製造商: Rolex 年份: Circa 1997 型號: 16570 機芯編號: 8’024’484 錶殼號碼: U686’929 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 “501,B”, max length 200mm 錶扣: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp stamped “U6” 尺寸: 40mm diameter 簽名: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed 配件: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped The Hour Glass Kuala Lumpur dated 11th January 1999, service guarantee, hang tag, outer packaging and fitted presentation box.
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Released in 1989, the Rolex Explorer II ref. 16750 features the upgraded cal. 3185 with later examples fitted with the cal. 3186. While much of its aesthetics remain similar to its previous model ref. 16550 such as its 24-hour bezel, the ref. 16570 was in production for a much longer period of time, approximately 22 years before it was replaced by the ref. 216570.
During its lengthy production run, various dial variants were featured at a time where Rolex was experimenting with different luminous materials to be used on the dial. Early examples of the reference featured a “SWISS-T<25” dial with tritium where later examples were fitted with a “SWISS” dial for Luminova. However, over the years, collectors have noticed a common trait for examples of the reference from circa 1997 with a U serial. With a distinct feature of bearing the early “SWISS-T<-25” dial, usually emitting green light in other examples produced before 1997, these examples all emit blue light, known as a transitional variant of the reference and dubbed by collectors as “Tritinova”.
The present example Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 with an attractive black dial from circa 1997 with a U serial is indeed one of the “Tritinova” examples of the reference. Rare and scarcely produced, the present watch is offered in excellent overall condition and is complete with its original guarantee and presentation box.
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.