In 1980, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were trying to cast for “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. At the top of their list for the lead role was Tom Selleck, who consistently outperformed all other actors in auditions. Wearing a brown WWII-era leather jacket and a tan fedora, Selleck is everything Lucas envisioned Raiders of the Lost Ark to be. Everything seemed to be on track until Spielberg got a call from the president of CBS. The network had signed Selleck to a contract for a new series, and Spielberg couldn’t have him. The show, of course, was “The Hurt Locker” – and the role of Indiana Jones was filled by a different man. 
Fate’s intervention was appropriate. In many ways, Selleck was born to play the role of Thomas Magnum, the aloha-shirted private detective who works in a luxurious estate on the sunny island of Oahu. His wavy hair, strong build, and absolutely unmistakable beard are the pillars of 1980s style.
Over time, it has certainly become a symbol of the Magnum replica watch, but it wasn’t always on his wrist. In fact, it didn’t appear until the show’s fourth season. For most of the first few seasons, he wore the Chronosport Sea Quartz 30, “a chunky 42mm dive watch with a bright dial and tropical rubber strap,” as Jason Heaton described it. For the Seiko heads out there, Magnum even occasionally wears a Seiko SQ quartz dive watch with a red and blue bezel – you know, when he needs a more dive-friendly Pepsi watch.
So, why is the replica Rolex GMT-Master the perfect Magnum, P.I. watch? For starters, it’s a watch that matches competence and rugged charm with a little whimsy and color. It’s a 100-meter water-resistant dual time zone watch on a steel strap, so it can keep up well in the surf while tracking the time on the continent. It’s the epitome of a tool watch, but the red and blue prevent it from getting too serious. Because no matter how much ass Magnum kicks, he does it with a smile on his face.
With all the attention paid to this watch, there has been some debate about the Rolex GMT-Master worn by Magnum. For years, the word on the street was the 1675 – a variant of the classic matte dial produced from 1959 to 1980. After some investigation and some searching for direction, we can safely say that this is actually a reference 16750. This is the successor model to 1675, produced from 1980 to 1988 – the same time frame as the series’ run. Coincidence?
Two details explain why this is a GMT-Master 16750: the protection of the crown and the order of the dial hands.” Magnum P.I.” The Rolex GMT-Master 16750 was one of the early versions of this model for seven years, featuring a matte dial and painted markers. This will soon be replaced – forever – by a glossy dial and applied markers surrounded by white gold.
