1984 Rolex GMT-Master II 16760 - Coke “Fat Lady”

Reference: 16760

Model: GMT-Master II “Fat Lady”

Year: 1984

Movement: Automatic

Case Size: 40mm

Bezel: Coke (red/black)

Bracelet: Oyster bracelet

Dial: Black

Wrist Size: Fits 6.5-7.25 inches

Rolex traces its origins to 1905, when Hans Wilsdorf and his brother‑in‑law Alfred Davis set up a London firm to import Swiss movements and house them in English watchcases .  Wilsdorf envisioned a small, precise wristwatch at a time when pocket watches dominated and drew on high‑quality movements from Switzerland to realize his goal .  Seeking a short name that was easy to pronounce and would look balanced on a dial, he settled on “Rolex”, a word he said came to him on a horse‑drawn carriage .

The company’s first decades were marked by technical milestones.  In 1910 a Rolex wristwatch received the first Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision ever granted to such a small timepiece, and in 1914 the Kew Observatory in London awarded a similar watch a coveted “Class A” rating .  Wilsdorf also prioritized waterproofness; in 1926 Rolex introduced the Oyster, the world’s first hermetically sealed wristwatch case .  To prove its reliability, Mercedes Gleitze swam the English Channel in 1927 wearing an Oyster, and the watch still functioned perfectly after ten hours in cold water .  In 1931 Rolex patented the Perpetual rotor, a self‑winding mechanism that has since become the foundation for automatic watches .

Rolex relocated to Geneva in 1919 and continued to evolve through the mid‑century with a series of professional watches tailored to different pursuits.  The Datejust of 1945 was the first waterproof, self‑winding wrist chronometer with a date displayed in a dial window ; the Explorer (1953) celebrated the successful ascent of Everest ; the Submariner (1953) was the first divers’ watch guaranteed waterproof to 100 meters ; the GMT‑Master (1955) helped airline crews track time zones ; and the Day‑Date (1956) displayed both day and date .  These models anchored the brand’s reputation for precision, robustness and utility.

Collectors continue to admire Rolex because its designs have evolved deliberately while staying true to the functional ethos established by Wilsdorf.  Improvements such as increased water‑resistance on the Submariner to 200 metres in 1954 and 300 metres by 1989 , more efficient self‑winding movements, and enhanced luminescent materials show a commitment to incremental refinement rather than radical change.  The company’s watches are still assembled in Switzerland and undergo strict chronometer testing.  This continuity of engineering excellence and understated aesthetic keeps vintage and contemporary Rolex models relevant across generations.