製造商: Rolex 年份: Circa 1972 型號: 1655 inside caseback stamped II.72 機芯編號: D275757 錶殼號碼: 3'182'811 型號名稱: Explorer II "Freccione" 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Automatic, cal. 1570, 26 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, max length 180mm 錶扣: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped PJ11 尺寸: 39mm Diameter 簽名: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed 配件: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee dated January 14, 1975, original purchase invoice from Mappin & Webb detailing purchase of the present watch with bracelet on January 14, 1975, Rolex UK service documents, presentation box and outer packaging.
圖錄文章
The Rolex Explorer II was first introduced in 1971 by the way of the ref. 1655. Providing a completely refreshed configuration with the absence of the traditional 3-6-9 dial configuration and furthermore featuring a 39mm diameter Oyster case, it was also equipped with a 24-hour bezel and a large orange 24-hour hand - which gave it its Italian nickname “Freccione”, meaning "big arrow". Designed for explorers and professionals alike, it specifically winks to speleologists as the large orange luminous hand is intended to be visible also in the low light conditions of a cave, and it allows to track the day/night cycle in case of prolonged underground expeditions.
With its production spanning to the mid-1980s, the ref. 1655 was released with a total of 5 different versions during its production period. The earliest examples of the reference known as the Mark I, such as the present watch, 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. It is accompanied by the original guarantee, as well as its original invoice from Mappin & Webb detailing purchase of the present watch with bracelet on January 14, 1975 for the amount of 153GBP.
Founded 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.
