Quick answer

A fake Rolex 16710 Pepsi is a counterfeit of the GMT-Master II reference 16710 with the red and blue aluminum bezel insert. Rolex built the real reference from 1989 to 2007. Counterfeits copy the colors and the 40 mm case shape, then fail on the movement, the dial print, the bezel insert font, and the caseback stamping. In the United States, importing or reselling one breaks federal trademark law, and Rolex will not service it. No authorized watchmaker can get parts for it.

What the real 16710 Pepsi is

  • Reference 16710 GMT-Master II, produced roughly 1989 to 2007
  • 40 mm stainless steel case with an aluminum 24-hour bezel insert
  • Blue from 18:00 to 06:00, red from 06:00 to 18:00, split at the 6 and 18 markers
  • Sapphire crystal, an Oyster bracelet, and the 3185 or later 3186 caliber
  • Tritium lume on older dials, Luminova and then Super-LumiNova on later ones

How to check a watch that is offered as a 16710 Pepsi

  1. Ask the seller for the reference and serial numbers engraved between the lugs at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock, and match the case date code to the bracelet clasp code.
  2. Turn the bezel and read the insert: real aluminum inserts have thin, even numerals, a sharp click at each 24-hour stop, and a clean color seam with no paint bleed.
  3. Set the crown to the first position and check that the hour hand jumps on its own while the minute and second hands stay still, since that GMT function is the part counterfeit movements fake worst.
  4. Inspect the cyclops lens at an angle: the genuine part magnifies about 2.5 times and shows no blue tint or distortion ring.
  5. Look at the dial print under a loupe for the crown coronet, the GMT-MASTER II line, and the depth rating, which on fakes run thick, soft, or uneven.
  6. Check the caseback inside for a stamped 16710 reference and a date code that matches the case, then hand the watch to a watchmaker who has opened Rolex cases before.

The legal and practical risk

Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. 2320. A first offense can bring up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine for an individual. Customs officers seize counterfeit watches at the border, and the personal-use excuse does not protect an import. Resale is the bigger exposure, because a buyer who learns the watch is fake can report it. On top of the legal side, a counterfeit 16710 Pepsi has no service path: Rolex refuses it, parts are not sold, and any repair is done with mystery components by whoever will touch it. Resale value is close to zero.

If you want the look

Buy a genuine 16710 on the used market with box and papers, or pick a legitimate GMT watch from Tudor, Seiko, or Longines. Those hold value, keep a warranty, and pass through a customs checkpoint without a problem.