In late 2020 Miltons in Liverpool were thrilled when this very rare and desirable Rolex GMT-Master was brought in :
It is a stainless steel model 1675, a model which in various forms was produced in large numbers from around 1960 to 1980 (case number range 50x,xxx to 5,8xx,xxx).
This is one of the earliest, having a 695,xxx case number and dating from around 1961.
Unlike the previous model, the 1675 had crown guards – at first the “cornino” style as here :
Note the small triangle on the early 24hr hand, as seen on previous generation model 6542s :
All GMT dials where the text is printed in a gold or gilt colour are desirable. Note the hyphen between OYSTER and PERPETUAL, which disappeared from later versions :
A couple of versions were made which featured a chapter ring (the continuous gold track around the edge of the dial), now highly sought after. We would classify this specifically as a “Mark II gilt chapter ring / exclamation mark dial.”
So why is it called an “Exclamation Mark” dial? Well, as the picture below illustrates, a very small number of these dials featured an additional, small luminous dot just below the rectangular baton at six o’clock. This appears to have denoted a development in the luminous material that had been applied to the dial, but its visual effect is to create something resembling an exclamation mark at the bottom of the dial :
As should be expected of this period, the dial correctly bears only the single word “SWISS” at its foot.
The watch reached us on an early Jubilee bracelet :
Look at the basic markings inside that clasp !
The model and case numbers between the lugs at both ends appear to be crudely applied, leading the unfamiliar to think them incorrect, but in fact these are entirely as they should be for this specific period :
Shining an ultra-violet torch on the watch gives us an idea of what an owner in the 1960s might have hoped to see in the dark when looking at his watch!
Miltons in Liverpool and Chester are always looking for interesting Rolex, especially rare professional or sports models from the 1950s to present day. Please feel free to email Haywood Milton with pictures and details of anything you might consider selling, on info@miltons.co.uk
© Haywood Milton, October 2020.
