“To the perilous North Pole by dogsled, sextant, and Rolex chronometer,” stated in a 1986 Rolex ad, as seven men and one woman launched an epic 57-day adventure. The 1986 Steger International Polar Expedition was a landmark journey in polar exploration led by the American adventurer, Will Steger. The grueling, 57-day expedition succeeded in traversing the entire Arctic Ocean via dog sled, covering a distance of over 3,700 miles from the northernmost point of Alaska to the northern coast of Greenland. This ambitious venture marked the first confirmed, unsupported traversing of the Arctic Ocean without re-supply. As the Rolex ad stated, “…the Steger Expedition shatters another precedent. Member Ann Bancroft becomes the first woman to trek to the point where all longitudinal lines meet.”

Engraved on its caseback “1986 Steger International Polar Expedition”, the present Explorer II reference 16550 is believed to have been engraved and presented by Rolex USA to a member of this expedition team, in accordance with this famous advertisement.

Accompanied with its original guarantee stamped “Rolex New York”, the present watch remains in well-preserved condition. It features what collectors have dubbed a “spider dial”. With minor fissures developing over the lacquered surface, such “spidering” is considered a charming characteristic found in black dial examples of the reference from this era. An extremely rare, historically significant, and complete Rolex NY-“issued” timepiece, it’s the ideal watch for collectors seeking a watch with an incredible story.