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1990 Rolex GMT-Master 16700 - Stainless Steel Pepsi Bezel

Details
The Last Of Its Name
Rolex produced the reference 16700 from 1988 until 1999, and it was the final watch to carry the GMT-Master name on its own. It ran alongside the more complex GMT-Master II for that entire stretch, offering a simpler take on the same idea for anyone who preferred the original layout. Inside is the caliber 3175 with a quickset date, and over the front sits a sapphire crystal, the only GMT-Master ever fitted with one. The result is a genuine bridge reference, vintage in its proportions and its logic, modern in the parts that matter for daily use.
A Watch That Skipped Its Own Life
This piece appears to have sat in a box most of the last three decades. The case is exceptionally sharp, with lug edges that still come to a defined point and flat surfaces that have never been chased down by a polishing wheel. The Oyster bracelet is the one it left the factory with, and the red and blue aluminum insert still reads clearly in both colors rather than fading toward the washed out grey these usually develop. Picking it up feels less like handling a watch from 1990 and more like opening a drawer that was closed that year.
Excellent And Honest Throughout
This example is in excellent condition. The stainless steel case is among the sharpest we have handled in this reference and shows no evidence of polishing. The matching Oyster bracelet is tight and clean, and the aluminum bezel insert is in great shape with only minimal signs of age. As with every watch we offer, this piece has been verified as mechanically sound and is ready to wear.
For The Buyer Who Wants The Original Layout
This is the GMT for someone who reads the catalog closely. It gives you the shorter lived of the two references from that decade, the simpler movement, and the case shape that connects directly back to the tool watches Rolex built for pilots. Condition is what sets this one apart. A sharp, unpolished case is the part of the equation that cannot be bought back later, and this one has kept it.
Key Specs
Reference: 16700
Model: GMT-Master
Year: 1990
Movement: Automatic
Case Size: 40mm
Bezel: Red & Blue "Pepsi" Aluminum Insert
Bracelet: Oyster
Bracelet Length: 6.4-7.15in
Dial: Black
Metal: Stainless Steel
SKU: 1494