Rolex GMT-Master 1675 Fuchsia Bezel

One thing that has always amazed me in viewing vintage GMT, is the incredible way the colors of their bezel changes with the pass of time.

This impredictible variation in colors, gives each watch a very strong personality of its own.

 It is not completely clear to me why this fading/change is produced, but I suspect, it could be due to the constant rubbing with the shirt cuffs, and specially with the more or less constant exposition to strong sun rays.
Then pigments used on the insert play a good part of the game, specially in certain time periods of production.

Whichever the case, no one can say for sure the colors that an original 1675 Pepsi bezel will get in say, 40 or 50 years of use.

And this specimen  I´m showing here is a nice  example of curious fading, as the red sector turned a beautiful and eyecatching (almost fluo) fuschia tone, which my camera couldn´t copy as faithfully as I wished, while the blue sector, turned into a light blue/light gray shade.

As I had commented in a previous post, this oldie just came to my hands two days ago, after almost a month of hard dealing with its last owner.

This piece was a daily user for its original owner, and the case testimonies it with its many dings and bumps.
I rejected the offering of polishing it.

When I saw the watch the first time, the original plexi barely permitted to see its dial, as it was so badly scratched.
But what I could see inside promised a big surprise, which came evident when the watch was opened.

As a matter of fact, the surprise was inside. This watch is of fourth quarter of 1961, cornino case, gloss &  gilt dial with exclamation point at "6".  In contrast with the exterior of the rather battered case, both dial and movement was in pristine order.

Then, I only requested a cleaning and oiling of its movement, which was in very nice condition, and the change of the plexi for a new one, as the original was beyond repair or just polishing.

The watch came with a Nato strap wich I quickly discarded, in favour of this old Oyster bracelet from my collection, which though not original of this watch, being from 1963, corresponds to the period.

It has been talked a lot lately about the Big GMT Love here at Purists, and I feel this watch explains why it can be so attractive, and adds to my love for this reference.

I wish you´ll also like it!
Best cordial regards, Abel.

And here, my usual Parissian Shot: