Reasons to Bid
Introduced in 1971, the Rolex Explorer II Ref. 1655 was originally designed as a professional tool watch for cave explorers who needed to distinguish day from night in environments without natural light. The fixed 24-hour bezel and large orange 24-hour hand allowed the wearer to track AM and PM clearly, an essential feature for speleologists working underground. Although sometimes associated with Steve McQueen, there is no evidence that he ever wore the model; the link remains a collector’s nickname rather than a documented connection. What is certain, however, is that the 1655 represents the first generation of the Explorer II and set the design foundation for all later versions. Over time, the watch has evolved into a versatile sports watch, with later models using the 24-hour hand as a true GMT complication. This particular example features a Mark 1 dial with the distinctive ‘frog foot’ Rolex coronet, a detail that appeals to collectors for its early and characterful print style.
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