8054
Rolex
Ref. 16570
Explorer II
A sporty stainless steel dual-time wristwatch with date, center seconds, bracelet, 24-hour indication, guarantee and presentation box
Full-Cataloguing
- Reference 16570, produced from 1989 to 2010, represents the third generation of the Explorer II. It retained the core design features of its predecessor, ref. 16550 — a 40 mm case, elongated GMT hand, 100‑meter water resistance, and a fixed 24‑hour bezel — while receiving a movement upgrade to the slimmer Caliber 3185.
- Early 16570 examples used tritium lume, identified by the “SWISS‑T<25” marking at the base of the dial. In 1998 Rolex began the transition to non‑radioactive Luminova (dials marked “SWISS” for 1998–1999), and from 1999 onward Super‑LumiNova was introduced with the “SWISS MADE” inscription.
- The present example, made circa around 1996, is fitted with a glossy black dial and tritium that has aged to an attractive ivory tone. Offered in excellent condition, the bracelet however, might have been replaced by previous owners. Complete with its original punched guarantee and presentation box, this example will appeal to collectors who value both utility and vintage charm.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.