Many of Rolex’s most popular and noteworthy watch lines have been around for decades, with subtle updates and changes from generation to generation. However, these updates and changes are not instantaneous, the development of replica Rolex watch is a continuous process, and each new reference is based on the previous generation of watch design and function.
Certain references have come to represent turning points in the histories of their respective watches throughout the years. These “transitional” models sit along the border between two generations of the same timepiece and combine features of earlier references with traits and features of the subsequent generation. These transitional references serve as connection points between modern and vintage and help to paint a picture of the evolution of Rolex’s fake watches.
One of the most popular Rolex transitional references and one that greatly encapsulates the “transitional” moniker is the reference 16800 Submariner, which took the date-displaying design of the reference 1680 and gave it a completely new case, crystal, bezel, and movement. Instead of having an acrylic crystal and bi-directional, friction-fitted bezel, the crystal material on the ref. 16800 Submariner was updated to scratch-resistant synthetic sapphire, and the case and bezel were redesigned to give the bezel its unidirectional, ratcheting motion.
Internally, the reference 16800 saw an upgrade in the movement to go along with its updated case, bezel, and crystal. While the Caliber 1575 movement used inside the reference 1680 beat with a frequency of 19,800 BPH and lacked the ability to quickly adjust the date, the updated Caliber 3035 fitted inside the reference 16800 had an increased frequency of 28,800 BPH and added the convenience of a quickset date feature.
Despite many major updates, the reference 16800 submarine is equipped with a matte black dial, painted with tritium hours, for about the first half of its nearly decade-long production operation. Although the text on the dial has been updated to reflect the improved depth level of reference 16800, the overall look of the dial is almost identical to the dial-in reference 1680.
Owing to its older dial design, the fake Rolex Submariner 16800 has an appearance that is a mix between the unmistakably vintage reference 1680, and the more-contemporary reference 16610 – hence its “transitional” designation.
Another fake Rolex watch that stands for an excellent example of a transitional model is the reference 16750 GMT-Master. Much like the reference 1675 that preceded it, early examples of the reference 16750 were fitted with matte dials with painted tritium hour markers. Even though the movement inside the ref. 16750 GMT-Master had been updated to the Caliber 3075, which had an increased frequency and added the convenience of a quickset date, the overall appearance of the reference 16750 was almost identical to that of its predecessor.
This combination of new and old aesthetics is what gives the Rolex replica GMT-Master 16750 its “transitional” designation, and allows the fake watch to serve as an important connection point within the history and evolution of Rolex’s iconic pilot’s watch.
There have been lots of transitional references manufactured throughout history, as Rolex continuously works to refine and develop their long-running designs. The evolution process of Rolex watches is a slow and ongoing one, and transitional references have come to represent brief snapshots in a watch’s history, where some updates have already been implemented, while others have not.
Rolex transitional references are often the first to show a particular feature or feature in a replica watch and the last to include completely different features. This combination of retro and modern attributes makes these clocks perfectly positioned at the crossroads of old and new, and their existence is really quite important to understanding the overall development and evolution of Rolex watches.
