Rolex GMT Two Tone

Buying Advice

About Two-Tone Rolex GMT-Master II Watches

Two-tone is the most overlooked corner of the GMT-Master II line and the one that makes the strongest practical case. It puts solid gold on the parts of the watch you actually look at, keeps the rest in Oystersteel, and lands at a price much closer to steel than to solid gold. It is also the only material category in the collection offered in two different golds, which gives buyers a decision no other GMT page has to make. Every two-tone example we list is inspected by our watchmakers and carries the WatchGuys 2 Year Warranty. For the model history and generation timeline, see our GMT-Master reference breakdown.

What Rolesor Means on a GMT

Rolesor is Rolex's trademarked term for the combination of Oystersteel and gold in one watch, registered in 1933 and used across the catalogue since. On a GMT-Master II it follows a consistent recipe: the case and outer bracelet links are Oystersteel, and 18k gold covers the bezel, the winding crown, the crown guards, and the centre bracelet links. Nothing about that is a coating or a plating. Those components are solid gold parts assembled into a steel watch, which is the distinction that separates Rolesor from the gold-tone finishes used elsewhere in the industry. Browse the construction across the catalogue in our two-tone Rolex collection.

Which Components Are Actually Gold

Worth knowing precisely, because it determines both value and how the watch ages. The bezel is solid gold, which matters more on a GMT than on any other Rolex since the bezel is the identifying feature of the model and the thing every observer looks at first. The crown and crown guards are gold. The centre links running down the middle of the bracelet are gold, while the outer links either side are steel. The case, caseback, and clasp are steel. That distribution means roughly a third of the visible surface area is precious metal while the structural bulk of the watch is not, which is where the price advantage comes from and why a Rolesor GMT reads as a gold watch at conversational distance.

Yellow Rolesor or Everose Rolesor?

This is the decision a two-tone buyer actually faces, and the two options are more different than the metal alone suggests. Yellow Rolesor covers the longest history and the widest choice: the current 126713GRNR with its grey and black Cerachrom bezel, the black-bezel 116713LN before it, and the vintage brown-bezel references going back decades. Everose Rolesor is a single reference, the 126711CHNR, and it comes only with the brown and black Root Beer bezel. So yellow gives you options and heritage, while Everose gives you one specific look with warmer metal and a dial that carries Everose indices and hands. If you want choice, yellow. If the brown palette is what drew you in, Everose. Our GMT yellow gold and GMT Everose gold pages cover each metal in full.

Two-Tone in the GMT Line Since 1970

Two-tone is not a modern addition here. The 1675/3 arrived in 1970 pairing Oystersteel with 18k yellow gold and a brown and gold aluminium bezel, and the configuration has run more or less continuously since, through the 16753 in the 1980s, the 16713 from 1989 to 2006, and into the ceramic era. That is an unusually long unbroken presence for a two-tone sports watch, and it means the vintage end of this category has real depth rather than being an afterthought. Those earlier references are also where the Root Beer nickname originated, and our Rolex Root Beer collection covers that lineage across both eras.

Two-Tone GMT Price

This is the narrowest price band of any GMT material category, which is itself a useful signal. The Everose 126711CHNR generally trades between roughly $15,000 and $20,000. The vintage yellow Rolesor 16713 typically runs $15,000 to $23,000 depending on dial variant and condition, with Serti and Tiger Eye configurations at the upper end. The black-bezel 116713LN generally sits in the mid teens, and the current 126713GRNR above the rest of the group. Against solid gold references starting in the mid thirties and running past $100,000, the two-tone entry point is a fraction of the cost for a watch that reads as gold from a few feet away. See where each sits in our Rolex watches under $20,000 segment.

Why Two-Tone Moves Slower

Worth being straight about, because it cuts both ways. Two-tone typically takes longer to sell than either full steel or full gold. Steel carries the deepest demand in the GMT line and gold buyers usually want gold throughout, which leaves Rolesor appealing to a narrower slice of the market. For a seller that is a genuine drawback. For a buyer it is the reason the value proposition exists at all: the same softness in demand that makes a two-tone harder to move is what keeps the entry price low relative to the precious metal content. If you are buying to wear rather than to trade, that trade-off is heavily in your favour.

Two-Tone or Solid Gold?

Solid gold gives you the weight, the full precious metal content, and a watch nobody mistakes for anything else. It also costs two to three times as much and carries a smaller resale pool. Two-tone gives you a solid gold bezel, crown, and centre links on a steel foundation, which covers most of what people notice while keeping the watch wearable in situations where a full gold sports watch would feel like a lot. The honest summary is that Rolesor is the more rational purchase and solid gold is the one you buy because you want it. Compare against the alternatives in our gold Rolex and stainless steel Rolex collections.

Trusted Dealer

Why Buy a Two-Tone GMT From WatchGuys

Two-tone carries a risk the solid gold and steel categories do not. A steel GMT can be gold plated to imitate Rolesor, and at a glance the result is convincing, which makes confirming that gold components are solid rather than coated the first job on any two-tone piece. Beyond that, the two metals wear at different rates and the junction between them tells you a great deal about how a watch has been treated.

Common Questions

Two-Tone GMT FAQ

• What Does Rolesor Mean?

  It is Rolex's trademarked term for combining Oystersteel and gold in a single watch, registered in 1933. On a GMT-Master II the case and outer bracelet links are steel while 18k gold covers the bezel, winding crown, crown guards, and centre bracelet links. These are solid gold components assembled into a steel watch rather than a coating or a plating, which is the distinction that separates Rolesor from gold-tone finishes elsewhere in the industry.

• Which Rolex GMT References Are Two-Tone?

  In yellow Rolesor, the current 126713GRNR with its grey and black bezel, the black-bezel 116713LN before it, and the vintage brown-bezel references 16713, 16753, and 1675/3 going back to 1970. In Everose Rolesor there is exactly one, the 126711CHNR with the brown and black Root Beer bezel. Rolex has never produced a steel and white gold Rolesor GMT, so those two golds are the entire two-tone field.

• Which Parts of a Two-Tone GMT Are Gold?

  The bezel, the winding crown, the crown guards, and the centre bracelet links. The case, caseback, clasp, and outer bracelet links are Oystersteel. That means roughly a third of the visible surface is precious metal while the structural bulk is steel. The bezel being gold matters more on a GMT than on other models, since the bezel is the identifying feature and the first thing anyone looks at.

• Should I Choose Yellow Rolesor or Everose Rolesor?

  Yellow gives you the wider choice and the longer history: current, previous-generation, and vintage references across three different bezel palettes. Everose gives you one reference, the 126711CHNR, in the brown and black Root Beer configuration only, with warmer metal and a dial using Everose indices and hands. Choose yellow if you want options or want a specific bezel colour. Choose Everose if the brown palette is what drew you to the watch.

• How Much Is a Two-Tone GMT?

  This is the narrowest band of any GMT material category. The Everose 126711CHNR generally trades between roughly $15,000 and $20,000. The vintage yellow Rolesor 16713 typically runs $15,000 to $23,000 depending on dial variant, with Serti and Tiger Eye configurations at the upper end. The 116713LN sits in the mid teens and the current 126713GRNR above the group. Solid gold references start in the mid thirties by comparison.

• Is a Two-Tone GMT Harder to Sell?

  Yes, generally. Steel carries the deepest demand in the GMT line and gold buyers usually want gold throughout, which leaves Rolesor appealing to a narrower slice of the market and taking longer to move. For a seller that is a real drawback. For a buyer it is precisely why the value exists: the same softness in demand keeps the entry price low relative to the precious metal content. If you are buying to wear rather than to trade, the trade-off favours you.

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