• cal. 1560 automatic nickel lever movement, 26 jewels, mono-metallic compensation balance, adjusted to five positions and temperature • black glossy dial, gilt printing and tracking, luminescent dagger, dot and baton indexes, luminescent Mercedes-style hands, sweep center seconds, magnified date aperture • tonneau water-resistant-type case, red and blue rotating bezel calibrated for 24 hours with corresponding triangular hand, screw-down crown, pointy crown guard, screw-down back • case, dial and movement signed • with a stainless steel Rolex riveted Oyster bracelet and deployant clasp

The movement is running, however we receommend service soon. It is numbered D43936. The dial is nicely aged and the gloss finish has faded and taken on a nice patina. The luminescent indexes have discolored slightly as well. The case shows signs of wear with scuffs and marks throughout. It has been polished over the years, but this is typical of a watch from this period. Overall the case is in nice condtion and looks good in general. The numbers between the lugs have been polished out and are not visible. The numbers inside the back are 1675 and II.61. The bracelet is rather short (155 MM) as some of the links are missing. It is worn and has some visible dents, but overall it looks nice and matched the head very well. The end pieces are numbered 80 and the buckle is numbered 62510 H.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. All dimensions in catalogue descriptions are approximate. Condition reports may not specify mechanical replacements or imperfections to the movement, case, dial, pendulum, separate base(s) or dome. Watches in water-resistant cases have been opened to examine movements but no warranties are made that the watches are currently water-resistant. Please note that we do not guarantee the authenticity of any individual component parts, such as wheels, hands, crowns, crystals, screws, bracelets and leather bands, since subsequent repairs and restoration work may have resulted in the replacement of original parts. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. In particular, please note it is the purchaser's responsibility to comply with any applicable import and export matters, particularly in relation to lots incorporating materials from endangered species.NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

**Please be advised that bands made of materials derived from endangered or otherwise protected species (i.e. alligator and crocodile) are not sold with the watches and are for display purposes only. We reserve the right to remove these bands prior to shipping.

Important Notice regarding importation into the United States of Rolex watches
Sotheby's cannot arrange for the delivery of Rolex watches to the United States because U.S. laws restricts the import of Rolex watches. The buyer or a designated agent may collect the property in the country of sale."

The present&nb🌞sp;model, Ref. 1675, first launched in 1960, was the second GMT-Master made and replaced the fragile ♏acrylic bezel found on the Ref. 6542 with a metal insert bezel. For examples of Ref. 6542, see lots 134 and 135.

The first generation of this model featured a crown guard with pointed ends. By the en𓄧d of the decade, Rolex changed the design of the model so the crown guard had rounded en💫ds. Today, these earlier models are seen as more collectible in the market.

Despite NASA's selection of Omega as the watch for the Apollo program, many astronauts found the simplicity and design of the GMT-Master desirable. In their book, Vintage Rolex Sport Models, Martin Skeet&n💟bsp;and Nick Urul mention that 'Rolex's 🥃own watch collection at its Geneva headquarters displays many GMT-Masters worn by Mercury and Apollo astronauts.' (p. 59)

For a similar example of this model, see Skeet, M. & Urul, N. Vintage Rolex Sports Models, p. 63.

For more information on the history of 𒊎the model, see lot 135.