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Rolex GMT-Master II
Ref. 116758SARU
The GMT-Master II began as a tool built for Pan Am navigators who needed to track two time zones across the Atlantic without resetting their primary hour hand. That functional brief is still the architecture here, but this reference takes the pilot's watch somewhere entirely different: the bezel insert that once used coloured resins to distinguish day from night hours is here recreated in baguette-cut rubies and sapphires, the red and blue of the original Pepsi configuration rendered in gemstones, with brilliant-cut diamonds set into the lugs and crown guards. The result is a watch that carries the GMT-Master's mechanical logic inside a piece of jewellery-grade construction. The Calibre 3186 runs at the heart of it — a movement with a Parachrom hairspring, which resists magnetic fields and temperature changes better than conventional alloys, and an independently adjustable local hour hand that snaps between time zones without disturbing the running movement. The solid 18ct yellow gold Oyster bracelet is fitted with an Easylink extension that adds roughly 5mm of length at the clasp, which matters more than it sounds on a bracelet of this weight: the adjustment allows for comfort across temperature changes without tools or a visit to a watchmaker.
- Reference
- 116758SARU
- Brand
- Rolex
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case thickness
- 12.15mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bezel
- Bidirectional rotating
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 3186
- Functions
- GMT, Date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 48mm
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Rolex
Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf & Davis in London in 1905 with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, importing Swiss movements and casing them in England. He registered the name Rolex in 1908 — short, pronounceable in any language, and easy to fit on a dial.
Wilsdorf's conviction was that the wristwatch, then regarded as a woman's ornament and hopelessly fragile, could be made accurate and durable. He proved the first half in 1910 by obtaining the first chronometer certification for a wristwatch, and the second in 1926 with the Oyster case, sealed by a screw-down crown and caseback. Mercedes Gleitze swam the Channel wearing one in 1927, and Wilsdorf bought the front page of the Daily Mail to say so — arguably the first modern watch marketing campaign.
The Perpetual rotor followed in 1931, giving automatic winding in a form the whole industry eventually copied. The company relocated to Geneva during the First World War to escape British wartime duties.
The professional models arrived in a compressed burst in the 1950s: Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master, Milgauss, and later the Daytona. Each was built for a specific job — diving, exploration, aviation, laboratory work, racing — and each became a design template.
Wilsdorf left his shares to a private foundation on his death, so Rolex answers to no shareholders. It remains the largest producer of certified chronometers in Switzerland by a wide margin.
- 1905
- Hans Wilsdorf founds Wilsdorf & Davis in London.
- 1908
- The Rolex name is registered.
- 1926
- The Oyster case introduces genuine water resistance.
- 1931
- The Perpetual rotor brings modern automatic winding.
- 1953
- The Submariner and Explorer launch.
- 1963
- The Cosmograph Daytona arrives.
Also in 3 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,797), Automatic Watches (1,432) and GMT Watches (200).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 40mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 116758SARU | GC8.0-RG-06 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £119,950 | £76,920 |
| Case size | 40mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 48 hours | — |
| This watch |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 48 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 48mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 40mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £119,950. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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