Blueberry GMT

[5512vs5513]

Hi everyone, happy holidays!!

I am looking to get more info in regards to the elusive blueberry gmt. I've seen a few priced in the 25-30k neighborhood in the last year or so, so I've been meaning to find out if there is something rare about this watch aside the bezel? Does it have a different dial or case? Maybe a different movement?

From what I've found online thus far (which is very limited) is that they were made for special retailers only (Tiffany, Cartier, etc) or with Military/Government provenance such as the UAE. But I am more keen on finding out if there is anything else to look at while inspecting a 1675 Blueberry aside an original bezel?

As always thanks in advance, and looking forward to hear your thoughts!

[greekbum]

There is nothing elusive about it.....IMHO as far as original left the Rolex factory configuration there is no such thing as a Rolex blueberry. What you are finding and seeing is a creation of a mixture of parts. Basically a regular GMT production watch with a Rolex service center all blue insert. Some even add a red all 24 hour hand that most likely is a painted and relumed hand.

[Nikita70]

Do you have anything to back this up? The articles I have read say the opposite. I'm no expert, just going by what I have read.

[T. Ferguson]

This is interesting. The question that occurs to me is given how anal the RSC is about watches going out like original, why would they be putting blue bezels on watches that never came that way originally from the factory?

[Old Expat Beast]

I'm no expert on these but this one looks good to me, and the seller is respected.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...ight=blueberry

[Alexwwjd]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

I'm no expert on these but this one looks good to me, and the seller is respected.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...ight=blueberry

Beautiful watch... but it is a lot of money.

[lee fowler]

These are amazing and make sure you find a nice one. Mine says hi.

[rootbeer7]

Amazing they are, but as the OP asks, is it only the all blue insert that separates them from a standard model? And, were they a stand-alone special order model?

[5512vs5513]

No question they are a beauty. But yes, my question is more in regards to how to inspect a 1675 blueberry before buying? Assuming the insert is 100% original, is the dial any different for example? Or is it just a regular 1675 with a blue insert? Aside the all red GMT Hand, that is!

[swish77]

I would want original paperwork that shows that the watch left the factory with the all-blue bezel, which I'm not sure is possible, even with a complete-set GMT 1675. Otherwise the bezel insert could have just been added later. Now, as long as the insert is genuine, there's nothing wrong with an insert that was swapped. It happens all of the time, of course ... but not for this kind of money. If I'm going to pay $25K-$30K for a high-end collector's piece, I need to know it's all original.

It's similar to Tiffany dials. If there's no paperwork showing that the watch was originally sold by Tiffany's, I wouldn't buy it.

[lee fowler]

There is a way to tell if the insert is genuine but it has to be removed.

[TimeToGo]

I don't need an RSC paper to tell me what I have..
,

[rootbeer7]

Still no answer on whether there is a significant model difference or simply a bezel change.

[imperio]

These are beautiful watches no doubt

[Kingface66]

Originally Posted by rootbeer7

Still no answer on whether there is a significant model difference or simply a bezel change.

Good question

[springer]

Originally Posted by rootbeer7

Still no answer on whether there is a significant model difference or simply a bezel change.

The bezel inserts are added as well as the all red 24-hour hand. Be careful with these inserts. Fake ones were.being sold a while back and originated iN Asia. Many of the red hands have been repainted.

[rootbeer7]

Originally Posted by springer

The bezel inserts are added as well as the all red 24-hour hand. Be careful with these inserts. Fake ones were.being sold a while back and originated iN Asia. Many of the red hands have been repainted.

Thanks so much. Basically unless they have some form of providence (which they can't) people are paying around $20k for a bezel. Oh

[T. Ferguson]

Originally Posted by lee fowler

There is a way to tell if the insert is genuine but it has to be removed.

Genuine is one thing, original to the watch is another.

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Genuine is one thing, original to the watch is another.

I agree with you. 90+ % of all inserts are not original to the watches... (if not more)... In this case, I should never buy a watch..

[5512vs5513]

So is it safe to conclude that the only difference is the bezel?

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by T. Ferguson

Genuine is one thing, original to the watch is another.

It's true. I can't recall the last time I saw a blueberry insert on a crappy looking watch. They are always, mysteriously, fitted to be most lovely examples possible.

Pretty clear there's some mix/match going on to optimize prices.

[waspy1]

Originally Posted by 5512vs5513

So is it safe to conclude that the only difference is the bezel?

There is no difference from regular non blueberry GMT. The difference is the bezel insert. Often you will find them on watches with radial dial or with all red 24hr hand. These parts also turn up on non blueberry gmts with little price change from other pieces of same age.


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[Ghould]

The bezel insert itself is worth 15-20k, so yes the only difference is the insert.

[mattedialdoc]

Originally Posted by Ghould

The bezel insert itself is worth 15-20k, so yes the only difference is the insert.

Seriously? There are folks that would pay $15-20k for a blueberry insert? Blimey !



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[Kingface66]

That's what I just can't wrap my head around. Is there proof (perhaps something someone can post) that a brand new GMT with a Blueberry insert left the Rolex factory, and was sold that way? I'm not doubting that real blue inserts from Rolex exist, but, it seems that the $20K+ price tag on a Blueberry GMT these days is only about the insert, rather than the entire watch being something rare.

[Wesley Crusher]

My understanding of the blueberry insert is that it was made specially for the military (I want to say UAE or Panama?)? At some point, some collector managed to get his hands on a boat load of these inserts from an RSC and slowly introduced them to the open market.

Is that correct? If so, does anybody know how the collector managed to get all of the inserts from RSC?

[datejust24]

Originally Posted by Ghould

The bezel insert itself is worth 15-20k, so yes the only difference is the insert.

What proof do you have of this Bill?

[Micha]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

My understanding of the blueberry insert is that it was made specially for the military (I want to say UAE or Panama?)? At some point, some collector managed to get his hands on a boat load of these inserts from an RSC and slowly introduced them to the open market.

Is that correct? If so, does anybody know how the collector managed to get all of the inserts from RSC?

wow... the mystery grows

[springer]

Originally Posted by Kingface66

That's what I just can't wrap my head around. Is there proof (perhaps something someone can post) that a brand new GMT with a Blueberry insert left the Rolex factory, and was sold that way? I'm not doubting that real blue inserts from Rolex exist, but, it seems that the $20K+ price tag on a Blueberry GMT these days is only about the insert, rather than the entire watch being something rare.

The highest asking price I have seen on the secondary market for a blue insert is $15,000. The inserts were available through some of the Rolex Service Centers up to a few years ago.

I was offered one in 2015 and passed at $10,000, which was obviously less than market. I opted to buy a complete, mint, vintage GMT instead.

[springer]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

My understanding of the blueberry insert is that it was made specially for the military (I want to say UAE or Panama?)? At some point, some collector managed to get his hands on a boat load of these inserts from an RSC and slowly introduced them to the open market.

Is that correct? If so, does anybody know how the collector managed to get all of the inserts from RSC?

The rumor was they were made, or made available for the Peruvian Air Force, not Panama. Also, possibly somewhere in the mideast which I believe was the UAE.