A 2018 preview described a Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675 linked to Dutch-born Australian serviceman Sgt. David Willem Scheele and scheduled for auction at Dutch auction house De Ruiter on March 8, 2018. The preview reported a Hong Kong purchase in 1969 and detailed the watch’s condition, but the available record does not establish whether it sold or its realized price.
What De Ruiter’s 2018 auction preview reported
Fratello published its preview on March 7, 2018, ahead of the scheduled March 8 sale. It identified the lot as a Rolex GMT-Master reference 1675 associated with Sgt. David Willem Scheele, a Dutch-born Australian serviceman. The story is a historical auction account, not a current listing.
According to Fratello, Scheele enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1964, joined the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam in March 1969, and was attached to the 2nd Mobile Strike Force, 5th Special Forces Group. Those biographical details are as reported in the preview.
The reported provenance—and what it does not prove
Fratello said Scheele bought the watch in Hong Kong on August 23, 1969, between missions. It also reported that a personal number was engraved on the watch to identify it as his, and that original documents and booklets or certificates accompanied the lot. These are provenance claims reported in the 2018 preview; they should not be treated as independently authenticated proof based on that account alone.
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Condition details in the preview
The 2018 article described the watch as technically functioning after service to its caliber 1575 movement. It said an original Rolex GMT-Master plexiglass had been installed, with original parts retained, and characterized the dial as original and unrestored. Fratello described the case as cleaned but not polished or altered. These are the preview’s condition statements, not findings from a present-day inspection.
- Hands: Described as original Rolex hands, though the article allowed that they might have been changed during an earlier service.
- Box: A box was included, but Fratello expressed doubt that it was original.
- Bracelet and straps: The original steel bracelet was no longer with the watch. The article speculated it may have been worn out or discarded. It said an army-fabric strap was supplied and that catalog images showed a better-fitting leather NATO-style strap.
A modern strap should not be presented as original to the watch. Anyone considering a replacement would need to verify the particular watch’s fit and lug width; the preview does not establish a specific strap specification or product.
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- Fits Rolex GMT Models: This bezel insert is compatible with Rolex GMT models including 1670, 1675, 16750, 16750-6, and 16753. Ensure compatibility with your watch before purchasing. Accurate measurements are essential for a proper fit.
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What is known about the auction result
The preview gives the scheduled sale date, March 8, 2018, but the available information does not establish whether the lot sold or what price it achieved. No sale result or realized price should be inferred from the scheduled auction or from later auction activity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the 1675 fits the GMT-Master family
This lot was identified as a GMT-Master reference 1675, not a GMT-Master II. Rolex’s official history places the GMT-Master II’s introduction in 1982 and discusses later bezel developments, including Cerachrom; that model-family history is useful context but does not change the identity of the 1675 described in the preview. Rolex’s GMT-Master II history.
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- Material: Stainless Steel
- LACAK Steel Watch Bezel Insert compatible with Rolex GMT-Master II Watch
- Fit for Model Number: 16710A; 16710B; 16710N; 16700; 16750; 1675; 18046...
- Quantity: 1 piece
- Note: This watch part is top-quality brand new aftermarket replacement product. Please do not confuse them with genuine part.
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