Rolex GMT-Master I & II History: From 1955 Pilot Essential to Dual-Time Traveler Legacy | Ace Watch Houston

Dual Horizons: The Dual Legacy of Rolex GMT-Master I & II History

At Ace Watch in Houston, Texas, we bridge time zones with treasures that traverse the globe, our pre-owned collection a passport to perpetual precision. As cartographers of vintage Rolex GMT-Master watches and Rolex GMT-Master I & II models, we're crossing meridians with delight to map the Rolex GMT-Master I & II history—a bifurcated blueprint of aviation ancestry and traveler tenacity. If you're a pilot plotting a pristine Rolex GMT-Master I or a nomad navigating the nuances of the GMT-Master II, this meridian meanders through the dual-time dynasty that doubles delight.

Crosswinds like Rolex GMT-Master I history, Rolex GMT-Master II history, and vintage Rolex GMT-Master gust through galleries of globetrotting gear, whispering of waypoints and world watches. This Rolex duo, with its bicolored bezels and independent hands, is a layover for Houston wayfarers yearning for authenticated pre-owned Rolex GMT-Master pieces that plot paths with panache.

Meridian Mark: The 1955 Dawn of the Rolex GMT-Master I Origins

The Rolex GMT-Master I history charts its course in 1955, when Pan Am enlisted Rolex to equip pilots for polar routes, birthing Reference 6542—a 38mm Oyster with bakelite Pepsi bezel for 24-hour tracking, powered by the automatic Calibre 1036 at 18,000 vibrations per hour. Its fourth GMT hand and luminous markers pierced cockpit glooms, the bidirectional bezel a navigational node for noontime nods across datelines.

Called "The Pilot's Watch," the GMT-Master I sealed 50m water resistance with screw-down crown, its early acrylic bezels prone to fading but forging the Rolex GMT-Master chronometer as a cornerstone of dual-time design, from Concorde cockpits to casual crossings.

Vector Variations: Early GMT-Master I Iterations and the Pepsi Pinnacle

1959's Ref. 1675 refined the Rolex GMT-Master I with aluminum bezel durability and Calibre 1565's silky seconds, its 40mm case and crown guards a bulwark for bumpy flights. Through 1980, the "Long E" and matte dials marked milestones, the Pepsi's ruby-to-cobalt patina a pilot's palette prized in vintage Rolex GMT-Master I lore.

Variants like the 16750 (date complication) and tropical dials (honeyed lume) narrate narratives of nonstop nights, their Mercedes hands and chapter rings relics of route mastery in the original GMT-Master I models.

Latitude Leap: The 1983 Arrival of the Rolex GMT-Master II Independence

The Rolex GMT-Master II history ignites in 1983 with Reference 16760, decoupling the 24-hour hand for local time swaps sans date dance— a quantum for quick turnarounds, housed in Calibre 3085's 28,800 vph heartbeat. Dubbed "Sophia Loren" for its thick lugs (nicknamed "fat lady"), this 40mm innovator boasted 200m rating and black bezel stealth.

Bezel Branches: Coke and Root Beer in GMT-Master II Variety

1983's Ref. 16753 "Root Beer" (brown-gold) and 1989's Ref. 16700 (Coke red-black) diversified the dial, Calibre 3175's quick-set date a convenience for calendar-conscious captains. These evolutions in Rolex GMT-Master II models expanded the lexicon, their engine-turned bezels a textured tribute to terrestrial treks.

Supersonic Successors: Modern Mergers in the Rolex GMT-Master I & II Line

Legacy Link: The 16710 Bridge

1989's Ref. 16710 straddled eras—Pepsi or Coke bezels with sapphire crystal and Calibre 3185's 48-hour reserve—uniting GMT-Master I simplicity with II versatility, a hybrid hailed for hemisphere hops.

Ceramic Constellations: 21st-Century Constancy

2007's Ref. 116710LN (all-black) ushered Cerachrom bezels, evolving to 2013's Ref. 116710 (GMT-Master II staple) and 2018's Ref. 126710BLRO (Jubilee Pepsi). The 2022 Ref. 126710BLNR "Batgirl" (blue-black) and left-handed "Destrol" (2023) propel the Rolex GMT-Master II with Calibre 3285's 70-hour power and +2/-2 accuracy, honoring I's heritage in pre-owned Rolex GMT-Master watches.

Waypoints Worldwide: Cultural Crossings of the Rolex GMT-Master I & II Icon

The GMT-Master I & II grid global glamour—from Amelia Earhart's aerial affinities to Bond's *GoldenEye* (16700), their bezels beacons in blockbusters. Rolex's IWC collaborations and 2025's rumored meteorite dials keep them aloft, on wrists from Wall Street to White Sands.

Waitlists warp with demand, pre-owned palettes painting premiums that perpetuate their pilot pedigree in dual-time domains.

The Timeless Transit: A Perpetual Passage in Rolex GMT-Master I & II Legacy

The Rolex GMT-Master I & II endure entwined—a dual-time diptych whose hands harmonize hemispheres from 1955's inaugural itinerary to 2025's ceramic cartography. In the vaulted vector of luxury horology, they navigate nobly: watches that don't merely measure meridians but master them. For the transients of tomorrow, the Rolex GMT-Master beckons: borders blur at your bidding.

Ace Watch waypoints pre-owned Rolex GMT-Master I & II watches for your voyage—touch down at our Houston hub or coordinate today to calibrate your compass. What's your GMT-Master meridian? Mark it in the comments.

Ace Watch Estate Watch & Jewelry Buyers Inc.

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Keira Miller Duah

02:00 26 Sep 25

Recently purchased a watch online and brought it in to have a few links removed. Nick took the time to walk me through the features of my watch and even shared the amazing story behind his beautiful seafoam dial watch. Juan is a rockstar! He adjusted the links quickly and at NO CHARGE. Overall, the team is incredibly knowledgeable, and I highly recommend them for all your watch needs!

Rajesh Vora (TheRajVora)

22:36 25 Sep 25

Sold my Rolex deepsea. I got a fair offer from Juan. I could tell he was trying to make it a good deal for me. I ended up trading and getting a datejust here (vintage). Juan is knowledgeable and friendly to deal with unlike a lot of arrogant watch dealers.

I'll be coming back when it's time to buy more. Mostly because they treat you with dignity here unlike those videos you see on 47th st.

Preet Verma

21:02 17 Sep 25

I recently purchased two watches from Ace Watch, and I couldn't be happier. Both timepieces arrived exactly as described — their condition and beautifully packaged. Communication throughout the process was top-notch. I had the pleasure of working with Juan, who was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and made the entire transaction smooth and stress-free. He went above and beyond to ensure everything went perfectly. Highly recommend Ace Watch if you're in the market for quality watches and exceptional service!

Amir Al

21:42 05 Sep 25

I recently purchased a luxury timepiece from this shop in Texas while residing in Florida. Initially, I was hesitant about making an out-of-state purchase, but Juan provided exceptional professionalism and guidance throughout the entire process.
He ensured every detail was transparent and seamless, earning my complete trust.
I highly recommend this shop to anyone seeking quality timepieces and outstanding service.

Jorge Garrett

22:12 03 Sep 25

Purchased a watch from Ace Watch Company and could not be more pleased.

I worked with Juan directly and he was super helpful, patient and helped answer all of my questions.

Watch was in excellent condition as described (exceeded expectations) and they even offer a 1 year warranty on it.

I highly recommend them and would definitely buy from them again. Thank you Juan

Fred McCandless

03:57 12 Nov 22

This is by far the best dealer in Houston. Ask for Pete the man knows his stuff. I got a great deal on my Rolex, thanks again guys.

Art Fleener

17:52 12 Oct 22

First time buyer from this company. I knew the watch I was looking for and they had 3 of them on hand.

The price was great, and the service was perfect. 24 hours after I first talked to Juan I had my new watch, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Jill Underhill

21:48 18 May 22

These fellas rock. They took very good care of me. I had some jewelry and a watch lying around collecting dust, and took them elsewhere first to see what they would offer. Then, I came to Ace Watch Estate Watch and Jewelry Buyers Houston. They offered considerably more, and were very kind to boot. I decided- then and there- not to go to a third place for another offer, though that was my original plan. Feeling comfortable and respected is also worth a lot.

Melissa Thompson

03:47 13 Apr 22

This is the first time for us to visit a gold buyer/coin buyer, and estate sale buyer. We were helped by Nick who was absolutely attentive, professional, knowledgeable and personable. He spent quality time evaluating each and every item. They have been in business for 31 years! Their service was exceptional and I felt they were 100% trustworthy. They are a family owned business that makes a difference in our community. They display a QUALITY service with generations of knowledgeable and personal attention. Nick explained the entire process, equipment used, and basis for their high standard evaluation of our family's prized heirlooms. We felt comfortable and confident in their assessments and appreciated their prompt payment after completing a thorough evaluation. It also helped that Nick and Patrick both had a great sense of humor. They saw us as people, who relied upon their help and felt somewhat vulnerable after a long battle attempting to close an estate. We felt they were extremely fair and honest using fair market values. We have additional items needing assessment and plan on returning in the near future. I encourage you to come here. They do evaluations for free and place no pressure onclients to sell. This was simple, straightforward and painless. Thank you Nick, Patrick and family.

Krystal Collins

18:15 05 Apr 22

This is the perfect place to sell your old, broken and remaining earrings to. I was greeted as I entered. All of the associates were professional and kind to their customers. Nick assisted me and he was extremely helpful as he completed my transaction. I received the best value for my single earrings and broken gold necklaces. I highly recommend Houston Gold Buyers.

Cong Tran

18:50 25 Sep 19

First time going here and made some deals with them. Shoutout to Pete and Juan, they’ll take care of you like your family. Plenty of things available from Rolex to coins to estates. Fair pricing & hassle free.

David Dobb

14:10 25 Sep 19

I made a phone call to a coin dealer in Houston and the sales person was arrogant and didn't seem to care about what I was saying. The person was just trying to get me off the phone. My next phone call was to Ace Watch & Jewelry. The sales person was polite, friendly and knowledgeable. He took time and interest in the coins that I wanted to sell.
I went to their store the next day and sold my coins. The entire sales staff was friendly. They offered good prices for my coin collection.
I recommend Ace Watch & Jewelry to anyone who is interested in buying or selling coins & jewelry.

Mario Salazar

21:11 06 Sep 19

Just came by to this place for the first time.
These people are extremely professional and awesome from the moment you walk in the door. I spoke with Nick who was extremely attentive to what I needed and made sure that I got the most for my gold chain! This will not be the last time I come here you guys have earned a great customer thank you so much for your great service!!!!!

Allan Purdy

21:22 09 Aug 19

Excellent company. Always gives a fair price when selling gold and silver. Friendly and easy to do business with.

Carlos Perez

19:01 31 Jul 19

I was searching for a reputable location to sell my gold necklace and bracelet which I no longer wear. I searched for Gold locations and I went in. It was amazing service, friendly, professional and informative. It was like chatting with friends. My transaction was quick and fast. I liked the fact that they asked for identification and provided you with documentation of your purchase or selling. This is important so that you are assured that what you sell or purchase was verified. I’ll definitely use this location again and will highly recommend it to my friends. Great job guys.

Sarah Preddy

19:42 22 Jul 19

I have been here several times within the last year and every time I come in I am treated like an old friend and also with complete professionalism. I love that it's a family run business snug in the heart of Montrose with a long history in the neighborhood. I've come a few times in need of guidance on exchanging coins I have at home and each and every employee I've met has been knowledgeable, honest and downright warm so that I left feeling like I'd made a wonderful choice. They have always been accommodating, I strongly recommend and will continue to give them my business in the future!

tung nguyen

18:16 09 Jul 19

Had a great experience here! Excellent service, friendly as hell, and very very fair prices. Drove from the woodlands just to do business with Pete and the awesome staff. Recommend to everybody. Thanks for a great experience Pete.

Katherine Kuklewicz

01:18 19 Jun 19

Absolutely love this shop! My family and I are regular customers and have only had positive experiences. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable about coins, watches, jewelry, antiques etc. Their “buy” and “sell” prices are simply the best and the staff are wonderfully friendly. I highly recommend this shop.

Roberto Segura

03:34 26 May 19

Great place, great prices, nice people, ask for juan

Andrew Nicholson

17:13 20 May 19

Been here twice for repairs on two different watches. Great experiences both times, fast, and friendly customer service.

Dave Campbell

21:07 06 Apr 19

Juan is the best! I am very pleased with my Rolex. Great customer service, communication, and price! Very trustworthy. Do business with them!

LeSean. Lockridge

18:42 03 Dec 18

extremely helpful, knowledgeable, patient and very compatible for any customer looking to dabble in buying, trading-in, and/or selling worthy jewelry/gold/silver. I recently brought in umpteenth pieces of silver collected over the years and Pedro "Pete" Martinez was excellent and swift in handling & compensating for the silver pieces I exchanged in for straight cash. Highly recommend this shop for any similar endeavors aforementioned

Alan Boyd

19:42 07 Nov 18

I recently found this place while trying to find somewhere to get my watched resized. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes and they didn't charge me a cent. They also has a cute dog that i got to pet while i waited. Good service and good dog, 10/10

Raul Lorenzo Al-Dhahri

19:05 12 Oct 18

Juan and Tanya are the best. Great service with warm welcoming. Any needs for watches, this is the place to come. Thanks again for your help.

Andrew Hardy

19:46 02 Oct 18

This place is awesome. After getting low balled at other places for my Rolex watch. They offered me the best price and were very friendly and professional. I would highly recommend coming to ace watch and jewelry if your looking to sell your items!

Jim Porter

15:52 26 Sep 18

Sold em a chain and a coin. The process couldn't have been simpler, and I was given a great price. Highly recommended.

A Son of Liberty

18:07 15 Sep 18

Outstanding! I recently bought a like-new Breitling 44 GMT here. Great price and outstanding service. Couldn't be happier with the watch or with the experience. Juan, I thank you!

Erica Lott

17:52 07 Aug 18

Had a great experience at Ace watch Houston. They were fair and they had a very friendly staff which makes the experience that much easier. I would definitely go back in the future!

Avi C

16:33 06 Aug 18

Was looking for a place to sell my Rolex GMT Master II and didn’t want to deal with selling on the forums. I went to a couple other places before calling Pete at Ace Watch. He was true to his word and beat every other offer I’d received around town. Don’t waste your time going anywhere else...I know I won’t in the future.

Kyle Franklin

15:24 26 Jun 18

Great experience! Sold my SS Rolex Datejust. Super easy experience and got paid on the spot. Much easier than shipping it off to sell it online and got a better price. Would definitely come back!

Colton Price

20:04 21 May 18

Awesome place! They pay great for gold and jewelry, the store is clean and quirky, the service is impeccable, and the selection of watches is amazing! I will definitely be coming back.

Elsie Newlin

18:56 03 May 18

Very pleasant and knowledgeable staff. I appreciate your help very much with the silver items I sold. Highly recommended. Thank you.

Brian O'Donnell

16:34 23 Mar 18

Shop owners and staff were extremely friendly and made for a welcoming experience. Highly recommended!

Lindsay Potter

12:19 23 Mar 18

Great customer service! Gave me a great price for my jewelry I was ready to get rid of. Will definitely be back!!

Caitlyn Williams

18:55 18 Feb 18

I came here to sell some jewelry from an ex-boyfriend. The staff were very friendly and greeted me as soon as I walked in. I let the gentleman at the counter take a look at the pieces and he was very honest and told me I would have more luck selling one of the pieces on my own and even gave me a price recommendation. The second item was a silver bracelet and they gave me a very fair price for it. This was my first time selling jewelry to a gold buyer and I was nervous, but the process was easy and the staff were great!

Dominique Young

01:43 11 Feb 18

The owner is very knowledgeable and incredibly friendly!!!! He fixed my jewelry correctly!! As opposed to going to Nordstrom where I purchased my watch, I went to him not because of yelp reviews but because the shop was in the area. He knew all about my watch and more. We chatted and I somehow forgot why I came. He was soo nice and professional. I told him I would write this review last year. I kept the receipt on my stand. That's the impression he made on me; a lasting one. A year later and here I am writing a review that I was supposed to do a long time ago!

Stephanie Ann

22:21 24 Jan 18

Came by to sell a few gold pieces and met with Tanya and Juan. Both are very professional, courteous, and friendly. While they were estimating my pieces I shopped and found their prices on gold and other items to be fairly priced. All in all, a great place to come should you be in the market to buy or sell.

Chuck Silverman

15:16 03 Jan 18

Excellent service. Honest and friendly.

Katherine Kuklewicz

02:41 03 Jan 18

Pete, Tanya and his staff are extremely nice and very helpful. The service was fantastic and the prices were great.

Kathy reichenthal

13:58 14 Dec 17

I sold some silver yesterday. Found these guys on Goggle and their location was close. The nicest people and I think I got a better rate than the other place that I have used in the past. It was also quick and easy.

Ethel Kathleen R.

Edward Hernandez

21:22 13 Dec 17

Tanya was excellent when I went by To Ace Watch! Very Knowledgable and very fair prices. Sold a nice 1950s Rolex and was given an extremely fair price. Went to 5 different places and received the best price here! Thank you guys!

Michael Weekley

19:54 02 Aug 17

Came in to get some links removed from a few watches. These guys are honest and very helpful. The Little Watch Shop had tried to charge $40 to remove a link that Ace removed for free in a few seconds. Will always bring simple watch repairs back to these guys - very trustworthy.