Rolex GMT-Master “Root Beer”, ca. 1971–1972

Rolex GMT-Master “Root Beer,” also known as “Clint Eastwood,” ref. 1675/3, serial no. 3262707, ca. 1971–1972.
In steel and yellow gold. 40 mm Oyster case with screw-down caseback, yellow gold Rolex crown, and crown guards. Two-tone brown/gold bidirectional rotating bezel, 24-hour scale. Brown dial with applied luminescent “nipple dial” hour markers, date window at 3 o’clock with Cyclops lens. Mercedes hands, central seconds hand, and GMT hand. Plexiglass crystal.
Rolex Oyster bracelet in steel and yellow gold, with visible 280-link ends and a Rolex folding clasp.
Rolex Caliber 1575 GMT automatic movement, signed. It works.
Inside caseback stamped 1675 and dated III.72, consistent with the piece’s date of manufacture.
Condition: shows slight signs of wear consistent with its age
Comes with its red case.
Measurements: 40 mm (case diameter)

The 1675/3 model holds a particularly special place in the history of the GMT-Master, combining the professional functionality of a dual-time-zone watch with a distinctly 1970s aesthetic. Its steel and yellow gold configuration, the brown dial with applied “nipple dial”-style hour markers, and the two-tone brown/gold bezel gave rise to the nickname “Root Beer,” one of the most recognizable names among vintage Rolex collectors. Compared to the steel versions with the “Pepsi” bezel, this variant offers a warmer, more sophisticated, and rarer presence, closely linked to the tastes of the 1970s and the boom in international travel. Market interest is particularly focused on examples that maintain consistency between the case, dial, bezel, movement, and bracelet; in this case, the presence of the case back dated III.72, the brown “nipple dial,” the two-tone Oyster bracelet with 280-style end links, and the automatic GMT caliber reinforce its appeal as a collector’s item.

In the watch descriptions, when “it works” is noted, it means the watch is functioning at the time of listing. Since collector’s watches often have delicate and complex mechanisms, the buyer is responsible for any general servicing, inspection, battery replacement, adjustment, or repair that may be necessary. We do not guarantee the perfect functioning of any watch. Nor do we guarantee their water resistance, regardless of the manufacturer’s specifications or the model. All photographs of our watches are original and have been taken by our photographers; that is, we do not use stock photography, and therefore the photographs are considered part of the listing.