Released in 1971, the Rolex Explorer II provided a refreshed appeal to the famous Explorer line with the ref. 1655. Designed for expeditioners and professionals, the ref. 1655 featured a large triangular tipped luminous orange 24-hour hand allowing the wearer to tell the time under any conditions, earning its nickname “Freccione”, meaning “Big Arrow” in Italian. Featuring a 24-hour calibrated bezel, the purpose was to provide speleologists to differentiate between night and day in tremendous caving expeditions.

In production until the mid-1980s, the reference was released with a total of 5 different marks. The present example from circa 1971 with a 2.9 million serial - The earliest examples of the reference known as the “Mark I”, featured a distinctive straight center seconds hand, without the luminous dot found in later marks. Fully retaining this characteristic and offered in extremely attractive condition of both case and dial, the present timepiece delights in its complete nature.

Adding to its collectability, the present early example is further accompanied by its full set of original accessories from when it was sold in 1972, which is extremely rare to come across. This coveted ref. 1655 is certainly a rare treat for lovers of vintage sports watches.