Description
| Manufacturer: | Rolex |
| Item Number: | 141446 |
| Nickname: | Rolex Steve Mcqueen |
|
Condition: |
Vintage |
| Model Name/Number: | Explorer II – 1655 “Straight Hand” |
| Serial/Year: | 2,9XX,XXX – 1972 |
| Gender: | Men’s |
| Movement: | Automatic 1575 |
| Case: | Stainless steel case which has been previously polished. Comes with a great fixed 24 hour bezel that shows some surface wear. Caseback is stamped 1655 II.71. Serial and reference numbers are clearly visible. |
| Dial: | Excellent matte black Tritium dial with creamy hour markers and matching hands |
| Bracelet: | Excellent stainless steel Rolex USA C&I Oyster Rivet with 12 links with light wear. Back of clasp is stamped “7-72” |
Vintage Watch Condition Examination
This Rolex watch is in great, honest vintage condition. The case is in good condition with normal signs of wear. The bezel is in great condition and the black paint has been re-applied in the numerals, some of the numbers / lines have some paint missing. The dial and hands are in great condition with light patina. The lume on the dial and in the hands has developed patina and aged to a matching beautiful pale yellow color. Some lume plots between 25 and 30 shows signs of degradation. The orange hand has remained vibrant. The C&I bracelet is in great condition with light wear and a little stretch between the links.
Vintage Rolex Explorer II Ref 1655 Steve Mcqueen
The 1655 Explorer is instantly recognizable from its bright orange 24 hour hand and steel 24 hour bezel. Rolex came out with this model in 1971 and it was specifically made for cave explorers. The purpose of the orange 24 hour hand is to help the wearer distinguish day vs night in environments where this isn’t easily noticeable, like in a cave with complete darkness.
This example is of the Mark 1 variety, characterized by the “straight” seconds hand and specific coronet to name a couple details. These early “straight” hand Explorers are highly sought after by collectors and give the already unique model an even more distinct look.
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