The Vault › All references › GMT-Master
GMT-Master · 1959 to 1980
“Vintage Pepsi”
Grade A · 81/100Today's call: Buy
A: strong buy-and-hold. Ranked #30 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1965) | $265 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $15,000 – $26,000 |
| Vs original retail | +7636% |
| 1-year trend | +5% |
The pilot's GMT worn through the jet age; early gilt-dial examples are serious collector pieces.
Condition is everything: original bezel fade, unpolished lugs, and matching parts can double the price.
Twenty-one years in production and it still managed to stay interesting: pointed crown guards in the early 60s, gilt dials to 1967, then matte. Chuck Yeager wore one. So did Che Guevara, which makes for an odd pair of brand ambassadors.
Collectors chase 'ghost' bezels, inserts whose red and blue have sunbaked into soft pink and powder blue. Rolex considered that damage for decades; the market now prices good fading like dial art.
Our verdict: True vintage. Rewarding but unforgiving; buy the seller as much as the watch.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster or Jubilee |
| Factory bezels | Faded aluminum Pepsi (original 'ghost' fades add value) |
| Notable dials | Gilt (pre-1967); Matte |
| Caliber | 1565 / 1575 |
| Production | 1959 to 1980 (discontinued) |
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