Rolex Pepsi, Is it discontinued?

There are rumors circulating in overseas watch communities that production of the Ref. 126710BLRO, The popular model representing the Rolex GMT-Master 2 and also known as ‘Pepsi’, Has decreased. Some watch influencers are even predicting its discontinuation.

Ref. 126710BLRO © Watchclub

Basically, The GMT-Master 2 is produced in smaller quantities than the Submariner, So its premium does not easily drop. We looked into where these discontinuation rumors originated.

Why are people talking about the ‘Pepsi’ being discontinued?

Although the credibility of the rumors about bezel production issues and the actual production numbers of the ‘Pepsi’ cannot be confirmed, A consistent topic has been discussed in global watch communities since last March. According to rumors, The blue and red ceramic bezel, Which is known for its difficult manufacturing process, Is facing problems during production. As the blue-red combination is the signature color of the GMT-Master line, Demand for the GMT-Master 2 is the highest, And the premium for unworn watches sometimes exceeds twice the retail price.

Posts about discontinuation rumors in overseas online communities/forums

Even well-known watch influencers and user-based forums such as Rolex Forums and Watchuseek have been abuzz with the ‘Pepsi’ discontinuation rumor. The main reason for the rapid spread of the rumor is none other than notifications from official dealers. Dealers have commonly announced that the ‘Pepsi’ should be removed from wishlists, Which fueled the discontinuation rumor. Some YouTubers have even boldly claimed to have obtained information directly from insiders. However, Speculation is just speculation. Rolex has not made any official announcement regarding this, Nor has it provided official data on the decrease in ‘Pepsi’ production.

Is the GMT-Master 2 ‘Pepsi’
really difficult to make?

There was a period when the blue-red bezel GMT-Master 2 was discontinued as Rolex transitioned the bezels of its professional models from aluminum to ceramic. When Rolex first created its proprietary ceramic, "Cerachrom", Long-time fans will remember that the honor of being the first ceramic bezel GMT-Master 2 model did not go to the ‘Pepsi’ but to the black version. The Ref. 116718LN, Released in 2005, Was also Rolex's first ceramic bezel watch. After that, The GMT-Master 2 was produced only with single-color bezels until 2013.

116718LN, 116710BLNR © BobsWatches

After eight years of research, Rolex released the Ref. 116710BLNR, The world’s first ceramic bezel with two colors. It took another year after the release of this model, Known as ‘Batman’, For the ‘Pepsi’ to make its comeback. The blue-red ceramic took about 15 years of effort. The color combination, Completed after 15 years of R&D, Quickly became a popular model thanks to enthusiastic support from enthusiasts.

GMT-Master 2 116718LN

40mm, Black, Oyster

GMT-Master 2 116713LN

40mm, Black, Oyster

GMT-Master 2 116710LN

40mm, Black, Oyster

Does the discontinuation of ‘Pepsi’ mean the return of ‘Coke’?

With the discontinuation rumor of the ‘Pepsi’, A few Rolex enthusiasts are predicting the return of the GMT-Master 2 ‘Coke’, Which enjoys popularity comparable to the ‘Pepsi’. ‘Coke’ is the first color of the GMT-Master 2.

Ref. 16710 GMT Master 2 Coke / © Montro

The restrained look of black and red offers a different charm from the ‘Pepsi’, And this color combination has built a solid fan base through its long production period (1989~2007). However, Since the core of the rumor is that it is difficult to achieve red on a dual-color ceramic bezel and the failure rate is high, There is insufficient basis to expect a major comeback of the cult-favorite ‘Coke’.

If it is discontinued?

There would likely be no consumers welcoming the discontinuation of the ‘Pepsi’. If the most popular current GMT-Master 2 model is discontinued, It will not be available at official retail, And prices in the resale market will soar. The ‘Pepsi’, Which has maintained strong value in the resale market, Was traded for 35 to 40 million KRW until two years ago. For unworn pieces, The asking price is still in the 30 million KRW range, And if it is actually discontinued, This could become the real transaction price.

GMT-Master 2 126710BLRO

40mm, Black, Jubilee

GMT-Master 2 126710BLRO

40mm, Black, Oyster

We look forward to seeing whether the truth of this rumor will be revealed at next year’s Watches and Wonders, Where Rolex’s new releases and discontinuations are announced.