GMT-Master "Pepsi" 40mm 16700 | 1993 Very Good Full Set (Tritium Dial / Drilled Lugs)

The Story

The Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 16700 is the last GMT-Master, not a GMT-Master II. Produced from 1988 until 1999, it closed the original line that began in the 1950s, while its sibling the 16710 carried the GMT-Master II name forward. The dial says it plainly: one line, GMT-Master. Produced in 1993, this example comes from the tritium dial era (SWISS-T<25 marking at 6 o'clock) with classic drilled lug holes, and retains the bidirectional red-and-blue aluminum "Pepsi" bezel insert.

The Craft: Calibre 3175 and the Original GMT Logic

The 40mm stainless steel case carries the classic pre-maxi proportions that sit flat on the wrist. The original drilled lug holes anchor the solid-link 78360 Oyster bracelet.

The black gloss dial features original tritium hour markers and hands that have aged to a warm patina over three decades. A red 24-hour hand with an arrowhead tip reads against the bidirectional 24-hour red-and-blue aluminum bezel insert. A date window sits at 3 o'clock under the sapphire crystal with a 2.5x Cyclops lens.

Beneath the screw-down caseback is the Manufacture Rolex Calibre 3175. Operating at 28,800 vph with an approximate 48-hour power reserve, quickset date and hacking seconds, it is the movement that defines the 16700: the hour hand and 24-hour hand are synchronised, so a second time zone is read by rotating the bezel, exactly as the first GMT-Master did it. This is the last Rolex GMT built with that original logic; the independently adjustable hour hand belongs to the GMT-Master II. Supported by a Twinlock crown, the watch maintains an original depth rating of 100 meters (330 feet).

Condition & Complete 1993 Punched-Papers Set

This collector-grade 16700 is presented in Very Good overall condition. The case exhibits strong lug geometry and defined chamfers, with honest, light surface marks consistent with careful collector wear over 30+ years. The original aluminum "Pepsi" insert retains bold colors, and the sapphire crystal remains clear. The Oyster bracelet shows minimal stretch and is currently sized to comfortably accommodate a 7.3-inch (18.5 cm) wrist.

The timepiece arrives as a True Complete 1993 Full Set, complete with its original period Rolex presentation box, outer packaging, operating booklet, and the official punched guarantee paper certificate dated August 1993. Inspected and tested on our timing instruments before listing, this 16700 is ready to wear.