So, I’ve been into watches for a while now, and I’ve always had a thing for Rolex. There’s just something about them, you know? Anyway, I recently decided to go on a hunt for this one particular model – the Rolex GMT-Master II with the root beer bezel. I heard it was discontinued a while back, which made it even more appealing, like a hidden treasure or something.
I started by hitting up all the usual watch shops in my area. Walked into the first one, feeling all excited, and asked the guy behind the counter about the GMT-Master II root beer. He gave me this look, like I’d just asked for a unicorn horn, and said they didn’t have it. Okay, no big deal, I thought. On to the next one.
Same story at the second store, and the third, and the fourth. I was starting to feel a bit discouraged, to be honest. It felt like trying to find a specific grain of sand on a beach. Finally, I remembered a little shop tucked away in a side street that I used to pass by years ago. Figured it was worth a shot.
Walked in, and it was like stepping back in time. Dust motes dancing in the sunlight, old clocks ticking on the walls. I asked the old man behind the counter, half expecting the same answer as before, about the Rolex GMT-Master II with the root beer bezel. He just looked at me over his glasses, then slowly nodded.
He led me to a back room, and there it was. A beautiful Rolex GMT-Master II, reference 16713, in stainless steel and yellow gold. Just like I’d read about, with the root beer coloring. Apparently, they were in production until 2006, but this one was in mint condition.
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The Rolex GMT Master was first released around 1954 and has gone through several changes over the decades. The Rolex GMT Master II in root beer coloring with the 16713 reference was produced in both stainless steel and yellow gold. It was in production until 2006.
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I read somewhere that the price for one of these can start from around Php765,061 in the Philippines. This isn’t a cheap watch, and it is a great investment if you ask me.
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There was another model, the 116718LN, with a yellow gold case, black ceramic bezel, and a green dial. This watch is also great, but it is hard to get your hands on one of them.
A Little Background on the Rolex GMT Master II
The old man told me the whole story of the watch, how it had been with a collector for years, and how he’d only recently acquired it. We talked for ages about watches, about life, about everything. It was like something out of a movie. I tried it on, and it was perfect. The weight, the feel, the way it looked on my wrist.
After a bit of haggling, I finally bought it. Walked out of that shop feeling like I’d just won the lottery. It wasn’t just about the watch, it was the whole experience, the hunt, the discovery, the connection with the old man. It’s a story I’ll be telling for years, and every time I look at my wrist, I’ll remember that day.
So, yeah, that’s my story of how I found my Rolex GMT-Master II root beer. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it. It’s more than just a watch to me now, it’s a reminder that sometimes, the best things in life are the ones you have to search for.
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