good evening everyone.
Among Rolex's sports models, the GMT Master II is one of the most popular, along with the Daytona and Submariner. Since 2018, new models have been released one after another, and the variety has increased dramatically. In addition to the new green and black bezel, the 2022 new model also features the left-handed Ref. 126720VTNR, which attracted a lot of attention.
This time, we will go back three generations of the Rolex GMT-Master II and thoroughly compare the representative models of each generation (the second generation " Ref.16710 ", the third generation " Ref.116710LN ", " Ref.116710BLNR ", and the fourth generation "Ref.126710BLNR"). If you want a GMT-Master II but are unsure which model to buy, or if you want to know the history of the GMT-Master II, this is a must-read, so be sure to read until the end.
Introducing the three generations of the GMT-Master II
First, we will introduce the three models we will be comparing: the second generation " Ref.16710 ", the third generation " Ref.116710LN " and " Ref.116710BLNR ", and the fourth generation "Ref.126710BLNR".
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | aluminum |
| Dial | black | Luminous | Tritium or Luminova |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 3185,3186 | Power reserve | Approximately 48 hours |
Other (indicated at 6 o'clock position)
| ~1998 | SWISS-T＜25 |
| Around 1998 to 1999 | SWISS |
| Around 2000 | SWISS MADE |
The Ref. 16710 was born as the successor to the original GMT Master II, Ref. 16760.
While the first model only had a red and black bezel color, the Ref. 16710 has been reissued in the black and red and blue bezel colors that were no longer in production, once again drawing attention. The first model, the Ref. 16760, had a thicker and more impressive case than other models, so much so that it was nicknamed the "Fat Lady." However, the Ref. 16710 has a sharper, more sleek case that fits better on the wrist.
*Stick Dial: The “II” in the model name “GMT-Master II” at the 6 o’clock position on the dial has no horizontal lines above or below it and is printed as “||”.
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | ceramic |
| Dial | black | Luminous | Luminova or Chromalight |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 3186 | Power reserve | Approximately 48 hours |
The black bezel " Ref. 116710LN " was released in 2007. It was one of the first watches to adopt the ceramic bezel used in the current Daytona and Submariner models, and it sparked the popularity of the GMT- Master II.
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | ceramic |
| Dial | black | Luminous | Luminova or Chromalight |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 3186 | Power reserve | Approximately 48 hours |
The long-awaited new color, the blue-black bezel "Ref. 116710BLNR," was released in 2013. The ceramic material developed by Rolex, commonly known as the "Cerachrom bezel," was said to be technically only capable of being colored black, but with the release of the " Ref. 116710BLNR ," its popularity and price on the second-hand market both skyrocketed. Today, it is affectionately known as "Batman."
| Case diameter | 40mm | Bezel | ceramic |
| Dial | black | Luminous | Chromalight |
| material | SS | bracelet | SS |
| Waterproof | 100m | Drive system | Automatic |
| Cal | 3285 | Power reserve | Approximately 70 hours |
Following the red and blue bezel "Ref.126710BLRO" released in 2018 , the blue and black bezel "Ref.126710BLNR" was released in 2019. It became a hot topic at the time because it adopted the "Jubilee bracelet", which was rare for a sports model. Later, in 2021 , a model with an "Oyster bracelet" was also added to the lineup.
Spec comparison between the second generation "Ref.16710" and the third generation "Ref.116710LN"
Let's start by comparing " Ref.16710 " and " Ref.116710LN ".
The main specifications are as follows:
| 40mm | Case diameter | 40mm |
| aluminum | Bezel | ceramic |
| black | Dial | black |
| Tritium or Luminova | Luminous | Luminova or Chromalight |
| SS | material | SS |
| SS | bracelet | SS |
| 100m | Waterproof | 100m |
| Automatic | Drive system | Automatic |
| 3185,3186 | Cal | 3186 |
| Approximately 48 hours | Power reserve | Approximately 48 hours |
❶【Bezel and crown】
Bezel
| Reference 16710 | aluminum |
| Reference 116710LN | ceramic |
❷ [Dial]
index
| Reference 16710 | Tritium or Luminova |
| Reference 116710LN | Luminova or Chromalight |
❸【Bracelet】
Bracelet (links inside)
| Reference 16710 | cavity |
| Reference 116710LN | Pure |
Spec comparison between the 3rd generation "Ref.116710BLNR" and the 4th generation "Ref.126710BLNR"
Next, let's compare the third generation " Ref.116710BLNR " and the fourth generation " Ref.126710BLNR ".
The main specifications are as follows:
| 40mm | Case diameter | 40mm |
| ceramic | Bezel | ceramic |
| black | Dial | black |
| Luminova or Chromalight | Luminous | Chromalight |
| SS | material | SS |
| SS | bracelet | SS |
| 100m | Waterproof | 100m |
| Automatic | Drive system | Automatic |
| 3186 | Cal | 3285 |
| Approximately 48 hours | Power reserve | Approximately 70 hours |
❶【Dial】
Logo at 6 o'clock
| Reference 116710BLNR | SWISS MADE |
| Reference 126710BLNR | Added a crown mark between SWISS and MADE |
❷【Bracelet】
Bracelet Specifications
| Reference 116710BLNR | Oyster Bracelet |
| Reference 126710BLNR | Oyster bracelet or Jubilee bracelet |
❸【Movement】
Movement
| Reference 116710BLNR | Cal.3186 |
| Reference 126710BLNR | Cal.3285 |
summary
What did you think?
This time, we compared three generations of the Rolex GMT-Master II, and I hope you can see how it has evolved over the years.
The GMT-Master II has its own unique appeal: the highly practical fourth generation, the third generation which has become more accessible with the release of the current model, and the second generation which allows you to enjoy the changes that occur over time.
Please come and find your favorite model.