The Pearlmaster is the ultimate luxury-oriented Rolex timepiece. Sitting somewhere at the crossroads of watchmaking and jewelry, the Rolex Pearlmaster is exclusively craft from precious metals and always adorned with expertly set gemstones (either diamonds, sapphires, or rubies). Although the Pearlmaster is easily the most lavish and gem-encrusted line of Rolex watches, relatively little media coverage surrounds it, as its sheer opulence places it outside the reach of many consumers.The Pearlmaster was originally introduced in 1992 as a new and slightly larger interpretation of Rolex’s Lady-Datejust line of watches. Over the course of the last quarter of a century, the Pearlmaster has grown in size and evolved in concept to become an entirely separate collection of ultra-premium Datejust watches that blurs the lines between a wristwatch and a piece of jewelry. The “Pearlmaster” name actually comes from the watch’s unique bracelet design with rounded five-piece links and a concealed Crownclasp, which to this day, is specifically reserved for Rolex’s crowning jewelry watches.Today, the Pearlmaster is manufactured in 34mm and 39mm case sizes and is exclusively craft from solid 18 karat gold (yellow, white, or Everose). As far as internal mechanics, the Pearlmaster 34 is powered by Rolex’s Caliber 2235, while the Pearlmaster 39 receives the Caliber 3235. Despite the difference in movements, both watches boast Rolex’s “Superlative Chronometer” certification, which guarantees timekeeping performance to a maximum variance of -2/+2 seconds per day (after casing).
The ref. 16710 is available on either a three-piece link Oyster bracelet or a five-piece link Jubilee bracelet with hollow center links and a folded metal clasp. Older references have hollow end-links and a standard clasp, while newer references have solid end-links and a clasp with an additional safety latch. The Jubilee bracelet is the exception and is only available on reference 16710 watches with hollow end-links and a standard fold-over clasp.The ref. 116710 is only produced on a three-link Oyster bracelet. As a newer variation of the GMT-Master II, the bracelet is equipped with solid end-links, solid center links, and a newer Oysterlock clasp with a 5mm Easylink comfort extension system. Many collectors prefer this example of the Oyster bracelet as the redesigned clasp allows the wearer to adjust the length without the use of tools as their wrist fluctuates in humid or hot weather.The GMT-Master II is an absolute legend, there’s no argument about it. What it comes down to when comparing the 16710 and the 116710 is personal taste. Do you prefer the classic styling of an older sports watch? Or do you prefer a contemporary timepiece that has all the latest and greatest technologies? Either way, the Rolex GMT-Master II is a must-have for any serious watch collection.
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