Baselworld 2018: The Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi in stainless steel

Year after year, the watch scene eagerly awaits the release of new ideas and products from top manufacturers at Baselworld. Traditionally, and to no surprise the new Rolex watches are awaited with the greatest anticipation. It had emerged a few weeks bacak that a new GMT Master would likely be released. And as of yesterday, those rumors have been confirmed. Rolex has released another new Pepsi version in stainless steel. Reference number 126710BLRO.

To distinguish the stainless steel from the white gold watch, which costs about four times as much, the new steel Pepsi will only be available with the jubilee bracelet. The white gold GMT-Master II still has an Oyster strap and will now be delivered with a blue dial. Rolex also came up with two versions of the caramel-colored GMT Master, formerly known as “Root Beer”. These variants will be available in pure Everose gold or in a bi-color combination of Everose gold and stainless steel.

Furthermore, it will not be possible to attach an Oyster band to the new stainless steel Pepsi, as the band lugs do not fit. With this background, the separation of the stainless steel and white gold variants are likely to go as it was intended in Geneva.

First things first: the new stainless steel GMT is completely impressive on its own. Of course, both the blue-red bezel and the jubilee bracelet are not new to Rolex. However, we cannot forget that there has never been a six-digit Rolex-Sporty with a jubilee bracelet - throughout the years, these bracelets have been exclusively reserved for the more elegant Datejust. If you take into consideration that the new GMT-Master is the only Rolex model next to Datejust that is now available with an anniversary volume, then it becomes clear just how exclusive and desirable this new introduction actually is.

The combination has been extremely successful for Rolex. The wide selection of the GMT-Master, which, contrary to expectations, has not slimmed down, together with the jubilee bracelet, results in a harmonious timepiece. My fear that the Oysterlock box buckle, which is rather prominent in the photos, would be too bulky for the delicate jubilee bracelet have not come true. The colouring of the bezel, often criticised in the past, also create a harmonious effect on the model.

The 126710BLRO comes equipped with the new Rolex calibre 3285. It replaces the 3186 calibre that Rolex has been using since 2005. Rather than a power reserve of 50 hours, the movement now offers 70 hours of power reserve. The calibre 3285 also features the new Chonergy escapement, which is designed to improve energy efficiency.

This week, Rolex has managed to enrich its product range without fully reinventing the wheel. Basically, it did not take more than taking two well-known elements and combining them into something never been done before. Since both of the four-digit and five-digit GMT Master references were available with a jubilee bracelet, Rolex has taken elements of the past without following the vintage fashion trend through an artificial revival of old traditions.

The new Rolex GMT-Master II Pepsi in stainless steel is a step in a direction that only a few brands are successful at. It seems that innovations like the red lettering on the Sea-Dweller remain the exception. The pure heritage models should remain reserved for Tudor, especially if you take a look at this year’s new introductions of the subsidiary brand.

Despite all of the attention that the stainless steel version of the Rolex GMT-Master II is receiving, another beautiful innovation fades away in the background: the new blue dial, white gold GMT. Looking at the watch live, the blue tone appears restrained. The colour is more of a petrol than a deep blue. In addition, the dial is has more of a matte look versus its usual glossy appearance. Despite the blue splash of colour, the 116719BLRO remains discrete and surprisingly reserved.