This article is a mobile-friendly adaptation of the piece I wrote for my sister site, Hooked-on: "Rolex GMT Master 1675, made in 1964." If the subject interests you, I encourage you to visit the original on Hooked-on as well.
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The Rolex GMT Master featured here is a 1960s model with the red-and-blue bezel — the one collectors call the "Pepsi." As an antique sport Rolex, it has aged well. The patina suits it, and that quality makes it a natural companion for vintage denim.
GMT Master 1675
The example I chose is a reference 1675, made in 1964. It retains much of its original character: the lacquer mirror dial, the slightly smaller case and crown typical of the period, a naturally faded bezel, and a period-correct Swiss rivet bracelet. Over sixty years of use, the previous owner kept it well. The aging that has occurred is natural — scratches and wear that belong on a watch of this age. It satisfies what draws me to antique timepieces: the sense of something used carefully and long.
I'm not generally drawn to colored bezels on watches. But the GMT Master's blue maps to the blue of jeans, and the red maps to the red of a Levi's tab. Paired with a 501, the match is exact.
Being an old watch, there are practical considerations. The bracelet has stretched over the decades and sits looser on the wrist than a current piece. The crown action is not particularly satisfying. Waterproofing can't be relied upon, so I avoid wearing it in heavy summer heat or near water. That said, the weight is noticeably lighter than a current Rolex — a real advantage that comes with antique watches.
The lacquer dial has developed its own patina — a quality that later matte dials don't have. Legibility is better on the matte dials, but what the mirror dial has is something that only exists on pre-1966 Rolex examples.
The faded red and blue of the bezel, like a pair of well-worn 501s, is unique to this piece. That's part of what makes a vintage GMT Master worth seeking out.
Styling
Rolex sport models pair naturally with 501s — that's the combination I reach for most.
GMT Master 1675
As I mention in the article, the dial's patina and the faded bezel are the main draw.
It's hard to see in photos, but the 24-hour hand arrow is smaller than on later references — the dial reads better for it.
American Casual
Rolex sport models work well with American casual dressing generally — jeans, vintage American clothing. They add something to the wrist without competing with the clothes.
Paired here with a 1950s vintage corduroy shirt.
A natural match with a vintage 1950s Levi's 501XX.
Blue jeans and a white T-shirt is the obvious baseline; the GMT Master adds a point of interest at the wrist.
Details.
- GMT-Master 1675
- Year: 1964
- Case: stainless steel
- Bezel: two-tone red and blue, 24-hour rotating bezel (bidirectional)
- Bracelet: stainless steel, period-correct Swiss rivet bracelet
- Crystal: acrylic (Plexiglas)
- Dial: lacquer mirror dial
- 24-hour hand: small type
- Movement: automatic, calibre 1570
What I like.
- The faded bezel has the same atmosphere as a vintage guitar from the same era
- The faded red and blue suit vintage denim
- The Pepsi colors — red and blue — match the denim of a 501 and the red of a Levi's tab
- The bezel's blue has faded the way old jeans do
- I hadn't thought much about it, but the 24-hour hand has turned out to be genuinely useful
- The smaller GMT arrow on this reference looks better than on later ones
- The aging of the lacquer dial has a quality I find compelling
- I've always had a soft spot for pilot watches
- There are many small reasons, but it comes down to how the watch feels on the wrist
What gives me pause.
- The stretched bracelet sits looser than a current watch — the fit isn't precise
- Waterproofing can't be expected to match a current piece
- The crown is small and harder to wind than other Rolex models
- None of it matters much — the atmosphere is something no current piece can replicate
There's more to say about the details and movement, but that information is well covered elsewhere. What I'd note is that the colored bezel makes this an unusually versatile watch for casual wear — jeans, military, vintage American clothing, all of it works. A suit technically calls for something else, but the GMT Master holds up even there, better than you'd expect.
Conclude.
What I've tried to describe here is not just the watch as an object, but its place within a broader way of dressing. If you're thinking about a GMT Master, I hope this gives you something useful.
Purchasing Store.
About the Shop
My GMT Master came from Antique Corleone in Harajuku.
They've been dealing in antique Rolex and Tudor since the 1990s — a long-established shop with a sharp eye for condition. The selection runs from pieces with serious collector value to examples priced more accessibly as wearable watches.
What I value about the shop is how they price. In a market where many dealers simply charge by reference number and year regardless of condition, Antique Corleone looks at the actual state of each piece. A high-demand reference in poor condition gets priced accordingly; a genuinely good example is priced fairly.
A side note: the clientele tends toward people with broad interests — cars, motorcycles, vintage guitars, vintage cameras, antique furniture, vintage clothing, surfing. The staff are the same way, and conversations range well beyond watches. I go in to look at a watch and end up talking about everything else. That kind of shop is worth keeping.