93
Rolex
Ref. 16550
Explorer II, "Rail Dial"
A very fine and rare stainless steel wristwatch with 24-hour indication and cream "rail" dial
Full-Cataloguing
Originally white, the dials of many of these models have turned ivory/cream with time, giving the watch a charismatic vintage feel.
The most coveted among these are those fitted with “rail” dials, as found on this well-preserved example. The term “rail” is used to describe the near perfect alignment of the vertical space between the text - written across the two lines on the dial at 6 o’clock. “Superlative” and “Officially” are on the left, while “Chronometer” and “Certified” are on the right.
In addition to the color change, the dials of the 16550 were made using a glossy, lacquered finish, giving them a porcelain-like look. The white gold, luminous hour markers enhance the dial’s vibrancy, and were soon replace by black hour markers in later models. The present example from 1986 is within the earliest era of the 16550’s production run.
In overall excellent condition, the present Explorer II is further accompanied by its original Rolex Warranty.
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.