Rolex GMT-Master II Root Beer 126711CHNR

GMT-Master II Root Beer 126711CHNR specifications

On paper, this is a 40 mm Oyster case with 100 m water resistance and a 70-hour movement. In practice, the gold bezel, crown and centre links make it wear warmer and slightly heavier than the steel GMT-Master II 126710BLNR. Rolex does not publish the case thickness, so we leave that row out rather than guess.

Specifications checked against Rolex and independent references, October 2026. MYR figures marked ≈ are converted at 4.08 MYR per USD.

History and reference evolution

A 1970s colour scheme in a 2018 case

Collectors coined "Root Beer" for the brown-and-black two-tone GMT-Master ref. 1675 of the 1970s. That watch used an aluminium insert, which faded unevenly over time. Rolex revived the colours at Baselworld 2018, this time in two metals. The 126711CHNR is the Everose Rolesor version. Its sibling, the Everose Root Beer 126715CHNR, is solid 18 kt Everose.

The suffix is usually read as brown and black, from the French chocolat and noir. So the reference tells you the bezel colours, while the final digit 1 tells you the metal: steel mixed with Everose gold. Our reference number decoder explains the full system.

What changed from the vintage brown bezel

There is no direct predecessor in the modern catalogue, so the useful comparison is with the old 1675. Three changes matter. First, the insert is now Cerachrom, a single ceramic piece in two colours. It will not fade, and the brown should look identical in 2026 as on delivery. Second, the gold is Everose, Rolex's own pink alloy, rather than yellow gold. Third, the movement is calibre 3285, one of the first GMT calibres with a 70-hour reserve.

Calibre 3285 lets you jump the local hour hand in one-hour steps without stopping the watch. The date follows that hand, forwards or backwards. For a traveller, that means setting local time on landing at KLIA takes seconds. For value, it means a modern service interval and parts that Rolex will support for decades.

One bracelet, one dial

Rolex has kept this reference simple. It comes with a black dial, pink-gold hands and hour-marker surrounds, and an Oyster bracelet only. That matters when you shop. A listing with a Jubilee or a different dial is either a swap or a problem. By contrast, the steel GMTs come in several bracelet variants, so buyers there must check sub-references more carefully.

The watch remains in production in October 2026. Its US list price is US$20,050 and the Malaysian list is RM87,100. Because it is current, there is no discontinuation premium yet. Therefore any price above the band below is paying for convenience, not scarcity.

126711CHNR pre-owned prices compared

Bands reflect asking and achieved prices from 3 public market sources in October 2026, rounded. Retail for comparison: US$20,050. Prices move; use them as a sense-check, not a quote.

What moves the price of this reference

The card date matters more here than on most Rolesor watches. Sets dated 2025 or 2026 ask about US$23,000 to US$25,000. By contrast, 2021-era sets sit nearer US$20,800. The gap reflects warranty time left and the tidy condition of a nearly new watch.

Condition of the Everose centre links comes next. Gold is softer than Oystersteel, so the polished centre links show desk scratches within weeks. A dealer can polish them, but every pass removes gold and rounds the edges. Look closely at the link ends near the clasp; that is where wear shows first.

The bezel also needs a look. The brown half of the insert shows scratches and scuffs more visibly than the black half. Ceramic is very hard, yet it can still pick up marks or chip if knocked. A chipped insert means a costly replacement, so price that in.

Finally, two-tone appeal is narrower than steel. That caps the premium. In short, this is a watch you buy to wear, not one you buy to resell next year.

Where to check prices for the Root Beer

Start with the authorised dealer list price: RM87,100 in Malaysia, or US$20,050 in the US. Next, check grey dealers in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong. Their asking prices for excellent sets currently run US$20,500 – US$22,800, or roughly RM84,000 to RM93,000. That overlap with the Malaysian list is unusual, and it tells you something useful.

Marketplace listings on Chrono24, Mudah or the Lowyat forum show asking prices, not sales. So treat the lowest listing as a starting point for questions, not a market price. Auction results are thin for a current two-tone reference, so they help less here. For a wider view, our used Rolex prices guide explains how to read each source.

When a price is too good to be true

The polished or aftermarket band starts around US$16,000. So a 126711CHNR offered with box and papers below about US$16,000, or roughly RM65,000, needs a hard look. The usual explanations are a plated clone, a replaced bezel or bracelet, or a stolen watch. Ask for the serial, the card and a timegrapher reading before you transfer any money.

Genuine vs replica: how to check a 126711CHNR

The Root Beer is a common clone target because two-tone is easy to fake with plating. Most tells come down to gold, ceramic and engraving. The checks below suit this reference in particular.

The gold should be gold all the way through

Everose is a solid pink-gold alloy. On a genuine watch, it never shows a brassy or yellow cast, and wear exposes more gold, not steel. On a plated fake, the edges of the centre links and the crown often go silvery first. Check the crown guards, the bezel edge and the link ends under a loupe. Also compare the hands and marker surrounds with the bezel; all should share the same pink tone.

Bezel, rehaut and crystal

The insert is one ceramic piece. The brown should look warm and even, with no patchy or purple tones. Numerals are moulded, not printed, so they stay sharp at an angle. Turn the bezel both ways; it should click 24 times with no play.

Next, read the rehaut. The serial number sits at 6 o'clock within the repeating ROLEX engraving. The letters should line up with the minute track, not drift. Then tilt the watch in good light to find the tiny laser-etched coronet in the crystal at 6 o'clock.

Finally, set the local hour hand backwards past midnight. On calibre 3285 the date should step back too. Many clones now copy this, so a pass proves little; a fail, however, settles the matter.

What only a watchmaker can confirm

A watchmaker can open the solid, plain caseback and check the movement. They should find calibre 3285, a blue Parachrom hairspring and the Chronergy escapement. They can also check the reference engraving between the lugs at 12 o'clock and the serial at 6 o'clock. In Malaysia, the Rolex service centre in Kuala Lumpur or a trusted independent can do this. Our real vs fake Rolex guide covers the full checklist.

Who the 126711CHNR suits, and the alternatives

This watch suits someone who wants a travel GMT with warmth but not yellow gold. The brown bezel works well with tan, olive and navy clothing. It also suits a lot of skin tones that yellow gold can overpower. At 40 mm, it wears comfortably on wrists from about 16 to 19 cm (6.3 to 7.5 in).

It suits buyers less well if resale is the priority. Steel GMTs carry bigger premiums, while two-tone premiums stay small. That said, the small premium is also the point: you can own the watch near list price.

Sibling references worth comparing

If you want the same colours in solid gold, see the Everose 126715CHNR. For yellow gold with a grey bezel, see the 126713GRNR. And if you are still deciding between a GMT and a diver, read Submariner vs GMT-Master II. For the same metal mix in a sailing watch, the Yacht-Master 126621 is the closest relative.

• 

  GMT-Master II 126715CHNR

  Solid Everose GMT. Black dial trades under list; the tiger iron dial asks well above it.

  Retail US$53,100 · Pre-owned US$42,500 – US$47,500

• 

  GMT-Master II 126713GRNR

  Steel and yellow gold GMT, grey and black bezel, Jubilee. Holds a small premium over list.

  Retail US$20,450 · Pre-owned US$22,000 – US$24,500

126711CHNR FAQ