Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex Gmt-Master II, ref. 116710LN, Sold in July 2nd, 2007
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (brand / maker)
- Date
- Sold in July 2nd, 2007
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- stainless steel
- Dimensions
- 41mm
- Auction house
- Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva
- Lot
- Lot 374-135
- Credit line
- Auction lot record: LOT 135
- Catalogue title (original)
- ROLEX, REF. 116710LN, GMT-MASTER II, STAINLESS STEEL
Record summary
Catalogued by Antiquorum auction archive, Geneva (lot Lot 374-135), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated Sold in July 2nd, 2007. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: stainless steel. Recorded dimensions: 41mm. The record is illustrated with 2 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Antiquorum catalogue description
EUR 6,100 - 9,800 / CHF 5,700 - 9,100 / USD 6,500 - 10,300 A fine and rare, stainless steel, self winding wristwatch with black colour dial with an additional hour hand for the GMT function, centre-seconds and date of the month; black ceramic bezel.
Lot specifications (Antiquorum)
Caliber: 3186; Case No.: Z548620; Movement No.: 31272054; Bracelet: stainless steel Rolex oyster bracelet 78200, approx total length 200mm; Signature: Dial, case and movement; Accessories: Rolex garantee card and original sales invoice both dated July 2nd 2007 and 2 Rolex tags
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Military, pilot and travel watches
The wristwatch owes much of its adoption by men to warfare and aviation. Wristlets — small pocket watches soldered with lugs and worn on a strap — were used in colonial campaigns and became standard equipment in the First World War, with protective grilles over the crystal ('shrapnel guards'). Louis Cartier's Santos (1904), designed for the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, is often cited as an early purpose-made pilot's watch.
In the Second World War governments specified watches in detail: the German B-Uhr observation watches, the American A-11, and the British 'W.W.W.' (the 'Dirty Dozen' set of 1945). After the war, jet travel brought GMT and world-time watches, which show two or more time zones at once — Louis Cottier's world-time mechanism and the Rolex GMT-Master (1955) are examples.
What to look for
- Military markings on the case back: broad arrow, issue numbers, 'W.W.W.', 'A.T.P.'
- High-legibility black dials with luminous Arabic numerals; oversized crowns for gloved hands.
- 24-hour hands and rotating 24-hour bezels or city rings on GMT/world-time watches.
- Wire lugs on early wristlets converted from pocket watches.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug wristlets: c. 1900–1925.
- Military specifications of the Second World War: 1939–1945.
- GMT and world-time wristwatches: mainly after 1950.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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