Rolex Explorer (Freccione) II Vintage 1655 (1981)

The reference 1655 (sometimes called “Il Freccione” or “The Arrow” in Italian), which was made from 1971 to 1984 and remains one of the most desired Rolex vintage watches the 
Collectors community and vintage watch lovers. This watch represents everything we love about vintage watches, unique appearance that is not in production any longer, distinctive look, killer patina and selective subtle differences between the production years/ serial numbers that make these watches collectible. For example, the “Freccione dial“  that features the coronet (the Rolex crown logo) the so-called “frog foot” coronet. Found on the second generation of Freccione dials, the “frog foot” coronet has very thin, slightly irregular points that make the entire coronet reminiscent of the shape of a frog’s foot. Furthermore, the dials show 
Found on the second generation of Freccione dials, the “frog foot” coronet has very thin, slightly irregular points that make the entire logo look like a frog’s foot. The Freccione watches with this dial were made from around 1972 to 1978. This version of the Freccione has dials that say “T SWISS T” on the bottom, with the T’s indicating the use of tritium on the dial. This version came slightly after the earliest so-called “straight hand” Explorer II, which featured numbers placed on the bezel closer to the crystal side and a second hand resembling a needle (without a circle of lume or a counterweight).  The subtle differences expressed in “Mark I-7 dials has been described and discussed in depth:
 
https://www.watchprozine.com/rolex/the-evolution-of-the-freccione/3563066/732/
 
https://www.revolution.watch/tooled-rolex-explorer-ii-reference-1655/
 
 
Rolex introduced the Explorer II in 1970/71 as an addition to the 1954 Explorer. It features an additional 24-hour indication that can also be used as a second time-zone. This 24-hour indication, among other things, has been designed with regard to professional cavers, for whom a reliable temporal orientation independent of the outside world is of the utmost importance. Although there is no record of him wearing this reference, the watch is also sometimes called a "Steve McQueen". This chronometer-rated movement was housed in a 39mm stainless-steel case with crown guards. 
 
the creation of the dial design includes a special emphasis on excellent readability, especially in the darkness (within caves). In contrast to the GMT-Master or the Submariner, the bezel of the Explorer II does not rotate, but is fixed and has a scale of 24 hours. There were four production versions of the bezel and a service version also exists. 
 
 In 1985 the reference 1655 was then replaced by the reference 16550. The ref. 1655 was powered by the 26-jewel Calibre 1575 GMT, the same movement as in the ref. 1675 GMT-Master. A modified base Calibre 1570 movement, the Calibre 1575 had a date feature and logically the Calibre 1575 GMT had the additional 24-hour hand. The movement was automatic, had the hacking-seconds feature (where the seconds hand stops when the winding crown is full pulled out to adjust the time) and boasted a 48-hour power reserve.
 
Rolex released at Basel World 2011 an updated Explorer II, the reference 216570, with a 42mm diameter case and a new movement never seen in any other model, as well as an orange 24-hour hand probably in homage to the reference 1655 “Freccione” Explorer II of the 1970s and 80s. We will compare these two watches here on the BOT soon side by side and give you an overview.