製造商: Rolex 年份: Circa 1997 型號: 16570 機芯編號: 8’037’913 錶殼號碼: U728’430 型號名稱: Explorer II 材料: Stainless steel 機芯: Automatic, cal. 3185, 31 jewels 錶帶/ 錶鏈: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped “78790”, endlinks stamped “501B”, max length 200mm 錶扣: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp 尺寸: 40mm diameter 簽名: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed 配件: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Co., LTD. Hong Kong dated 18th August 1998, hang tag, outer packaging and fitted presentation box.
圖錄文章
Introduced in 1989, the Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 featured a newly upgraded cal. 3185 for earlier examples of the reference and later examples bearing the cal. 3186. Although much of its aesthetics remains similar to its previous ref. 16550 similarly with a solid 24-Hour bezel with an additional GMT hand, examples of the ref. 16570 fitted with a white dial features luminous indexes bordered with black differing from its white gold-bordered predecessor. The reference was produced for approximately 22 years before it was discontinued and made way for the new ref. 216570.
During its long production run, various luminous materials were used with earlier examples of the reference featuring a “SWISS-T<25” dial with tritium and later examples bearing a “SWISS” with Luminova. However, examples with a U serial from 1997 have a distinct feature as it is printed with “SWISS-T<25” although emitting blue light. It is believed that examples from the specific serial range were considered as transitional examples of the reference hence earning its nickname “Tritinova”.
The present example Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 with a U serial from circa 1997 is offered in excellent overall condition boasting an unpolished case with its original guarantee stamped by a Hong Kong retailer.
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.
