in one-hour steps without moving the 24-hour hand, and the bezel should turn both ways. Ask for the service history and papers, and match the serial on the papers to the watch.

A GMT watch shows a second time zone, usually with an extra hand that goes round the dial once every 24 hours. The name comes from Greenwich Mean Time. This page covers the GMT-Master II only; the checks that apply to any Rolex are in the pre-owned Rolex checklist.

What should you check when buying a used GMT-Master II?

Check the reference against its bezel, bracelet and movement, test every function, and read the service history and papers. Rolex has made many GMT-Master II versions with different bezel colours, materials and bracelets, so a watch with the wrong combination for its reference has had parts changed.

Rolex describes the current GMT-Master II as having a 40 mm case waterproof to 100 metres, a 24-hour hand, a bidirectional rotatable bezel with a 24-hour graduated Cerachrom insert, and an Oyster or Jubilee bracelet with an Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink extension link (Rolex GMT-Master II user guide, 2022). Cerachrom is Rolex’s name for its ceramic bezel insert.

How does the GMT function work?

The normal hour, minute and seconds hands show local time. The triangle-tipped 24-hour hand, read against the bezel, shows a reference time such as home time. You can move the local hour hand in one-hour jumps without disturbing the 24-hour hand or the minute hand, and the date follows local time (Rolex, 2022).

An alternative time zone uses the bezel. Rolex’s manual says to start with the bezel in the neutral position, triangle at 12 o’clock, then turn it counterclockwise by the number of hours a zone is ahead, or clockwise if it is behind; the 24-hour hand then reads that zone against the bezel, and the reference time is no longer shown. Its example is turning the bezel eight notches to show Tokyo time from Geneva (Rolex, 2022).

That independent hour hand is what made the GMT-Master II different from the original GMT-Master. The first GMT-Master, reference 6542, was developed at Pan Am’s request for its pilots (Revolution, 2021). The GMT-Master II’s movement separates the 12-hour and 24-hour hands, so the hour hand can be stepped either way without stopping the watch (Wikipedia, Rolex GMT Master II). Our guide to watch complications compares GMT and world-time watches.

Which GMT-Master II reference has which bezel?

Each reference has a set bezel colour and material, so check the bezel against the reference on the papers. Wikipedia dates the move from aluminium to ceramic inserts to 2007, the year of the steel model; Revolution notes that a gold model had ceramic from 2005 (Wikipedia; Revolution, 2021). Collectors’ nicknames such as “Pepsi” (red and blue) and “Batman” (blue and black) refer to the bezel colours.

Sources: Revolution, Rolex GMT-Master, a brief history (Ross Povey, May 2021), for 16760, 16710 and calibre 3185; Revolution, Rolex and the ceramic "Coke" bezel (Lee Sheng, April 2024), for 116710LN; Wikipedia, Rolex GMT Master II, for the move to ceramic in 2007 and the 2013, 2014, 2019 and 2022 models; aBlogtoWatch, 126710BLRO hands-on (Ariel Adams, March 2018), for 116719BLRO and 126710BLRO; SJX Watches, 126710GRNR hands-on (May 2024). Sources give 1982 or 1983 for the first GMT-Master II.

Red was the hardest colour to make in ceramic. Revolution quotes Rolex saying that no stable mineral pigments exist to create a pure red in zirconia, so Rolex developed an alternative using alumina (Revolution, 2024). On a red and blue ceramic bezel, look for an even colour and a clean line where the two colours meet.

Turn the bezel yourself. On the GMT-Master II it turns both ways, unlike a dive bezel (Rolex, 2022). It should move in firm one-hour notches and stop with the triangle squarely at 12.

The 16710 and its three bezels

The 16710 is the reference where a bezel change is least likely to be a fault. Luxury Bazaar’s collector guide says it was offered with three bezel inserts, red and blue (“Pepsi”), red and black (“Coke”) and all black, on either a Jubilee or an Oyster bracelet (Luxury Bazaar, 29 May 2024). Because all three were factory options, an aluminium insert of any of those colours can be correct; what matters is that it is a genuine Rolex insert and that the seller says whether it is the one the watch was sold with.

The same guide gives other dating points. Watches made from 2003 have no lug holes and are known as the 16710T; very late watches received calibre 3186 in place of the 3185; and the most common correct bracelets are the 78360 Oyster and the 62510H Jubilee (Luxury Bazaar, 2024). It also suggests a way to tell the two movements apart in hand: the 24-hour hand “wiggles” a little on the 3185, and much less on the 3186 (Luxury Bazaar, 2024). Treat that as a hint to have the movement checked, not as proof.

Between the 16710 and the two-colour bezels

Revolution dates the first ceramic GMT-Master II models to 2005, with the 18 ct gold 116718 on a black ceramic insert, followed by the two-tone 116713 in 2006 and the steel 116710 in 2007; both of the latter had black dials with a green 24-hour hand and green text (Revolution, 2021). Revolution adds that Cerachrom was developed partly to avoid the UV fading of aluminium inserts (Revolution, 2021). So a faded aluminium insert on a 16710 is normal ageing; a faded or discoloured ceramic one is not, and needs explaining.

The steel Pepsi is no longer in the catalogue

Sotheby’s reported that the steel 126710BLRO was discontinued on 1 April 2026 (Sotheby’s, 22 April 2026). In practice, a steel ceramic “Pepsi” is now a pre-owned purchase. The checks do not change, and a watch described as “unworn” deserves the same scrutiny of papers and serial as any other.

How do you read a GMT-Master II reference number?

The letters after the number give the bezel colours, from French, and the last digit gives the metal. WatchGuys, a pre-owned dealer, sets out the codes (WatchGuys, checked 30 October 2026):

Source: WatchGuys, Rolex reference numbers (checked 30 October 2026). Wikipedia dates the first "Root Beer" brown and black models, in Everose gold and in steel and Everose, to 2018.

Use the code to check the watch against its papers. A card that says 126711CHNR should come with a steel and Everose gold watch and a brown and black bezel; a card that says BLRO with a blue and black bezel means the insert has been changed or the papers belong to another watch.

Jubilee or Oyster: which bracelet should it have?

That depends on the reference and year. The first ceramic “Pepsi” came only on an Oyster bracelet; the 2018 steel “Pepsi” and the 2019 “Batman” came on a Jubilee; and in 2021 Rolex offered the Oyster again for both, alongside the Jubilee (Wikipedia). The 126710GRNR is offered on either (SJX Watches, 2024).

The Jubilee is Rolex’s five-piece link bracelet (Wikipedia); the Oyster is the bracelet Rolex also fits to the Submariner (Rolex Submariner user guide, 2020). Either is correct on a current model, so a change between the two is not a fault, but the seller should say whether the bracelet is the one the watch was sold with. Check the papers or the original sale receipt if it matters to you.

Rolex’s Easylink link, on both Oyster and Jubilee bracelets, lengthens the bracelet by about 5 mm without tools (Rolex, 2022). Try it: pull it out and fold it back, and check the Oysterlock safety clasp closes firmly. Look at the bracelet from the side for sag between links, which is stretch from wear.

Which calibre should be inside?

Match the movement to the reference. The 16710 used calibre 3185 (Revolution, 2021). Ceramic models from the mid-2000s used calibre 3186, with a 48-hour power reserve (Revolution, 2021; Wikipedia). Calibre 3285 arrived in 2018 with a 70-hour power reserve (aBlogtoWatch, 2018), and the 2024 grey and black model has it too (SJX Watches, 2024).

Ask a watchmaker or Rolex service centre to open the case and confirm the calibre matches the reference. The power reserve gives you a simple check of your own: a fully wound 3285 watch should keep running for about 70 hours off the wrist.

How do you test the GMT function in front of the seller?

Run through Rolex’s own setting sequence. It takes a couple of minutes and exercises every part of the GMT mechanism a buyer can see. The example below follows the one in Rolex’s user guide, where the reference time is Geneva and the wearer flies to New York (Rolex, 2022).

1. Wind it. Unscrew the crown to position 1 and give it at least 25 clockwise turns; turning the other way should have no effect (Rolex, 2022).
2. Set the reference time (position 3). Pull the crown to the second notch. The seconds hand should stop. Put the bezel in the neutral position, triangle at 12, then set the 24-hour hand and the minute hand to the reference time, in Rolex’s example 10.10 am in Geneva. The normal hour hand moves with them at this stage; Rolex says that is why the reference time is set first (Rolex, 2022).
3. Jump the local hour hand (position 2). Push the crown in to the first notch and turn it. The hour hand should jump in one-hour steps, and neither the minute hand nor the 24-hour hand should move. In Rolex’s example the hour hand goes back six hours to show 4.10 am in New York, while the 24-hour hand still shows 10.10 in Geneva (Rolex, 2022).
4. Check the date both ways. Keep jumping the hour hand. Rolex says the date changes when the hour hand passes midnight, in either direction (Rolex, 2022). Going backwards past midnight should take the date back by a day.
5. Use the bezel for a third zone. With the bezel at neutral, turn it counterclockwise by the number of hours a zone is ahead of the reference time, or clockwise if it is behind; the 24-hour hand then reads that zone against the bezel. Rolex’s example is eight notches for Tokyo from Geneva (Rolex, 2022).
6. Screw it down. Push the crown in and screw it down firmly; the 100-metre rating depends on it (Rolex, 2022).

Source: Rolex, GMT-Master II user guide (IMR-GMT-EN-22, April 2022), for how each function should behave.

A watch that passes every step can still have problems inside, and a well-made copy may pass too. A watch that fails one of them gives you a firm reason to have it checked, or to walk away.

What should you have checked for a fake?

Test the functions Rolex describes, then have the movement looked at. The local hour hand should jump in one-hour steps while the watch keeps running; the 24-hour hand and minute hand should not move as you do it; and the date should change when the hour hand passes midnight, in either direction (Rolex, 2022).

Other details from Rolex’s own description of the current model can be checked in hand: a Cyclops lens over the date at 3 o’clock, a Triplock crown protected by a crown guard, and Chromalight lume that glows blue in the dark (Rolex, 2022). None of these alone proves a watch is genuine. Fratello warns that Rolex papers are copied as well as watches (Fratello, 2020).

Ask for the serial number before you pay, and run a check that a watch isn’t stolen. For the signs a watchmaker looks for, see how to spot a fake Rolex.

What about service and papers?

Ask for dated service records showing what was replaced. Rolex says a complete service includes replacing worn parts and re-polishing or satin-finishing the case and bracelet to their original finish, followed by tests of function, water resistance, power reserve and precision (Rolex, 2022). A serviced watch will often have softer edges than a new one.

aBlogtoWatch reported in 2015 that Rolex recommended a service interval of about ten years, up from three, and that Rolex gave a five-year warranty on watches sold by authorised dealers from 1 July 2015 (aBlogtoWatch, 2 July 2015). A dated, completed warranty card shows whether a watch is still inside it. Our page on what “full set” means explains which papers to expect.

The 100-metre rating depends on the crown being screwed down, and Rolex says it should never be unscrewed underwater (Rolex, 2022). If there is no recent water-resistance test, ask for one. If you are also looking at divers, our used Submariner checks cover that model. More on the brand is on our Rolex page.

A serviced GMT-Master II will usually have been refinished, so look closely at the lug edges, the crown guard and the bracelet. Our guide on how to tell if a watch has been polished shows the signs.

Which kind of seller gives you which protection?

Who sells the watch decides what you can do if something turns out wrong later.

Sources: Goldsmiths, Rolex certification; Consumer Rights Act 2015, sections 9, 11 and 22; Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30; Sale of Goods Act 1979, section 13. All checked 30 October 2026.

For a GMT-Master II, the description matters more than usual, because so much depends on the exact combination of bezel, bracelet and calibre. Ask the seller to put the reference, the bezel and bracelet details, and any replaced parts in writing. Our comparison of certified and ordinary pre-owned Rolex sets out how the Certified Pre-Owned route differs from buying from an ordinary dealer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the GMT-Master and GMT-Master II?

The GMT-Master II lets you set the local hour hand on its own, in one-hour jumps, without moving the 24-hour hand (Rolex, 2022; Wikipedia). The first GMT-Master II was reference 16760, in 1983 according to Revolution (Revolution, 2021).

How many time zones does a GMT-Master II show?

Two at once. Local time is on the normal hands and a reference time on the 24-hour hand against the bezel. Turning the bezel by the hour difference shows a different zone on the 24-hour hand instead; Rolex notes the reference time is then no longer shown (Rolex, 2022).

Does the GMT-Master II bezel turn both ways?

Yes. Rolex describes it as a bidirectional rotatable bezel with a 24-hour graduated insert (Rolex, 2022). The Submariner’s dive bezel, by contrast, turns counterclockwise only (Rolex Submariner user guide, 2020).

When did the GMT-Master II get a ceramic bezel?

The steel 116710LN, with a black ceramic insert, arrived in 2007 (Revolution, 2024). Wikipedia dates the switch from aluminium to ceramic to the same year. The first two-colour ceramic bezel was the 2013 blue and black 116710BLNR (Wikipedia).

What is a Pepsi GMT?

A collectors’ nickname for a red and blue bezel. In ceramic it first appeared on the white gold 116719BLRO, and in steel on the 126710BLRO in 2018 (aBlogtoWatch, 2018).

Should a Batman GMT be on a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet?

Either can be correct. The 2019 126710BLNR came on a Jubilee, and Rolex offered the Oyster as an option from 2021 (Wikipedia). Ask the seller which bracelet the watch was sold with.

What calibre is in a current GMT-Master II?

Calibre 3285, introduced in 2018, with a 70-hour power reserve (aBlogtoWatch, 2018). The earlier ceramic models used calibre 3186 (Wikipedia).

Is the steel Pepsi GMT-Master II still made?

No. Sotheby’s reported that the steel 126710BLRO was discontinued on 1 April 2026 (Sotheby’s, 2026). Earlier “Pepsi” references, including the aluminium-insert 16710, have been out of production for longer.

What do BLNR and BLRO mean?

They are French abbreviations for the bezel colours: BLNR is blue and black (bleu, noir), the “Batman”, and BLRO is blue and red (bleu, rouge), the “Pepsi” (WatchGuys, checked 30 October 2026).

How waterproof is a GMT-Master II?

Rolex says the current model is waterproof to 100 metres with the crown screwed down (Rolex, 2022). Have it pressure-tested after any service or if the history does not show a recent test.

Is there a left-handed GMT-Master II?

Yes. The 126720VTNR, introduced in 2022 with a green and black bezel, has its crown on the left (Wikipedia). Rolex’s user guide gives the same setting instructions for that version (Rolex, 2022).

We check the facts in this guide against the sources named, and it is correct to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Rules, rates and sellers' terms change, so confirm the details with the seller, or with a professional, before you buy.