The real purpose of the Explorer II

[Solo118]

I never knew this, And its quite interesting to know that there is actually a difference between the GMT II and the Explorer II... I always thought it was just a fixed bezel, But let this article explain

Explorer II

Introduced in the early 1970's as model 1655, it is in essence a GMT Master with a fixed bezel. It has the same calibre movement as the GMT (1575) and has a forth hand which rotates once every 24 hours. This hand was read using the 24 hour engraved steel fixed bezel

Rolex introduced the watch as an essential tool to all 'speleologists' (more commonly known as 'cave explorers' ) Rolex also claimed that the speleologist "soon loses all notion of time: morning, afternoon day or night." For these intrepid souls Rolex developed the watch that could tell them whether the "2" on the dial was 2:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. (14:00). This may well be true, but there are other things with a higher demand than speleologists. The limited popularity that it had was because of people in the aviation field, air traffic controllers, etc. In its life the watch for the first 3 years had an orange hand, and up until 1985 it had a red one. The 1655 Explorer II and the 1019 Milgauss are the only Rolex Models which use hands that are not used by any other model.

The Explorer II 1655 was not really popular until 1991, five years after it was relaunched with a sapphire glass and the same movement as the GMT Master II. This allowed the owner of the watch to set the hour hand backwards or forwards in one hour jumps without disturbing the second or minute hands. This facility allowed the owner to change time zones without losing a preset accurate time.

As you can see the Legacy of the Explorer is a long and interesting one and I'm sure it will continue.

Credit to this website... There is also history on a few other models

http://www.secondtimeround.biz/histo.../explorer.html

[tonelar]

With the jump hour feature it definitely became more useful for us above ground explorers...

Thanks Solo... I forgot how the original didn't split time zones.

[Solo118]

We all learn something new every day...

[Alcan]

Good info, thanks for posting it.

[mike]

Indeed, as with several watches that enjoyed limited popularity during it's production, the 1655 is now one of the "grail" pieces to collectors today.
Interestingly, one of the detractions to the reference at the time was the dial(unique to the reference) that many felt was to "busy" and hard to read.
The oversized 24 hour hand was used in leiu of the more familiar GMT hand because it was felt it would be easier to read.
The 1655 also had a distinctive coronet on it's dial sometimes called a "frog's foot" and was one of the few watches that came in a "rail dial" configuration.

Not my photo,


Also interesting is that upon dropping the reference 1655 from the line up, and replacing it with a new 16550 reference, Rolex created another collector's piece by using a flawed paint mixture on the white version of the model creating the "cream dial" as the paint had a tendency to turn a cream or ivory color.

[Prince]

Mike, that Explorer cream dial is the cat's meow!!! A flaw that created a beautiful watch dial!!

Thanks for the always-enlightening info...

[leopardprey]

Man, I could really go for one of those cream colored Vintage Exp IIs!!!

[sammy911]

I want to thank tonelar for directing me here. I currantly own an old datejust but want to move on up a bit. More interested in the Explorer 2 now. Into stainless and black. A Metro thing I guess...My wife likes the combo..What do you all think?

[tonelar]

Hiya Jim....

glad you could make it!

the black is definitely an elegant looking watch while the white has the distinction of being one of the few sport watches with a white dial... there's about as many fans of each in this forum.

[sammy911]

the more I see the white face , the more I like it. A bud of mine has a white face SS yacht master he may part with. What do you think?

[astcell]

You know, I have never seen a SS YM! They make those?

[Alcan]

Originally Posted by astcell

You know, I have never seen a SS YM! They make those?

They're manufactured in Rolex's Beijing subsidiary buisiness partner facility.

[RolexKing9]

1987 Rolex 16550 Ivory Dial from Malaysia.

[astcell]

Makes me want a Dreadnought.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

GREAT stuff! Thank you for taking the time to write this and posting it!

[Spark]

Aha another post to blantantly bore you all with pictures of my watch, it is evil it will get under your skin!!!!
I'm going to catch up with JJ's blue sub's exposure one day

[Andad]

Originally Posted by RolexKing9

1987 Rolex 16550 Ivory Dial from Malaysia.

This dial is the best.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Spark

Aha another post to blantantly bore you all with pictures of my watch, it is evil it will get under your skin!!!!
I'm going to catch up with JJ's blue sub's exposure one day

Only after another 28000 posts.

[Nick Hacko]

Mark - could you please PM the sreial number of your 1655 - or at least first 3 or 4 digits. Mine is 625131x. with "T Swiss<25 T" on the dial. I would appreciate your reply - it will provide valuable input in regard to dial markings on 1655. Thanks, Nick

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Nick Hacko

Mark - could you please PM the sreial number of your 1655 - or at least first 3 or 4 digits. Mine is 625131x. with "T Swiss<25 T" on the dial. I would appreciate your reply - it will provide valuable input in regard to dial markings on 1655. Thanks, Nick

Hi Nick,
No problem I'll dig my paperwork out later and mail you the serial.
It is a 6 million serial, but as you can see it has the T Swiss T markings probably another Rolex any part will do thing like the case backs.
All I can say is the watch has been checked by RSC Bexley UK and is all original as far as they are concerned and they are very good (exceptional in fact) with Vintage Rolex's.
By the way great watch you have there
Cheers,

Mark.