Rolex Root Beer GMT Master II Review, Pricing, Waitlist, & Specs

Rolex Root Beer GMT Review

The Rolex GMT Root Beer is one of the most unique watches that Rolex makes. The Rolex Root Beer GMT has been in production for ages and has been a favorite of many through the years. The current reference 126711CHNR is the best edition in my opinion. The 126711 Rolex Root Beer GMT has the beautiful ceramic dial which is what makes this reference stand apart from the rest. The black and brown ceramic insert has a refined glossy look that is inserted into a well executed Everose Gold bezel.

Adding gold to a tool watch most often defeats the purpose of being a tool watch. That isn’t the case with the Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer. World travelers aren’t always climbing mountains, diving in the ocean, or navigating through the rainforest. For many nowadays, traveling in luxury is commonplace and why not accompany yourself with beautifully finished, two tone, GMT watch. Nothing says you’re traveling in style more than an elegant Rolex GMT Root Beer on the wrist.

The Root Beer gets it’s name from simply looking like Root Beer. The black, brown, and gold give many the impression of Root Beer. It’s also fitting that the other Rolex GMT watches were named after drinks as well which are the Pepsi, and Coke. The only Rolex GMT Master watch that isn’t named after a drink is the Batman.

View full reviews of the Sprite, Pepsi, & Batman.

Rolex 3285 Movement

The calibre of choice for the updated 126711CHNR is the Rolex 3285 movement. With a upgraded power reserve of 70 hours and improved anti-magnetic resistance, the Rolex 3285 is better equipped for world travel and daily wear. As usual, Rolex has made it simply for their users to keep accurate time. The 3285 movement is COSC certified with an accuracy rating of +/- 2 seconds per day. It’s worth noting the ease of use when setting the time on the Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer. The movement allows the user to adjust the hour and date forward and backward while the watch is still running.

Read our Rolex 3285 Movement article for a full review and breakdown of specs.

Root Beer GMT Bezel

It’s not often that you see brown on anything but a leather strap when it comes to a luxury watch. Maybe that is part of why the Rolex Root Beer GMT is so appealing to many. Before the current brown and black ceramic version, this GMT had a different color combination for the bezel. The Root Beer was originally launched with a brown and gold bezel. Although very the original was very attractive, I much prefer the more sophisticated look in which the watch has at the moment. The glossy black and brown dial is excellent by itself but it’s elevated once more being paired next to Everose Gold.

I personally own the Batman and can attest for the quality of the bezel of this GMT. The bi-directional bezel for the Root Beer GMT is steady and won’t accidentally turn outside of brute force event. Overall I would have to say very reliable and very legible.

Bracelet

Rolex is well known for their bracelet construction. Some would say they are the best at it. The Rolex Root Beer is fitted with an Oyster bracelet and a double locking Oyster clasp. Both are superior when it comes to fit, finish, and comfort. The Oyster clasp even comes with a micro extension if you need to make a quick adjustment on the fly.

Oyster Case

The Oyster case for the Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer is construction of a monobloc middle case, screw down caseback and a triple locking winding crown. Coming in at 40mm, this watch fits in the sweet zone for wrist sizes and is of the upmost quality. Water resistence for the Root Beer is 100 meters so it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever have to worry about water damage with this watch.

Dial

It feels like most Rolex models share the same dial and thats true with the GMT Master collection. What we don’t see on many of these dials is the addition of Everose Gold. This rose gold patented metal by Rolex provides a very unique look that make the standard black dial pop and legible at a glance.

126711CHNR Specs

Rolex GMT Master II Root Beer Pricing & Availability

The Rolex GMT Root Beer has a MSRP of $15,250 sold new from Rolex authorized dealers. This watch holds its value quite nicely. One the pre-owned market the Rolex Root Beer is being sold at a premium for $20,000-$24,000. This watch if scarce and very difficult to source either new or used.

The Waitlist for the Rolex Root Beer

The waitlist for the Rolex Root Beer GMT is expected to be between 8-24 months depending on the relationship and purchase history you have with your authorized Rolex dealer. Don’t expect to find these watches in the cases because they are already sold before they hit the stores.

View our Rolex Waitlist Guide to discover how long the wait is for other popular references.

What You Should Know About The Rolex Root Beer GMT

Is The Rolex Root Beer Discontinued

The Rolex Root Beer is currently in production at Rolex manufacturing facilities. The current Rolex Root Beer in production is reference 126711CHNR.

Is The Rolex Root Beer A Good Investment

The Rolex Root Beer is considered to be a good investment watch considering that they can be purchased new at $15,250 MSRP and selling anywhere between $20,000-$24,000 on the pre-owned market. Even vintage Rolex Root Beer references can be found selling for $14,000 on Chrono24 which is almost at the MSRP of todays current reference.

Rolex Root Beer GMT Image Gallery