Look what I found in my safe deposit box !

[Bk100]

When I graduated from the univ of georgia in 1984 , my father gave me a new 16750 as a graduation gift .

This watch went to USAF pilot training with me and flew all over the world including 24 combat missions over Iraq during Desert Storm ..... It continues to fly with me today at American Airlines .....

Needless to say , it has tremendous sentimental value - it is by far my favorite of my 6 rolex's .....

I took it in for service to rolex service center dallas in 2002. They overhauled the watch , and replaced the crystal , dial and hands with luminova service items....

I was telling the service folks there the history of the watch and it's value to me and requested they return ALL the original parts ..... To my surprise , they complied ....

Well , 12 years ago I put the parts , including the original crystal , in my safe deposit box and forgot about them untill today .....

I had been reading this forum and saw some posts regarding the rarity of the white gold surround MK 3 gmt dials that don't have " DATE " on the dial ...
Mine appears to be a MK 3.5

I went to the bank and found them .....

I'm thinking about retrofitting the dial and hands back on the watch - apparently I lost the minute hand .....

Maybe I should just source a complete matching set of hands if I can't find a suitable minute hand ...

It's hard to tell from the crappy iphone pics , but the dial is beautifully patina'd and match the hands .....


Here's some pics ....

[Bk100]

D

[Bk100]

T

[Bk100]

R

[Bk100]

C

[dysondiver]

check its not stuck in the envelope , or something daft ,, i like the look , may need to stabilize the lume on the hands though

[BNA/LION]

Great story and nice that you still have the watch! Best wishes should you restore her back to original.

[bluemartinifan]

Watches mean so much more with a meaningful story. I would do whatever makes you relive and think most about your significant history with the watch.
I also live in Dallas and office near DFW - lets meet for coffee

[R.W.T.]

If it were a matte dial....I would concur. Since the service dial and the original look almost identical save the tritium and your original hands are not so good...why not just leave it and use it as intended. Like I said if it were originally matte...that would be a different consideration for me. A set of nice tritium hands for 16750 is one of the most elusive and expensive bang for buck items in the hobby relative to the value of the watch. You'll pay 4-500 + for a good set. Color match can be a real issue as well.

Why not just keep your parts as you have and enjoy the watch. :-)

Great watch! Great story!

Here is mine that I bought from a USAF officer. It has his name and USAF and his tenure on the back. I have a letter from him explaining that he got it from a fellow officer and former t-37 student who had purchased an all gold gmt and was selling his stainless.

Great watches! Love 16750!

As he wore it:



Variables for me:

[Bk100]

Awesome watch !

-bk

Originally Posted by R.W.T.

If it were a matte dial....I would concur. Since the service dial and the original look almost identical save the tritium and your original hands are not so good...why not just leave it and use it as intended. Like I said if it were originally matte...that would be a different consideration for me. A set of nice tritium hands for 16750 is one of the most elusive and expensive bang for buck items in the hobby relative to the value of the watch. You'll pay 4-500 + for a good set. Color match can be a real issue as well.

Why not just keep your parts as you have and enjoy the watch. :-)

Great watch! Great story!

Here is mine that I bought from a USAF officer. It has his name and USAF and his tenure on the back. I have a letter from him explaining that he got it from a fellow officer and former t-37 student who had purchased an all gold gmt and was selling his stainless.

Great watches! Love 16750!

As he wore it:



Variables for me:

[R.W.T.]

Actually...let me back up a bit....I just noticed your original dial is the early one without
"DATE" that...leans me closer to 50/50 swap back :-)

Actually both of your dials are very cool and a bit unique. The non "DATE" version of the trit dial is uber cool...but the SWISS only version of the luminova dial is pretty uncommon as well.

It's a toss up. I like things that glow in the dark :-)

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by R.W.T.

If it were a matte dial....I would concur. Since the service dial and the original look almost identical save the tritium and your original hands are not so good...why not just leave it and use it as intended. Like I said if it were originally matte...that would be a different consideration for me. A set of nice tritium hands for 16750 is one of the most elusive and expensive bang for buck items in the hobby relative to the value of the watch. You'll pay 4-500 + for a good set. Color match can be a real issue as well.

Why not just keep your parts as you have and enjoy the watch. :-)

Great watch! Great story!

Here is mine that I bought from a USAF officer. It has his name and USAF and his tenure on the back. I have a letter from him explaining that he got it from a fellow officer and former t-37 student who had purchased an all gold gmt and was selling his stainless.

Great watches! Love 16750!

As he wore it:



Variables for me:

Can I have it . . . please . . .

Stunning one !

Congrats

HAGWe

[descartes]

I have a similar story. My 25 year old GMT is by far my most loved watch... Prized ahead of 5 other Rolexes, a Patek 5110P and an APRO, among others.

When my tritium markers turned yellow in the mid-90's i was all too happy to replace the dial and hands with a luminova. Unfortunately, I lacked the foresight to keep the dial and hands. And, as the Coke bezel insert faded, i changed it, more than once, for a perfect new one. :(

All this happened before my appreciation for the beauty of vintage. But, I still love my GMT, as it has evolved and been kept "as new" and I still wear it 90% of the time, and i am never without it when traveling.

[Bk100]

BINGO !

My story exactly ....
I agreed to a dial / hand swap because I wanted a " new " looking watch that
GLOWED like it used to ....

After many months in the desert ( repeated pressurization / depressurization from flying ) it truly looked like crap .... Actually stopped running sporadically ....

Rolex asked me what all the brown "talcum powder" was that was all over the seals , tube and under the bezel .... It was the Saudi "dust sand" .... Like a sticky booger - couldn't get rid of it ...
Funny , huh ?

Little did I know ....

Hindsight is 20/20 ....

-bk

Originally Posted by descartes

I have a similar story. My 25 year old GMT is by far my most loved watch... Prized ahead of 5 other Rolexes, a Patek 5110P and an APRO, among others.

When my tritium markers turned yellow in the mid-90's i was all too happy to replace the dial and hands with a luminova. Unfortunately, I lacked the foresight to keep the dial and hands. And, as the Coke bezel insert faded, i changed it, more than once, for a perfect new one. :(

All this happened before my appreciation for the beauty of vintage. But, I still love my GMT, as it has evolved and been kept "as new" and I still wear it 90% of the time, and i am never without it when traveling.

[Bk100]

Forgot to add ......

There is something fascinating to me about being able to have a 30-50 year old rolex that can be made to look " brand new " via rolex service center ( sacrilege , I know .....) .....


I 'kinda dig it ......

- bk

Originally Posted by descartes

I have a similar story. My 25 year old GMT is by far my most loved watch... Prized ahead of 5 other Rolexes, a Patek 5110P and an APRO, among others.

When my tritium markers turned yellow in the mid-90's i was all too happy to replace the dial and hands with a luminova. Unfortunately, I lacked the foresight to keep the dial and hands. And, as the Coke bezel insert faded, i changed it, more than once, for a perfect new one. :(

All this happened before my appreciation for the beauty of vintage. But, I still love my GMT, as it has evolved and been kept "as new" and I still wear it 90% of the time, and i am never without it when traveling.

[GGGMT]

Thank you for your service!

[sea-dweller]

Beautiful watch and great story!

[Bk100]

Thank you !

Ancient history for me , but an Honor and a PRIVLEDGE to serve my country !
Wish I could do more ....

- bk

Originally Posted by GGGMT

Thank you for your service!

[RC2]

Wish I found something like that in my safety deposit box!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[skprd13]

Awesome you still have the dial! Hard to believe they changed your dial in the condition it is in from your pictures!

[Jetkopite]

Great story and thanks for sharing with us... Love my GMT Master 16750 and always flies with me all over the World on Trans Atlantic, Polar routes, North and South Hemisphere on the B777.

[watchcrank]

:-) Nice M

[Bk100]

Who do you fly for ?

-bk

Originally Posted by Jetkopite

Great story and thanks for sharing with us... Love my GMT Master 16750 and always flies with me all over the World on Trans Atlantic, Polar routes, North and South Hemisphere on the B777.

[akira23]

Nice watch & nice story!!!!!

[Jetkopite]

Originally Posted by Bk100

Who do you fly for ?

-bk

Emirates.

[MitchSteel]

Sweet GMT

[Prince Kumar]

Thats a rare collection. please do update more informations about this piece.

[bayerische]

Very cool!

If I was in your shoes I'd put the old dial back in. Do you have the hands too?