Today, we’re zooming in for a closer look at the Rolex GMT-Master II, ref. 126711CHNR. As is the case with many Rolex watches, this timepiece has a special nickname among fans and followers. The 126711CHNR has been dubbed the “Root Beer” due to its color scheme, which resembles the popular soft drink. The original watch features a brown and gold bezel; however, the updated version from 2018 has a brown and black bezel that is slightly less reminiscent of the beverage. The updated model has a few additional details that were unexpected, considering the manufacturer’s reputation for consistency. One change is to the watch’s indices. Moreover, the Root Beer’s Oyster bracelet features 18-karat gold middle links, which caused a fair bit of controversy in the Rolex community, as most fans were expecting to see a Jubilee bracelet. The changes made to this timepiece are wild by Rolex standards – especially compared to those made to the stainless steel Pepsi and BatmanGMT-Masters – and, therefore, well worth a closer look!
Learn more about the polarizing GMT-Master II Root Beer in our latest video!