In Focus: Rolex GMT-Master 16758 Yellow Gold Champagne Serti Dial
1984 may have been the year of Ghostbusters, Beverly Hills Cop, and Footloose, but the biggest blockbuster to come out in 1984 was this beautiful Rolex GMT-Master Serti dial in 18k yellow gold. Okay, it’s not the most important thing, but it is impressive and beautiful.
In my estimation, the GMT-Master is the epitome of what a watch should be: it tells you the time, date, and time in a second time zone. It is an indispensable watch in any collection and a useful tool for today’s traveler. More than anything, because of the ubiquitous nature of the GMT-Master, the good ones feel even more special. And this is a good one.
The 18k yellow gold case has a beautiful patina and the black bezel jumps off the soft yellow gold. The main attraction on this particular GMT-Master is the champagne dial with its beautiful honey color and flecks of brown. It looks like a glass of bubbly fizzing away, bringing the dial to life and providing depth, movement, and character. The second standout feature of this dial is that it is a “Serti” dial, which is short for the French “sertissage,” or gem-setting. Rolex Serti dials usually feature rubies at the 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions with diamond hour markers elsewhere, and this watch is no exception. This gem-setting jumps off the honey-colored dial and set against the soft yellow gold of the case and bracelet, does not look out of place.
Vintage Jubilee bracelets are some of the most comfortable to be found on any watch. This one has stretched with time and moves perfectly in multiple directions, resulting in a bracelet that moves with you and has all the joys and patina of a vintage watch.
As a watch, there really isn’t much better out there than a Rolex GMT-Master. Paired with the champagne serti dial, this watch is the perfect symbol of 80’s decadence. If you gotta cut footloose, this is the watch to do it in.
The Specs
Model: Rolex GMT-Master
Reference Number: 16758
Case Size + Material: 40mm case in 18k yellow gold
Caseback: Solid caseback
Movement: Caliber 3075; automatic mechanical movement
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT
Strap/Bracelet: 18k yellow gold Jubilee bracelet