The Rolex GMT-Master is one of the company’s best known models of their masterfully engineered watches. Rolex introduced the ref. 16750 for its GMT-Master in 1981 and continued producing the model until the late 1980s. With this edition of the GMT-Master, the collection as we know it today started to take shape even more with a higher-beat movement and improved water resistance.
Rolex initially released the ref. 16750 with a matte dial and painted hour markers. This dial variation is rarer than the glossy dial GMTs, especially considering that many of the original matte dials have long since been replaced during routine servicing. Rolex switched to glossy dials decorated with white gold-trimmed applied hour markers around the mid-1980s. Some of the glossy dials made by Rolex during this time developed a defect in the lacquer, causing it to crack, a process known in watch collecting circles as “crazing.” These dials are now affectionately referred to as “Spider Dials” and are highly collectible since many were replaced by Rolex during routine repairs and service.
The “crazing” exhibited on spider dials is comprised of fine fractures in the glossy lacquer only. If you look at the dial closely, you’ll notice that it does not affect the white text. It might be difficult to see at first, but the spidering in the gloss is the most visible when the dial is tilted and looked at under a bright light. It didn’t take Rolex very long to recognize this flaw, and the original lacquer material was eventually replaced.
Rolex has notoriously high standards for quality, which meant that the company couldn’t, in good conscious, allow the watches sporting the spider dials to leave their servicing locations without a new, immaculate glossy dial. For some, this is good news because not every Rolex collector is a fan of the defect. However, some see it as a quirky and rare representation of one of the few times that Rolex made a mistake on a vital component of one of their most iconic timepieces.
For this reason, some collectors will pay a premium over “normal” ref. 16750s for the Spider dial. At the same time, it’s still entirely possible to find this rare dial for around the same price as those that don’t have it. The GMT-Master 16750 itself is considered a very prized collector’s item because it had a relatively short-lived production run. It often commands between $13k and $16k on the secondary market. GMT-Master’s outfitted with a Spider dial can trade hands for as much as $16k to $17k.
Either way, the Spider Dial Rolex 16750 is a fascinating watch to examine and wear. I think we can all agree that it’s the errors, mistakes, and hiccups that sometimes happen during manufacturing processes that makes collecting those one-of-a-kind items so exciting. From rare coins to rare watches, collectors understand that rarity breeds value.
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Diamond Jim is a master jeweler, diamond dealer and precious metals broker. Pineforest Jewelry has been a proud member of the Independent Jewelers Organization and the Retail Jewelers Organization for many years. See more at: www.pineforestjewelry.com.
If you have questions pertaining to jewelry, watches, diamonds, precious stones, precious metals, and other questions related to the jewelry industry, email jmills@pineforestjewelry.com.
Credit to Bobswatches.com for much of the content in this article