Rolex Batman GMT-Master History | Inside Watches Bob's Watches

For this edition of Inside Watches, Emily explores the history of the famous Rolex GMT Master II Batman. Shop the collection: https://bobswatch.es/RolexCollectionPageIWBatman

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00:00 INTRO
00:44 Rolex GMT Master
01:27 Rolex GMT Master II ref. 16760
02:02 Rolex GMT Master II ref. 116710
02:36 Rolex GMT Master II ref. 116710BLNR
03:26 Rolex GMT Master II ref. 126710BLNR Jubilee
03:51 OUTRO

Part of building a valuable watch collection is educating yourself on the watches you’re interested in. Host Emily aims to help you curate the perfect luxury watch collection by sharing some of the industry’s hottest tips and secrets, including the history of some of the most collectible watches.

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HISTORY OF THE ROLEX BATMAN

The Rolex Batman is more than just a ceramic bezel GMT Master II. In fact, it was the very first GMT model to feature a two-tone ceramic bezel, both within the Rolex catalog and in the history of watchmaking.

The Batman also happens to be the first black and blue bezel produced by Rolex, stepping out of the usual red, blue, and black colorways.

It’s modern yet honors the classic GMT Master II aesthetic.

Rolex released the GMT Master in the 1950s as a tool watch for professional pilots. The watch displayed two time zones simultaneously with its rotatable bezel and dedicated GMT hand.
In the 1980s, Rolex made significant upgrades to the movement, uncoupling the GMT hand from the other centrally mounted hands, thus allowing the wearer to adjust it separately from the time displayed on the dial.

With this upgrade, the wearer could read up to three time zones on their watch.

The original GMT Master was eventually discontinued to make way for the production of the GMT Master II.

The series initially ran under a 5-digit reference number and featured an aluminum bezel insert in either all-black or two-tone.

However, in the mid-2000s, Rolex debuted the first 6-digit GMT Master II, sporting an upgraded ceramic – aka Cerachrom – bezel, a new movement, and a newer-style case and bracelet.

Initially, the collection only featured an all-black bezel, but that changed when the Rolex Batman hit the market in 2013.


THE ROLEX BATMAN

The original Rolex Batman was produced under reference 116710BLNR. It hit the market in 2013, featuring Rolex’s first two-tone ceramic bezel with a black and blue insert. As the story goes, Rolex initially claimed that it would be too challenging to produce a ceramic bezel in two-tone that would meet the brand’s strict standards for perfection.

However, the brand would eventually surprise us all with the Batman. As we have since learned, not every watch brand makes two-tone ceramic bezels the same way. Rolex’s process produces far superior inserts with a crisp, clean line separating the two colors without bleeding or smudging.

The Batman ref. 116710BLNR features the caliber 3186 Perpetual movement with a smoother hour hand and an upgrade to the Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring.
It also takes advantage of Rolex’s anti-reflective Cyclops lens, a Maxi dial with larger hour markers and hands, a Triplock screw-down crown with three sealed zones, and a “Super Case” with a larger crown guard and thicker lugs.

It’s also important to note that ref. 116710BLNR was only ever produced on the three-link Oyster bracelet.


ROLEX BATMAN REF. 126710BLNR

Rolex discontinued ref. 116710 in 2018, and ref. 126710 took its place. Rolex furnished the newer model with a brand new movement – the caliber 3285. With this movement comes a longer 70-hour power reserve.

Initially, ref. 126710 was only sold with the iconic red and blue “Pepsi” bezel. However, the black and blue Batman edition hit the market in 2019.

It’s also worth noting that while ref. 116710 was only produced on the Oyster bracelet, ref. 126710 initially only featured the 5-piece link Jubilee bracelet. The Oyster bracelet option wouldn’t join the lineup until 2021.


ROLEX BATMAN VS BATGIRL

That brings us to the Batman vs. Batgirl. Many Rolex enthusiasts refer to the Batman 126710 on a Jubilee bracelet as the Batgirl. However, many also refer to the watch on either bracelet option as just the Batman.

What do you think of the Rolex Batman? Let us know in the comments below!