Fit for a King: the Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 116710LN “Sea King”

When you think of Rolex, you probably think of their sport watches. The Submariner, Daytona, and yes, the GMT-Master II, have all become iconic watches within the Crown’s catalog. And while most people think of the Pepsi when they think of the GMT-Master II, there have been multiple different variations within the brand’s catalog. The GMT-Master II Ref. 116710LN “Sea King” might be the rarest of them all. Relatively unknown, except among the most serious of collectors, the Sea King was produced in a very limited run for the UK special forces and select squadrons. These pieces had engraved casebacks and could be purchased by former and serving commandos, pilots, and other personnel. Occasionally, you will see one of these rare pieces come up for sale, as is the case here.

History

Rolex is not a brand that often does collaborations or branded pieces. So when you see one pop-up, you have to assume that it’s a very rare and special piece. That is most certainly the case with the GMT-Master II Ref. 116710LN “Sea King”. Rolex and the British military have had a longstanding relationship, dating back 100 or so years. So it makes sense that if the brand was going to collaborate with anyone, it would be the British Military.

The Sea King is the result of that collaboration. As I already stated, Rolex rarely collaborates with anybody. It is even rarer to see a collaboration on a modern watch. This what makes the Sea King so unique. Produced in 2014, only 123 examples of the watch were made. It was made to honor the Sea King helicopter, which was in service with the Ministry of Defense from 1969 to 2018. Used by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, the helicopter was probably most famous for its SAR (search and rescue) ability. 

Design Details

On first blush, the Sea King looks like any other GMT-Master II, specifically the Ref. 116710LN with black bezel and green GMT hand. The Ref. 116710LN is 40mm and was produced from 2007 through 2018. Indeed, it does look very similar to the most recent iteration of the GMT-Master II, the Ref. 126710. Like any GMT-Master II it has a bidirectional 24-hour bezel to easily track that 2nd (and even 3rd) timezone. I always think of the GMT-Master as the perfect travel watch.

The only way to really tell the difference between a standard 116710LN and the Sea-King is by looking at the caseback. While Rolex very rarely engraves anything on their casebacks, the Sea-King’s caseback is an exception. Engraved on the caseback is a representation of the Sea-King helicopter along with the motto “Fear God, Honour the King”, as well as “Sea King Since 1969” and the number out of 123.

Inner Workings

The watch runs on Rolex’s in-house Calibre 3186 movement. This movement replaced the Caliber, 3185 which had been previously use since the late 1980s. The 3186 movement had an updated  jump-hour mechanism, something we have come to expect and love about Rolex’s GMT-Master II. The GMT-Master II is what we call a flyer, or “true”, GMT. This means that the GMT hand can be independently set, making it much easier to change the time of the second time-zone.

Versus the Competition 

If you are like the GMT-Master II but do not care about rarity, check out the Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” Ref. 126710BLRO. This is the watch most people tend to think about when they think about the GMT-Master. The Pepsi nickname comes from the bicolored red and blue bezel, which happens to be the same color as Pepsi’s logo. And the Pepsi has quite the history as well. It was first produced more than 70 years ago, when Rolex released the GMT-Master Ref. 6542. So if you want Rolex’s most recognizable GMT, without breaking the bank, this is the watch.

If you want something a little more haute horology, but still with the GMT functionality, the Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante would be my recommendation. You might not even realize this “under the radar” GMT has a second timezone upon first glance. That’s because the watch is a GMT Rattrapante, an innovation from Parmigiani. When not in use, the GMT hour hand tucks away under the local hour hand, making it invisible. And without the 24-hour bezel, you might not know it’s even a GMT. Now, some hardcore collectors might complain that because of the lack of GMT bezel, the Tonda PF GMT Rattrapante is not a true GMT. But since it’s in the brand’s official name for the watch, I am not going to argue.

Personality 

Look, when you wear this watch, it is going to fit, feel and look like any run of the mill GMT-Master II. That’s not to say the GMT-Master II isn’t a great watch. It is (and I happen to own one). But if you are looking for a flashy and rare Rolex that people will take notice of, this is not the watch. This watch is for the discerning collector who doesn’t care whether those around him (or her) know how special the watch he is wearing is.

Final Thoughts 

If you are a Rolex collector and looking for something truly special yet understated, the GMT-Master II “Sea King” is for you. It is one of those watches that only the most serious of collectors known about, and it is so rare that you may never see one on someone’s wrist (and if you do, you might not even know it’s a Sea King). In the world of stealth wealth, this may be the ultimate Rolex.

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