950
Rolex
Ref. 1655
Explorer II
A rare stainless steel dual time wristwatch with sweep center seconds, date, bracelet and presentation box
- Estimate
- HK$60,000 - 100,000€6,600 - 11,000$7,700 - 12,800
HK$156,250
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- Circa 1975
- Reference No
- 1655
- Movement No
- D’218’608
- Case No
- 3’985’040
- Model Name
- Explorer II
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped 78360, endlinks stamped 580, max length 190mm
- Clasp/Buckle
- Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp
- Dimensions
- 39 mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
- Accessories
- With international service guarantees dated 1 May 2005, Rolex green leather fitted presentation box, outer packaging and service invoices dated 15 July 2011.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
Launched in 1971, the Explorer II was born to offer a fresh, contemporary twist to the original, existing Explorer line. Created as a versatile aide for adventurous explorers, the bright orange luminous 24-hour triangle tipped hand catches the light at any angle and glow under any condition.
Due to the limited demographic demands for such unique, specialized timepieces back then, as a result very little examples were sold. Reference 1655 is considered even more rare in the collection of Rolex sport watches. On an intriguing note, reference 1655 is also nicknamed the ‘Steve McQueen’. Although there is no concrete evidence and merely considered an urban legend, this timepiece is well-known in the horological world with this playful connotation.
Due to the limited demographic demands for such unique, specialized timepieces back then, as a result very little examples were sold. Reference 1655 is considered even more rare in the collection of Rolex sport watches. On an intriguing note, reference 1655 is also nicknamed the ‘Steve McQueen’. Although there is no concrete evidence and merely considered an urban legend, this timepiece is well-known in the horological world with this playful connotation.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.
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