Okay, so, a while back, I got this itch for a Rolex GMT-Master II. You know, the one with the “Root Beer” bezel? Yeah, that one. I mean, who wouldn’t want a classic, right? But let’s be real, the price tag on those things is just, wow. So, I started looking around, seeing what else was out there.
First off, I hit up Amazon. You can find pretty much anything on there. I came across this American brand, Stuhrling. They had some decent-looking watches, but nothing that really screamed “Root Beer” to me. Plus, I wanted something with a little more…heft, you know? More of a statement piece.
- Checked out Stuhrling on Amazon.
- Not quite what I was looking for.
Then, I stumbled upon this site called WatchGecko. They had a list of “affordable alternatives” to the Rolex GMT Master. Interesting, right? They mentioned a couple that caught my eye: the Tudor Black Bay GMT and the Tissot Seastar 1000 GMT. The Tudor was nice, but still a bit pricey. The Tissot was more in my budget, but it didn’t have that two-tone bezel that I was really after.
- Found WatchGecko’s list of alternatives.
- Tudor Black Bay GMT – a little too expensive.
- Tissot Seastar 1000 GMT – more affordable, but no two-tone bezel.
I dug a bit deeper into the history of this “Root Beer” thing. Turns out, the original was produced until like, 1989? Then they came out with the GMT-Master II, which was around until 2006, and then they just stopped making them! They were discontinued! And that’s where the problem is, the older models are so expensive! And even the newer ones, like the 116710BLNR, are supposed to hold their value really well. Makes sense, I guess. It’s a Rolex.
The Hunt Continues
This whole thing got me thinking, though. Rolex is all about being low-key, right? They don’t exactly shout from the rooftops about their stuff. So, maybe there’s something out there, a hidden gem, that captures the spirit of the Root Beer without the crazy price tag.
I decided to take a different approach. Instead of looking for a “homage” or a “knock-off”, I started focusing on the specific features I liked: the two-tone bezel, the GMT function, and that overall vintage vibe. This wasn’t a weekend project that I had in mind, I just started reading things here and there and trying things out. I’ve been doing this for months, and I was just starting to lose hope.
After trying out so many different watches, I finally found something. You won’t believe this. The quality is surprisingly good! The bezel is that classic two-tone brown and black, and it actually rotates! It’s got that GMT hand, too, so I can track a second time zone. And the best part? It didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. It is very close to the original, I’m very satisfied with this watch. I got it, I’m enjoying it, and I’m sharing my experience with you!
- Shifted my focus to specific features.
- Tried out many watches.
- Finally found something that fits the bill!
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