Contrary to popular belief, there’s no grand conspiracy behind Rolex’s scarcity in the market. Many enthusiasts and commentators argue that Rolex intentionally limits production to create a sense of exclusivity and hype around its most coveted models. However, the reality is much simpler: Rolex already produces and sells over a million watches annually – more than any other brand in its price range – but demand still far outstrips supply.

Iconic models like the Replica Rolex GMT-Master II have waitlists stretching for years, frustrating countless potential buyers. In response to this overwhelming demand, Rolex announced in 2022 that it would be expanding its manufacturing capabilities. Since then, the brand has been quiet about these plans – until now.

A Major Expansion in Bulle

Recent reports from Switzerland, including one by the Swiss newspaper NZZ, reveal that Rolex has unveiled the first renderings of its upcoming manufacturing facility in Bulle, Switzerland. The complex, which Rolex has applied to begin constructing, is enormous – spanning 100,000 square meters and estimated to cost over 1 billion Swiss francs (approximately $1.1 billion). When completed, it will employ around 2,000 workers.

The new Bulle facility will consist of four production buildings linked to a central hub for administration, meetings, and other support functions. Although it’s not yet clear which specific components or materials this new site will produce, the scale suggests that it could relieve pressure on Rolex’s existing four facilities across Switzerland.

Currently, each of these facilities specializes in different aspects of Rolex’s vertically integrated production: the Geneva site assembles the watches, Biel/Bienne handles movement creation, Chêne-Bourg takes care of dials, bezel inserts, and gems, while Plan-les-Ouates focuses on assembling bracelets, bezels, and cases, along with operating Rolex’s renowned gold foundry.

What Does This Mean for Rolex Buyers?

While Rolex has shared an exciting glimpse of the Bulle facility, details about its impact on the market remain sparse. The complex is slated to open in 2029, meaning it will be several years before we see its effects on Rolex’s production capacity.

In the meantime, Rolex is also opening two temporary manufacturing sites to help meet demand. One in Villaz-Saint-Pierre is set to open this year, with another in Romont following next year. These facilities could begin increasing the number of wholesale Rolex watches available as early as next year, with production continuing to ramp up until the Bulle site is fully operational.

If everything goes according to plan, the 2030s might be the decade when Rolex finally starts to meet demand more effectively – though, of course, some level of scarcity will likely remain. But for now, there’s hope that the waitlists might start to shorten, even if just a little.

It’s no secret that many Rolex watches perform very well as financial assets. You only have to look at the prices of the most in-demand models on the secondary market to see how valuable a fake Rolex can be as an investment if you choose the right one at the right time. The trick, of course, is to be able to spot which watches will appreciate in value in the future, and this is still a long way from an exact science. However, there are specific characteristics that can be used as indicators of investment potential, and the replica Rolex GMT-Master II ref. 116710LN possesses several of them.
First, it is an example of one of the world’s most famous luxury travel watches, a watch that has truly become iconic in its 60+ year history. Second, the reference 116710LN has been discontinued, which means that there are a limited number of surviving examples, which will almost certainly push up the price. Third, this particular model has a special place in Rolex’s history as the first stainless steel GMT watch fitted with the brand’s proprietary Cerachrom ceramic bezel, and the last to feature a single color bezel.
All in all, there are many arguments in favor of the replica Rolex GMT-Master II 116710LN becoming a future classic. So, to help you decide if this particular model belongs in your collection, we’ve put together this guide to tell you everything you need to know about this unusual and important Rolex reference.
The model 116710LN 116710LN is not actually the first example of the new generation of six-digit Rolex GMT-Master II watches. This honor was bestowed by the 2005 Ref. 116718LN was introduced in 2005 and was made of solid 18k yellow gold and offered with a black or celebratory green dial to mark the 50th anniversary of the GMT-Master collection. It was followed by the two-tone Rolesor ref. 116713LN, introduced in 2006, and the stainless steel ref. 116710LN the following year. 116710LN appeared the following year, in 2007.
However, the steel model was the one everyone was waiting for, and it appeared at Baselworld 2007 in Rolex’s recently introduced Super Case. While it maintains the same 40 mm case diameter as its predecessor, the overall profile is significantly thicker thanks to thicker lugs and a crown protector almost twice as wide as its predecessor. The updated case proportions are Rolex’s response to the calls from many collectors for an increase in the size of its Professional Collection models, at a time when the trend towards larger watches was in full swing.
Complementing the bolder case is another addition to the collection, the Maxi dial, which first appeared on the green-bezel 50th Anniversary Edition Submariner in 2003, featuring larger indexes and wider hour and minute hands. Like the super case itself, the larger dial furniture is more appealing to some than others, but there is no doubt that it improves overall readability.

Rolex has updated its popular travel watch, the GMT-Master II, in stainless steel with a blue and black “Batman” bezel. We tested one of the first pieces with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement in this feature. The blue-and-black color scheme on the bezel of this fake Rolex GMT-Master II has led its fans to call it “Batman.” The current version comes with a Jubilee bracelet and a new movement, due out in 2019. Its predecessor with these same colors appeared in 2013 and was the first Rolex model to feature a two-tone ceramic bezel. This particular color combination did not exist before. 
The first GMT-Master II in 1954 featured a blue and red 24-hour scale, which later became known as the “Pepsi” because of this color combination. These colors were originally chosen to more clearly distinguish day and night time in the second time zone. These and other specifications originated with Pan American Airlines, who requested this model. The new jets made intercontinental flights shorter and more popular, and as the number of flights increased, so did the demand for watches with dual time zone capabilities. The GMT-Master’s popularity came from the style of its pilot’s watches and its colorful, at-a-glance bezel. Later, there were reserved versions such as the black and red “Coke” watch model.
Today, there are two versions of the GMT-Master II steel watch, differing only in the color of the bezel: the Pepsi and the Batman, our test watch. Both feature a new movement and the five-row Jubilee bracelet that was once reserved for the Datejust model only. Rolex replica previously equipped the GMT-Master II Gold and Rolesor GMT-Master II models with the sportier three-row Oyster bracelet. Rolex designed the Jubilee bracelet for the Datejust in 1945, but the GMT-Master was also available with an optional Jubilee bracelet as early as 1959. Like the Oyster bracelet on the GMT-Master II, the inner links are polished and the outer links are brushed.
The high-quality clasp on the Jubilee bracelet is near-perfect in both workmanship and handling. The folding safety lever blends in with it when closed. Lifting the replica Rolex crown to open the safety lever reveals a lever that is also easily lifted to fully open the clasp.
Additionally, with the GMT-Master II, another time zone can be temporarily set via the bezel. For example, if you are in the United States and work with a company in Europe, you can simply turn the bezel and the GMT-Master II will show you the time in the desired time zone at a glance. All in all, the GMT-Master II offers a very useful time zone function.

Of all the design details of Rolex GMT-Master, the watch bezel is the most distinctive. GMT-Master features 24-hour markings and the ability to rotate in both directions. Its borders are an important part of the watch’s display of multiple time zones. However, in addition to its functionality, the bezel design also contributes a huge amount to the style of the Rolex GMT Maestro – especially when it’s in a two-tone color scheme.
While the fundamental look of the GMT-Master bezel has remained relatively unchanged over the last six decades, there have been crucial changes to the materials used. Rolex has made an assortment of different bezels for the GMT-Master over the decades. Different materials have been used – Bakelite, aluminum, Cerachrom, and precious gems – and these GMT bezels have been provided in a range of different colors.
When Rolex introduced the first GMT-Master in the mid-1950s, the watch came equipped with a bidirectional rotating bezel with a two-tone Bakelite insert featuring radium luminous markings. Bakelite was the world’s first completely synthetic plastic that was lightweight, pretty durable, and easy to mold into many different shapes at https://www.localdlish.com.
Given those amazing traits, Bakelite was initially considered a good material choice for the bezel insert of the GMT-Master watch. However, it was soon apparent that Bakelite was too brittle and had a tendency to crack – plus the radioactive glowing numerals embedded into it also posed a potential health hazard.
Therefore, the Rolex replica switched over to non-luminous aluminum bezel inserts for later GMT-Master 6542 models in the late 1950s. What’s more, Rolex service centers also typically replaced any damaged Bakelite bezels with aluminum ones. As a result, it’s hard to find an old Rolex GMT-Master 6542 with its original Bakelite bezel, today, and many surviving original Bakelite inserts show obvious signs of wear or damage.

Rolex made two different Bakelite bezels for the GMT-Master ref. 6542. There was the bi-color blue and red version for the stainless steel models, later nicknamed the “Pepsi” bezel. Legend has it that replica Rolex chose color separation to make it easier for pilots to distinguish between day and night — the red part is day and the blue part is night. Others, however, insist that its two-color appearance was designed to reflect the attitude indicators that were installed on various aircraft at the time. Either way, the separated-color bezels are now considered one of the defining features of Rolex’s GMT-Master line.

While the Rolex GMT-Master has been around since 1954, the ‘Batman’ is the latest addition to the collection, featuring a now-iconic black and blue ceramic bezel. Like “the dark knight,” it was these bold colors that earned it a cute nickname after its 2013 release. While batman Rolex may have a short history, it is actually diverse and interesting. The replica Rolex batman GMT-master II is an instant classic, and with recent upgrades, it has gained more appreciation from the entire luxury watch community. Let’s take a better look at the important milestone of the “batman” Laureus GMT-master II. 
When the Rolex Batman was launched at Baselworld 2013, everyone took notice. Not only was the blue and black bezel a really contemporary and cool iteration of the dual-toned bezel that we’ve come to realize and love from the GMT-Master collection, but it was also the first of its kind. Rolex replica had already been using ceramic in their bezels for about ten years, but it wasn’t until the Batman GMT that they were able to use this tricky material to create a two-tone bezel.
The result was a rich and saturated, bi-color bezel that would be much stronger and hold color exponentially better than its previous aluminum counterparts. Not only was the original Batman – the ref. 116710BLNR – the first bi-color ceramic bezel, but it was also the only one available on a stainless steel GMT watch for a few years. That’s because, at the same time, Rolex moved their red and blue Pepsi GMT from all stainless steel to 18K platinum.
While some people adore this gorgeous update to the fan-favorite Batman GMT-Master II, others still favored the Oyster bracelet, saying that it went against the inherent sportiness of the GMT-Master collection. Either way, the all-new Jubilee bracelet assisted differentiate this new generation of Rolex replica watches from the brand’s various other Professional watch collections.
Beyond the new Jubilee bracelet, the case of the new ref. 126710BLNR GMT-Master II has also been redesigned for a pretty more refined feel on the wrist. Technically speaking, it’s the same 40mm case diameter, but the 126710BLNR is designed to feel a bit thinner and more rounded on the wrist, while the case of the ref. 116710BLNR is a little more angular and squared-off in its shape.
Another one of the most significant upgrades was the new Cal. 3285 movement featuring the brand’s proprietary Chronergy escapement. The ref. 126710BLNR also features a brand new Chromalight lume on its Maxi dial, which gives the watch a striking blue glow for up to eight hours. As if the dial wasn’t prominent enough, Rolex has an oversized dial for the watch, adding a luminous block and Mercedes-Benz-style hands for a bolder, sportier look on the wrist.