1991 Rolex Explorer II 16570 N Series Black Dial Box & Papers - SOLD
The Rolex Explorer debuted in 1971 as what is now a legendary vintage sport watch, the 1655. It offered a robust steel case, an easy to use GMT function with a fixed steel bezel, and a date. It made sense to develop that platform further as a specialized tool for "speleologists, volcanologists and polar and jungle explorers". Speleologists can spend days at a time exploring deep in caves and caverns, often losing their sense of time and of day and night, and the GMT function allows these explorers to keep track of 24 hour time with the fixed bezel keeping the setting secure.
The formula has consistently worked, seeing as Rolex continues to produce an Explorer II today, albeit in a different larger and slightly "blingier" style. The Explorer II Reference 16570 is an under-appreciated Rolex sports model, and a perfect example of the ethos of Rolex: creating tools best suited for specific jobs.
The watch offered here is an N series, indicating circa 1991 production. It comes complete with the original inner and outer boxes (the inner box is missing the pillow), hang tags, and undated warranty papers.
Condition as follows:
Case: Very good condition 40 mm stainless steel case with surface wear as shown in the photos. The case is sharp with crisp edges and bright polished surfaces but does show some scratches and nicks throughout. Serial and reference number are both clear between the lugs.
Bezel: Original fixed steel bezel in very good condition with surface wear as pictured.
Dial/Hands: Original gloss black dial and hands with tritium lume free from any defects.
Caseback: Excellent condition original caseback with only minor wear. Caseback sticker is still present as shown.
Crystal: Sapphire crystal in excellent condition free from any scratching or marks.
Movement: Rolex 3185 Automatic GMT movement keeping excellent time. All functions work as they should. Service history is unknown.
Bracelet/Strap: Original bracelet showing only minor stretch. The bracelet is sized for a 7.25” wrist and includes 11links.
Accessories: Original inner and outer boxes, hang tags, warranty papers, booklets and even the original purchase receipt for a complete set of accessories.