Rolex Root Beer

The GMT-Master has been an integral part of the Rolex catalog since the mid-1950s. The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer has since produced numerous variations of this timepiece. To help keep the various models straight, Rolex fans have given the different editions unique nicknames. For example, the watch with a blue and red rotatable bezel is known as the Pepsi, while the watch with a black and red GMT bezel is known as the Rolex Coke.

The name Root Beer refers to GMT-Masters with a color scheme resembling the popular soft drink, namely a brown dial and a brown and gold bezel. Other nicknames for this timepiece include "Eye of the Tiger" and "Tiger Eye," although these only apply to models with a sunburst dial reminiscent of the golden-brown tiger's eye gemstone.

The Rolex GMT-Master Root Beer has a few more nicknames. The small, slightly raised minute markers of early models inspired the less-than-subtle "Nipple Dial" moniker. Others call this Root Beer the Clint Eastwood or Dirty Harry, since Eastwood wore the watch for many years, including in several films.

All GMT-Master Root Beers measure 40 mm in diameter, and every reference is equipped with a COSC-certified in-house Rolex movement.

Vintage models have seen an impressive increase in value in recent years. The ref. 16753, for example, is 50% more expensive than it was just five years ago.

The value of the current variant (ref. 126711CHNR) dropped noticeably after experiencing a strong upward trend, especially between May 2022 and August 2023. While this model once cost almost twice its list price on the secondary market, this watch now demands closer to 22,000 USD – just 36% above the MSRP of 16,150 USD (as of August 2023).

The entry point for the GMT-Master Root Beer is one of two vintage references, the 16753 or 1675/3, which cost roughly 16,000 USD. For a thousand dollars less, you can purchase a neo-vintage model with the ref. 16713. The Rolex Root Beer introduced in 2018 (126711CHNR) typically sells for around 22,000 USD.

The first Rolex GMT-Master Root Beer debuted in the early 1970s and bore the reference number 1675/3. This model uses plexiglass and is equipped with the in-house caliber 1570. As of August 2023, this model cost around 16,000 USD in good condition and has proven to be very stable in value, especially between 2020 and 2023.

In the late 1970s, the 1675/3 was followed up by the ref. 16753. This model is almost identical to the previous one, and has the famous brown "nipple dial" and gold-brown bezel. Rolex changed the design of the indices on later variants, employing larger hour markers filled with luminous material. This is now a common feature of many of the company's sports watches. Inside the 16753, you'll find the caliber 3075.

The ref. 16743 declined somewhat in value between 2020 and 2023; you can now expect prices for models in good condition to come in around 13,000 USD.

The new GMT-Master II Root Beer appeared in 1989 with the reference number 16713. Rolex put the "nipple dial" definitively behind them this time, adorning the new model with a shimmering, subtle sunburst dial reminiscent of a tiger's eye. This version of the Root Beer also marked the first time the model was fitted with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. But perhaps the most substantial difference can be found within the watch: The caliber 3185, introduced in 1988, not only has a 50-hour power reserve, but also enables the isolated adjustment of the second time zone hand. In 2007, Rolex replaced this movement with caliber 3186, which, with its blue Parachrom hairspring, is significantly less sensitive to magnetic fields.

A GMT-Master II Root Beer ref. 16713 in good condition costs around 15,000 USD.

Baselworld 2018: A Re-Imagined Root Beer in Black and Brown

To the delight of many fans, Rolex presented a new two-tone GMT-Master II with a brown bezel at Baselworld 2018. This watch, the ref. 126711CHNR, offers a few noticeable improvements. For example, instead of using yellow gold, Rolex combined stainless steel with 18-karat rose gold – also known as Everose gold – on this timepiece. What's more, a deep black dial guarantees optimal readability. A matching brown and black Cerachrom (Rolex's own in-house ceramic) bezel inlay with engraved Everose gold numerals and markers completes the new look.

This watch also received technical updates. It features the caliber 3285, which has a blue Parachrom hairspring as well as the Paraflex shock protection system and a 70-hour power reserve.

In mid-2023, the Root Beer had a list price of 16,150 USD and a long wait time. If you don't want to wait to call this watch your own, you can buy it new on Chrono24 for around 22,000 USD. The value of this reference peaked in March 2022, when it demanded close to 32,000 USD on the secondary market.