The 2025 Rolex GMT-Master II Models – The White Gold Sprite Cerachrom And Everose Tiger Iron
It’s finally officially here! The new Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite” model is in white gold with a ceramic dial, and the new rose gold version has a tiger iron dial. In the past few years, Rolex spoiled us with new GMT-Master II editions, like the new all-steel version with black and gray bezel (“Bruce Wayne”), also available in Rolesor and all gold. And what about the GMT-Master II Sprite in steel a few years ago? Now it’s time to make the GMT-Master II shine once more!
Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II in white gold
New Rolex GMT-Master II models for 2025
The Rolex GMT-Master celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025! Although Rolex is not keen on officially marking these anniversaries, there’s a reason the brand introduces certain models on special dates. Today, we introduce to you the “Tiger Iron” in Everose and the “Sprite” in white gold with a ceramic dial.
The Pan Am connection
It all starts with a request from the former airline Pan Am for a proper pilot’s watch. But Pan Am didn’t just want a very readable pilot’s watch (there were many out there already) but also one that was capable of displaying an extra time zone and would be useful for pilots on transatlantic flights, as Pan Am was about to offer. An accurate and reliable timepiece was a necessity, and adding an extra time zone would make it perfect. Pan Am inquired at Rolex, and the brand came up with the GMT-Master, a watch with chronometer specifications and displaying an additional time zone.
As we know now, the Rolex GMT-Master wasn’t just popular among Pan Am pilots (or civil aviation), but NASA astronauts (like Apollo 13’s Jack Swigert) and US Air Force pilots wore the watch too. Also, people who traveled to different time zones for their jobs started wearing the Rolex GMT-Master as reading home time and local time simultaneously had a positive (mental) effect on fighting jet lag. Over the years, the Rolex GMT-Master became a very popular watch. It also gained popularity among people who aren’t frequent flyers but do business with partners in different time zones. It has become — like it or not — a symbol of success and wealth, like many other luxury items. For watch enthusiasts, the history of the Rolex GMT-Master plays an important role, though! Now let’s discover the new models that Rolex has introduced on the watch’s 70th anniversary.
Caliber 3285
Technical developments by Rolex
Much has changed in the past 70 years when it comes to the GMT-Master, but put an early reference next to the current ones, and you will easily see the lineage. The most significant changes, perhaps, have been the technical aspects. The current GMT-Master II models are powered by Rolex’s in-house-developed and -produced caliber 3285. As a Superlative Chronometer movement, the 3285 is accurate to ±2 seconds per day on average. It also features Paraflex shock absorbers, a Chronergy escapement, a rotor with optimized ball bearing, a blue Parachrom (antimagnetic) hairspring, and a 70-hour power reserve.
Oyster bracelet of the GMT-Master II
But Rolex made other big steps with the GMT-Master. The exterior also received massive upgrades. Many years ago, Rolex already introduced its 904L steel (now Oystersteel) alloy. But in 2005, we saw the first implementation of a (black) ceramic bezel insert, for example, and, in 2013, the first two-color (black and blue) one. Combined with platinum-coated markings, the ceramic makes the scale on the bezel very easy to read.
Rolex GMT-Master II 2025 models
Enough about what has been done in the past years. What is new today in 2025 for the Rolex GMT-Master II?
In 2025, we have two new models — the Rolex GMT-Master II in 18K white gold with a green Cerachrom dial and an 18K Everose gold GMT-Master II with a tiger iron dial. Let’s start with the latter!
Ref. 126715CHNR in Everose gold with a tiger iron dial
The 40mm 18K Everose gold Rolex GMT-Master II has a dial made of a natural stone called tiger iron. It’s a combination of tiger’s eye, red jasper, and hematite. The watch is based on the existing rose gold Rolex GMT-Master II with a black and brown Cerachrom bezel insert but fitted with this very special diall. The retail price for this reference 126715CHNR is CHF 47,100 / €51,250 (the regular 18K Everose gold version is CHF 43,100 / €47,000.
Ref. 126729VTNR in white gold with a green Cerachrom dial
The new Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite” with a Cerachrom dial in an 18K white gold case has reference 126729VTNR. Aside from being a “lefty,” which Rolex already introduced a few years ago in a steel version, the dial is what’s new here. Rolex made the dial out of green ceramic, perfectly matching the “day” part of the 24-hour Cerachrom bezel insert. The price of the new white gold Sprite with the ceramic dial is CHF 44,500 / €48,450. Both this model and the Everose gold version with the tiger iron dial come on the Rolex Oyster bracelet.
Some initial thoughts
I have a soft spot for stone dials and perhaps even a bigger one for gold. Hence, my favorite GMT-Master II release is the 126715CHNR with the tiger iron dial. Much has been written about the Sprite since it came out in stainless steel in 2022, and this model doesn’t change the concept that much except for the ceramic dial, which matches perfectly with the green part of the bezel.
For more information on the 2025 GMT-Master II models, visit the Rolex website.
