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The Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR AKA The Sprite Everything You Need To Know

UPDATED JUNE 2024

Welcome, Timelords! Today, we are running through the must-read information behind the fantastic Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR. In 2022 Rolex unveiled reference 126720, nicknamed the “Sprite Jubilee''. This GMT-Master II variant closely follows their predecessors in terms of their design, but is strengthened with the fantastic Calibre 3285.

Originally released in 1982, The Rolex GMT-Master II is a sublime collection that continues to grow and develop. Featuring watches like the Root Beer, The Pepsi and The Batman, the collection has kept the colours new and the nicknames as fresh as a daisy.

But perhaps the most iconic model is the Rolex Sprite GMT, as it adds a pop culture pzazz to the distinctly vintage, yet wonderfully masculine Rolex GMT-Master 2.

Set for anything and suitable for many special occasions, The Rolex Sprite GMT takes the brilliance of the GMT-Master II, and adds a few subtle alterations that give the Moonswatch a run for its money. Oooh…perhaps Omega and Swatch might drop a new green Sprite GMT version in 2024! T

his might include placing the crown on the left hand side as per the current 126720VTNR, allowing it to be accessible to the left-handers among us.

Let’s not expose too much, too soon. Let’s have a look at the glorious GMT Sprite Jubilee in detail.

Source - Rolex

Why Is The Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II 126720VTNR So Popular?

Excellent question! Possibly more than a Richard Mille drop (not quite), there’s a lot of interest and excitement around this specific Rolex Sprite. This is largely in part because of the unorthodox design following the crown being on the left hand side of the case. This is a perfect adaptation to such a traditionally good looking watch.

Source - Rolex Magazine

Furthermore, the date aperture with cyclops lens on the Sprite GMT is actually on the left-hand side where the 9 should be, opposing the standard positioning at 3 o’clock. One of the most exciting adaptations is of course the brilliant green and black bezel that surrounds the dial of the GMT Sprite Jubilee.

The two-tone Cerachrom bezel is fitted with a green and black ceramic insert that houses a 24-hour graduated bezel. Us devoted horophiles are over the moon by the GMT functionality of the bezel as it links in with the extra hour hand to determine multiple AM and PM times.

On the other hand, we are sent into raptures by the Rolex Sprite Jubilee aesthetic. The combination of green and black links directly with the Sprite colour scheme, adding an extra collectability factor to the watches.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual GMT-Master II 126720VTNR Specifications Table

Rolex Daytona 116520 Specifications
Case diameter	40mm
Main materials	Oystersteel
Bracelet	Choice of Oyster or Jubilee bracelet
Functions	12-hr chrono, running seconds and Chrono minutes
Dial	Black with Chromalight display, hours are dots, 12 is a triangle, 6 is a baton
Movement & crystal	Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding, 3285 calibre
Bezel	Bidirectional 24-hour graduated bezel
Water Resistance	100m (330ft)

What Year Did The GMT-Master II 126720VTNR Come Into Production?

The 126720VTNR was introduced in 2022, and brought with it a lot of excitement for “lefty” horophiles. Left-handed watches are extremely rare, meaning its release brought a lot of interest, especially since it’s linked with The Sprite brand.

While we can appreciate the alterated watches trying to accommodate to the “lefties”, the GMT-Master II Sprite is powered by an automatic movement, meaning the left handed crown is rendered worthless for winding the watch. We won’t hold this against the Rolex Sprite GMT.

Nevertheless, it’s good to have the intricate details mirrored onto the left wrist, if for appearances and cool design vibes only!

What Does VTNR Mean?

If you’ve taken the time to run through each digit of the 126720VTNR reference, you may be confused by the VTNR at the end of the reference number.

In this case, the letters represent “Verte Noir”, or “green black” in French. What is it with Rolex GMT Master II watches and the language of love? Well, one thing is for certain, Sprite GMT has a certain je ne sais quoi for those wanting to buy a Rolex.

These colours link to the dominant colours of the watch, particularly on the dial and the bezel. The watch face is black and the bezel is black and green, a colour scheme that’s only available on left-handed references. And if you want to know your VTNR from your BLRO, here is our handy bezel colourways table so you can buy with confidence.

Letter Name	Letter Meaning	Watch Examples
LN	Lunette Noire - Black Bezel	Submariner Date 126613LN
LV	Lunette Verte - Green Bezel	Submariner 16610LV
LB	Lunette Bleue - Blue Bezel	Submariner Date 116613LB
CHNR	Chocolat Noir - Black/Brown Bezel	GMT-Master II 126711CHNR
BLNR	Bleu/Noir - Blue/Black Bezel	GMT-Master II 126710BLNR (Batgirl)
BLRO	Bleu/Rouge - Blue/Red Bezel	GMT-Master II 126710BLRO (Pepsi)
SARU	Saphirs/Rubis - Bezel Fitted With Sapphires and Rubies	GMT-Master II 116758SARU
SANR	Saphirs Noir - Bezel Fitted With Baguette Cut Black Sapphire and Diamonds	GMT-Master II 116758SANR
SABR	Saphirs/Brilliants - Sapphires/ Diamonds	Rolex Submariner Date 116659SABR
RBOW	Rainbow Multi Coloured Sapphires	Rolex Daytona 116595RBOW
GV	Glace Verte - Green Crystal	Rolex Milgauss 116400GV
SA	Bezel Set With Sapphires	Rolex GMT-Master II 116758SA

What Does Rolex GMT Stand For?

The Rolex GMT harks back to 1955 upon the release of the GMT-Master. Released in a now iconic red and blue bezel design, they have a 24 hour graduated scale that’s split into AM on the upper red portion of the bezel, and a blue segment for the PM lower section.

The GMT functionality is operated thanks to an added 24 hour hand which ensures you can read multiple time zones that can be measured in conjunction with the bezel.

Rolex went one step further in 1982 by introducing a new movement that allowed the hour hand to be set independently to the other hands, ensuring immense precision when conducting any changes to the GMT hand.

Special Features Of The Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR

The association with the GMT-Master II collection allows the reference to feature an added arrow-tipped hand that travels the watch face once every 24 hours. This works alongside a bidirectional 24-hour graduated bezel.

Source - Bloomberg

Multiple time zones on the Sprite watch can be read by operating the hands alongside the bezel. The extra 24-hour hand gives the time at home. For travelling, the local time can be set by the hour, without moving the minute or seconds hands. Timelords, gone are the days when you had to alter the crown endlessly through the hours and minutes.

The GMT Sprite’s hour hand can be corrected forwards or backwards. As an example, this means you could move the time from 9 o’clock to 7 o’clock by switching it back 2 hours instead of having to wind the crown forward 10 hours. Very handy!

The crystal is treated so that it’s non-reflective and scratch-resistant. The date aperture is fitted with a signature Cyclops eye that enhances its legibility.

Is The GMT-Master II 126720VTNR A Good Investment?

The Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR is given a retail price of £9,450 as of December 2023. The reference is given a number of enticing features which are highly addictive to horophiles including a left-handed crown, pop-culture links to The Sprite brand via the bezel, and a Superlative Chronometer certified movement that we have seen as a fail safe guarantee of precision on the GMT Sprite and other similar watches.

These are just a number of reasons as to why the 2023 GMT-Master II 126720VTNR yields a secondary market value of upwards of £14,000…as of December 2023. Representing a value increase of around 48%, this is an impressive profit on a reference that’s only been on the market for a year.

Assuming you can obtain a brand new Sprite GMT from a retailer, this could be a fantastic investment.

Is The Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR Worth The Hype?

The Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR is absolutely worth the hype!

Coming in at 40mm of Oyster Steel, these wondrous watches are crafted in the classic Oyster shape with a monobloc middle case with a screw-down case back with the iconic left handed crown. Rolex’s Oyster Steel is a brilliant adaptation on steel as it only uses the famed 904L steel material, one of the highest grade steel materials around, all produced from their own foundries.

You can expect to see this material flying high in the aerospace industry.

The Rolex Sprite is given a gorgeous black dial face which undergoes a chromalight display to promote the pure luminescence of the chunky hour markers and hands. The sporty aesthetic is given a jolt of colour via the GMT Sprite bezel.

Instantly recognizable and given a reputable nickname, the green and black Cerachrom bezel is not only built to last, but gives these luxury watches a unique selling point, as well as the left handed crown and date aperture at 9 o’clock.

Best Alternatives To The Rolex GMT Sprite

Model	Reference	Price (as of June 2024)
Tudor Black Bay GMT	MT5652	£3,780
Cartier De Santos Dual Time	CRWSS10076	Not Yet Determined
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time	5164G	£54,000
Bell & Ross BR 03-93 GMT Black	BR0393-BL-ST/SCA	£3,800
Blancpain GMT Date	6662 1127 MMB	£14,400
Chopard L.U.C GMT One Black	168579-3004	£11,800
Grand Seiko Elegance	SBGM221	£4,550
H. Moser & Cie Heritage Dual Time	8809-1200	Around £17,000
Hublot Big Bang UNICO Orange Ceramic	441.CU.5910.RX	£25,400

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Is A Rolex Sprite Retail?

You can buy a Rolex GMT Master 2 Sprite at retail for £9,450 at the time of writing. However, if you find that you don’t wish to sit on the 1 to 2 year waitlist for a GMT-Master II timepiece (perhaps even longer for this highly desirable variation!), you can source one on the secondary market for upwards of £14,000 as of December 2023.

Why Is It Called Rolex Sprite?

The Sprite Rolex watch gleans its nickname from the green and black bezel. Rolex has a habit of gleaning a number of nicknames, including the “Pepsi” from a red and blue GMT bezel, “Hulk” or "Starbucks” ref 126610LV due to the green dial and bezel on a Submariner, and The “Root Beer'' which has a black and brown ceramic insert in the GMT-Master II bezel.

What Does GMT Stand For?

GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time, a type of time zone that relates to the local mean time at The Royal Observatory based in Greenwich, London. In terms of watchmaking, GMT is a complication that is perfect for the travelling people who need to read multiple times at once.

This is precisely the reason why many choose to buy a Rolex Sprite GMT which ticks many horological boxes.

So, if you started in London and jetted off to Dubai, they are GMT +4 meaning you would need to add 4 hours on the watch in order to read the time in Dubai. If you decided to fly from London to view the first capital of the USA, Philadelphia, you would need to take off -5 hours in order to read the time.

Is Rolex GMT Sprite A Good Investment?

The Rolex GMT Sprite is without question a great investment for a number of reasons:

Unorthodox left-handed crown
Links to popular Sprite brand via the green and black bezel
Date aperture is situated at 3 o’clock as opposed to 9 o’clock.
Top notch durability to withstand generations

Watches that are associated with famous brands or cultural figures tend to perform very well. Below are a few examples of famed nicknames and associations across the horological universe:

Brand	Model	Nickname - Reason	Retail	Secondary Market
Audemars Piguet	Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon	Black Panther figurine crafted out of white gold on the dial face.	Capped at 250 pieces - Plan An Appointment To Discuss Price	Upwards of £250,000 as of December 2023.
Audemars Piguet	Royal Oak Spider-Man	Features a figurine of Spider-Man in the middle of the dial face.	Limited to 250 pieces - Plan An Appointment	Upwards of £173,000 as of December 2023
Rolex	Daytona 6239	Paul Newman - Associated and worn with famed actor Paul Newman who received it as a gift from his wife, Joanne Woodward with the words “Drive Carefully Me” inscribed on the caseback and exotic dial face.	Discontinued	Paul Newman's model sold for upwards of £14 million. The 6239 with the exotic dial sells for upwards of £407,000 as of December 2023.
Rolex	Submariner 116619LB	Smurf - The Cerachrom bezel is given bright blue platinum inserts which matches the lacquered blue dial face.	Discontinued	Upwards of £26,000 as of December 2023.

Is The Rolex Sprite Only Left Handed?

It can be worn on the left wrist, but you may find it digs into the wrist. The Rolex Sprite GMT has the unique design of having the crown on the left hand side, alongside the date aperture in order for more comfort for left handed people.

Is Rolex A Good Investment In 2023?

Rolex has been and continues to remain a brilliant investment for every keen horophile or enthusiast under the sun.

Rolex has built up an incredible reputation over the years since their inception in 1905. For more than a century, they have continued to evolve and be at the forefront of achievement thanks to Hans Wilsdorf.

From becoming the first watchmaker to earn chronometer certification in 1910, to all of their watches having Superlative Chronometer certification, ensuring precision even better than that of COSC certified models.

The release of the Oyster design in 1926 alongside one of the first diving watches, The Submariner, in 1926 shows Rolex’s ability to produce incredibly durable watches, alongside those that are very complicated like the Rolex GMT-Master in 1954 which shows two time zones at once and The Rolex Day-Date that can change the day and date in 1956.

One gent who we know that loves the collection is Tom Brady’s who adorns both the platinum Day-Date 228206 with an Arabic dial and the gorgeous puzzle dial Day-Date 128235.

Rolex creates everything in house. And boy do we mean everything! From releasing their own materials like Everose Gold and Rolesor, they have continued to release exceptional in-house movements to make everything about the watches authentic and purely Rolex including the epic 126720VTNR.

Rolex releases around 1 million watches per year which may seem like a lot, but the demand vastly supersedes the supply, resulting in a waitlist stemming from 6 to 12 months for the Submariner and even 5 years for the Daytona.

The Genevan giant is worn by every manner of celebrity, including movie icons like Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Drake and Presidents like Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy and Winston Churchill.

Is A Second Hand Rolex A Good Investment?

Yes, Rolex watches are one of the few brands that have the capability to not only retain their value, but also have them increase! Due to their prestige, status symbol and associations with wealth, the brand is certainly worth investing in on the pre-owned market.

Not only will they be more accessible, but it also gives you the opportunity to check out discontinued or vintage references which are the most likely to excel in terms of resale value. Those that are still in production perform very well. Below you will find a grid that shows the retail prices alongside just some of the secondary values:

Model	Reference	Price (Retail)	Price (Secondary Market)	Percentage Increase
Submariner	124060	£7,700	Upwards of £8,100 as of December 2023	5%
GMT-Master II	126710BLRO	£9,150	Upwards of £14,900 as of December 2023	62%
Explorer	224270	£6,450	Upwards of £7,200 as of December 2023	11%
Daytona	126500LN (White Dial)	£12,700	Upwards of £29,500 as of December 2023	132%
Day-Date 36mm	128238	£32,050	Upwards of £35,000 as of December 2023	9%

Best Place To Buy A Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR?

If you’re looking to buy a Rolex GMT-Master II 126720, the first place to go for all your purchasing needs is Chrono Hunter. We have their finger on the pulse of the luxury watch industry. Our relationships with well-established and trustworthy watch retailers make it quick and easy to source the watch reference you’re looking for.

If you’re looking to sell a Rolex, or any other luxury watch across major luxury brands like Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, Omega, Cartier and Vacheron Constantin , Chrono Hunter can assist with your sale request too.

Enjoy no-obligation appraisals to ascertain the true value of your watch, and if you’re happy to proceed, you can put out a selling request via our dedicated app or our online form to our exclusive network of dealers. Time to sit back and receive multiple offers where you can choose which deal to accept and what is the best offer that suits.

All that remains is to conclude the purchase or sale directly with the retailer in the most securely possible environment.

Conclusion

The Rolex GMT-Master 126720VTNR came as a big surprise in 2022 and is still causing a lot of furore among watch collectors. It has all the components of any Rolex watch, including the excellent quality, sleekness and overt style. What makes it different is the crown and date aperture being on the left side of the watch case instead of on the right.

And that’s what makes many enthusiasts' hairsprings stand on end. The watch is otherwise identical to previous references like the “Pepsi” 126710BLRO and “Batgirl” 126710BLNR, aside for the opposing bezel colours.

Quite a few sports celebrities have been spotted wearing this watch, including Rolex Ambassador Roger Federer and several star footballers like Declan Rice, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Karim Benzema. This helps drive added excitement and focus on such an unusual reference.

Finally, the Sprite GMT is novel for the lefty-ness of it and at the time of writing is looking like one of the best Rolex investment watches to buy right now.

Want to quench your thirst and buy a Rolex Sprite? Want to get down with a sporty piece or travel the world while enhancing your GMT time keeping ability? We recommend you take a moment to chat to Chrono Hunter here.

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