Overview
- Rolex confirmed during Watches and Wonders in Geneva that it removed the red‑and‑blue GMT‑Master II and also retired the white‑gold “Cookie Monster” Submariner.
- The cut covers the steel 126710BLRO and the white‑gold 126719BLRO, and the GMT page now lists only Batman, Bruce Wayne, and Sprite in steel.
- Resale demand spiked after months of halted deliveries, with many listings above $30,000 and some unworn pieces now offered over $40,000.
- Industry outlets cite production and quality issues with the red‑blue Cerachrom bezel, while a 2022 patent for a red‑black insert has fueled cautious talk of a “Coke” return.
- The Pepsi color split dates to 1955, when Rolex used red for daytime hours and blue for night on the first GMT‑Master for Pan Am pilots.