Horological lore tells us that after the Mercury manned-spaceflight missions in the early 1960s, those astronauts visited Japan on an international goodwill tour to immensely positive reception in 1963. Hoping to capitalize on this publicity, it’s believed that Rolex introduced the Space-Dweller shortly thereafter in limited quantities for the Japanese market. This initial run of reference 1016s with one slightly different line of text did not gain traction, however, and Rolex abandoned “Space-Dweller” as a model name going forward – perhaps there was not enough to differentiate the “Space-Dweller” from the regular Explorer.

Consequently, very few Space-Dweller examples have appeared publicly. The present reference 1016 “Space-Dweller” comes with two Rolex service receipts from Rolex Japan, adding a much desired level of credibility to this example. It is exquisitely well-preserved, with a glossy black dial in perfect condition, with vibrant gilt graphics and pale golden luminous material. Though Rolex is not known for limited-edition watches, these uncommonly rare and abandoned, limited-production runs have always been a source of excitement for scholars and collectors alike.