Rolex
Reference 1675 GMT-Master 'Nipple Dial' | A yellow gold automatic dual time zone wristwatch with date and bracelet, Owned and screen worn by Peter Fonda in Easy Rider (1969), Circa 1966
Auction Closed
June 15, 08:08 PM GMT
Estimate
50,000 - 100,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Dial: brown
Caliber: cal. 1570 automatic, 26 jewels
Movement number: D'325'181
Case: 18k yellow gold, screw down case back
Case number: 1'467'537
Closure: 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster bracelet with folding clasp
Size: 40 mm diameter, bracelet circumference is approximately 175 mm
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: Heritage Auctions Certificate of Sale confirming that the present lot was acquired directly from actor Peter Fonda; the piece was originally offered in Heritage’s Music and Entertainment Memorabilia Auction held on October 6, 2007, and one additional 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster bracelet
Weight: approximately 128.50 g
“What you represent to them is freedom.”
The present Rolex GMT‑Master reference 1675 was owned and worn by Peter Fonda. Though Fonda owned this Rolex for decades as his personal watch, it famously appears in the opening sequence of Easy Rider (1969). More than a mere prop, the watch forms part of one of the most enduring visual narratives of twentieth-century cinema, appearing on Fonda’s wrist as the film’s countercultural journey begins – an image that has since become inseparable from the mythology of the American road movie.
Introduced in the early 1960s, the reference 1675 represents one of Rolex’s most recognizable and versatile tool watches, designed for travelers through its dual‑time functionality. The present example, rendered in 18k yellow gold and fitted with the distinctive “nipple” dial, exemplifies the heightened luxury interpretation of this otherwise utilitarian model. Importantly, this early gold Ref. 1675 features a case without crown guards. Its warm brown dial, paired with applied conical hour markers, reflects a short‑lived and highly charismatic aesthetic direction within Rolex production.
While the GMT‑Master was originally conceived for professional use, its adoption here by Peter Fonda underscores its transition into an emblem of personal expression in the late 1960s. In Easy Rider, the watch stands in contrast to the film’s themes of rebellion and freedom. This juxtaposition only enhances its appeal, elevating the watch from functional instrument to cultural artifact.
The present watch is further distinguished by its direct provenance. Acquired from Peter Fonda and accompanied by documentation confirming its sale through Heritage Auctions, it remains one of the very few known watches with unequivocal ties to the production of Easy Rider.