A Collector’s Guide to the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 16710

The Rolex 16710 has been called their most versatile sports model, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. It was Rolex’s second GMT-Master II model, offered with three bezel insert options–red and blue (“Pepsi”), red and black (“Coke”), and all-black. With both the Jubilee and Oyster bracelet as choices, that makes six distinct ways to “wear” your Rolex 16710. In this article we’ll give you all of the 16710’s specs and a timeline of variations, as well as everything you need to know about the bracelets available.

Rolex 16710 Specs

While the Rolex Pepsi is the most popular colorway for the 16710, it only commands a small premium on the pre-owned watch market over the Rolex Coke or the all-black version. The 16710 was actually the last Coke GMT Rolex ever made, unless you count the off-catalog Icy Coke versions. Some 16710 bezel inserts have faded significantly at this point, while others look brand new. Similarly, some early 16710’s have significant patina on the hands and hour markers, giving a decidedly “vintage” look, while more recent ones still look quite modern. So, there are a wide variety of aesthetic options for any potential Rolex 16710 shopper. Here’s a rundown of the basic specs:

Model	GMT-Master II
Reference	16710 (Lugholes, 1989-2002) 16710T (No lugholes, 2003-2007)
Case Material	Stainless steel
Case Size	Diameter: 40mm Thickness: 12mm Lug-to-lug: 47mm
Water Resistance	100m
Movement	Rolex 3185 or 3186 (Automatic, 8 beats per second)
Functions	Hours, minutes, second, date, GMT
Power Reserve	50 hours
Bracelet/Strap	Stainless steel Oyster or Jubilee bracelet
Market Value (Apr. 2024)	~$10,000-$14,000

Rolex 16710 Timeline

It’s worth noting that Rolex doesn’t do “model years,” and the years we’re about to show you aren’t cut-and-dried timeframes; something listed as “2001” could’ve conceivably been seen in 2000 etc. But this slideshow should give you a good idea of the progression of the 16710:

1989	The GMT-Master II ref. 16710 replaces the “Fat Lady” 16760. The 3185 movement replaces the outgoing 3085, and the case height and lugs both get slightly slimmer.
1999	Tritium lume is gone in favor of non-radioactive SuperLuminova. “Swiss T < 25” is replaced by only “Swiss.”
2000	All Rolex sports models get solid endlinks (“SEL”).
2001	The Swiss-only dials are gone; they now say “Swiss Made.”
2003	No more lugholes! The new lughole-free reference is known as 16710T.
2007	16710 is discontinued, replaced by the 116710.

Rolex 16710 Bracelets

As mentioned, the Rolex 16710 was offered on both Jubilee and Oyster bracelets. For Oyster bracelets, the 78360 (with no Oysterlock clasp) is the most common model. But some can be seen with the 78390, which added the Submariner-like flip-down clasp. The 78390A, which has solid endlinks unlike the 78390 it replaced in 2000, was often used as a service replacement bracelet. Before the 79390A came out, the 93150 Oyster bracelet from the Submariner was actually a legitimate factory option for the 16710–diver’s extension and all–but it wasn’t a popular choice.

For the Jubilee, a 20mm 62510H is always the correct bracelet. But Jubilee bracelets that originally came on a Rolex 16710 will have a “50” stamped on the back of the top link, and the spring bar retainers are slightly larger than those for a Datejust:

The only difference between a 62510H “50” and a standard 62510H is the center spring bar retainers, which on the 50 are 2 tenths of a millimeter larger. Yes, 0.2 of a millimeter. There are no other differences at all.

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If you’re putting a Jubilee bracelet on a 16710T (no lugholes), make sure you use 502T endlinks, because 502B’s have no cutouts on the back (which you need when you can’t poke the springbars in through the hole). And it’s worth noting that the Super Jubilee (which has a hidden clasp and came on 36mm Datejusts from about 2004-2018) never came on a Rolex 16710, but as long as you use 1.8mm springbars, 63600 and 63200 bracelets will fit just fine.

How to Tell SEL vs. HEL?

If it looks like the Oyster bracelet goes into the endlink, those are hollow endlinks (HEL). With solid endlinks, the center link goes right up to the lip of the bezel. And assuming the watch has the correct endlinks, if you see gaps on the back of the endlink to accommodate a springbar tool, it definitely has SEL (even though from 2000-2001 it didn’t really need that gap as it still had lugholes).

HEL bracelets are perfectly fine, and some people like their lightweight vintage charm, but most collectors tend to gravitate towards the streamlined look and more modern feel of SEL. Although Oyster bracelets for the Rolex 16710 got solid endlinks around 2000, the Jubilee 62510H remained unchanged.

Dials

Rolex 16710 dials didn’t have too much variation over the years, aside from the switch from tritium to Super-Luminova in the late 1990’s as mentioned in the timeline above.

16710 Swiss-Only Dial

Rolex 16710 models from about 1999-2000 just say “Swiss” at the bottom of the dial. These were replaced by “Swiss Made” dials after about two years. One popular narrative is that Swiss-only dials have LumiNova, while Swiss Made ones have SuperLuminova. Personally I believe it’s likely that they are all SuperLumiNova–which is, mind you, just a Swiss brand of LumiNova paint (there’s nothing objectively “super” about it anyway).

16710 “Error Dial”?

Some Rolex 16710 dials have no serifs on the “II” in “GMT-Master II,” so it looks like two straight lines. Some sellers claim this is an “error dial” but it’s really just a minor typeface variation. Multiple batches of dials with the straight-II have been released, and they have even been given as service replacement dials. They are fairly uncommon, sure, but I wouldn’t recommend paying a premium for it.

Rolex 16710 vs. Other Rolex GMT’s

Now let’s go through the key differences between the Rolex 16710 and some other GMT-Master II (and GMT-Master) models.

16710 vs. 16760

The Rolex 16710 is very similar to the first GMT-Master II model, the 16760 “Fat Lady” that it replaced in 1989. The 16710 simply got an incrementally upgraded movement (3185 instead of 3085), as well as slightly slimmer lugs, crown guard, and minute hand. The 16760 was only available with a Coke insert, though.

16710 vs. 16700

The 16700 was made alongside the 16710 until the late 1990’s. It’s almost the same watch, except it’s a regular GMT-Master instead of a GMT-Master II. So, the 16700 doesn’t have an independent 24-hour hand; you use the bezel to track a second time zone and that’s that. But, unlike GMT-Master II models, the 16700 has a quickset date which is nice. Note that Coke inserts are only available on GMT-Master II models, so the 16700 was only offered with all-black or Pepsi inserts.

Rolex 16710 vs. 116710

Back in 2007, much hubbub was made about the 16710’s replacement, ref. 116710, having a ceramic bezel insert. But the feel of the bezel assembly itself changed significantly, too. Modern GMT bezels glide satisfyingly upon ball bearings, while older ones are a simpler push-down-and-turn situation. The 116710 also has relatively prominent lugs, so its case is sometimes called a “maxi case.”

The 116710 was only available with an all-black bezel at first, presumably while Rolex figured out how to engineer multicolor ceramic inserts to a satisfactory standard. Later the black-and-blue BLNR colorway was added. Note that Rolex Service Centers won’t sell you a different ceramic bezel color. If you want to switch colors around, stick to a 16710. Aside from that, the main difference most people notice between six-digit models and “neo-vintage” Rolex sports watches is the clasp. Newer Rolex bracelets do “feel” heavier, and the Easylink clasp is definitely awesome.

Rolex 16710 vs. 126710

The current generation of GMT-Master II, ref. 126710, debuted in 2018 with much fanfare. A steel Pepsi GMT was on the menu once again. Although the 126710 has a newer generation of movement (3285), the 3185 movement (and later 3186) powering the 16710 is absolutely rock solid.

3185 vs. 3186 Movement

The Rolex 16710 got a 3186 movement towards the very end of its run, replacing the outgoing 3185. The 3186 has a Parachrom hairspring, and thus greater magnetic resistance, but there’s really nothing wrong with the old Nivarox hairsprings. If you have a Rolex 16710 from 2006-2007 and you’re not sure which movement it has, try setting the time and paying attention to the 24-hour hand–on the 3185, it “wiggles” a bit, while that wiggle is pretty much gone on the 3186.

It’s not something worth hugely stressing about, though–collectors initially predicted that 3186-powered Rolex 16710 and 16570 models might eventually skyrocket in price due to their rarity, but that hasn’t really happened. 3186’s do seem to command a small premium, but condition is king when it comes to vintage (and neo-vintage) Rolex. If you’re looking for a 16710, on Oyster or Jubilee, with lugholes or not, regardless of bezel–it’s an excellent choice for a one-watch collection or as part of a large one.

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