Explorer II

In the years 1950’s and 1960’s the main commercialized references with “Explorer Dial” were: 5500 - 5501 - 5502- 5504 - 5700 - 5701 - 6098 - 6150 - 6298 - 6350 - 6610. The reference 1016 appears in the Rolex catalogues in 1962: OYSTER PERPETUAL EXPLORER CHRONOMETER which will be produced until 1990, then replaced by the new model 14270. In 1991 the new ref. 14270 appears in the Rolex catalogues and the ref. 114270 appears in 2000. Rolex presents at Baselworld 2010 the new ref. 214270 in stainless steel 904L (ø 39 mm.). The EXPLORER II is born in 1971, equipped with a fixed 24 hour graduated bezel and the corresponding supplementary hour hand.

Created for speleologists, this device allows one to distinguish daytime hours from night hours even in the dark, thanks to the luminous indexes and the orange hand indicating the 24 hours. The Explorer II, ref. 1655, has a black dial with date aperture and second hand, which originally was without luminous dot (straight hand). It is called “The Steve Mc Queen” or “Freccione” by collectors. In 1983 the new Explorer II ref. 16550 comes out: it’s nicknamed “Freccino” by collectors. In 1989 Rolex produces the ref. 16570. In the Rolex 2003 spare parts catalogue, next to the ref. 16570, we find the letter T, which signifies “sunken holes”.

References: 1016 - 5501 - 5502 - 5504 - 5552 - 5701 - 6098 - 6150 - 6298 - 6350 - 6610 - 6605 - 14270 - 114270 - 1655 - 16550 - 16570 - 214270  - 216570

More information about this model in the books:

Collecting Rolex Milgauss, Explorer I, Explorer II, Turn-O-Graph, Yacht-Master
100 Years of Rolex
Rolex Gallery
Collecting Modern and Vintage Rolex Wristwatches