Ref. 16550A rare and well-preserved stainless steel dual-time wristwatch with center seconds, date, 24-hour indication, “cream” dial, bracelet, guarantee and presentation box
View our Conditions of Sale ., Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1988 Reference No: 16550 Movement No: 2’113’036 Case No: R697’745 Model Name: Explorer II Material: Stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3085, 27 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped “78360”, endlinks stamped” 501”, max length 200mm Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp stamped “M4” “78660” Dimensions: 40mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped Duty Free Shop Japan dated 8th August 1988, green card holder, 1988-1989 calendar card, hang tags, instruction manual, product literature, fitted presentation box and outer packaging. , Swiss • 1905Condition Report
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Description
View our
Conditions of Sale
.
Manufacturer
:
Rolex
Year
:
Circa 1988
Reference No
:
16550
Movement No
:
2’113’036
Case No
:
R697’745
Model Name
:
Explorer II
Material
:
Stainless steel
Calibre
:
Automatic, cal. 3085, 27 jewels
Bracelet/Strap
:
Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet stamped “78360”, endlinks stamped” 501”, max length 200mm
Clasp/Buckle
:
Stainless steel Rolex Oyster deployant clasp stamped “M4” “78660”
Dimensions
:
40mm diameter
Signed
:
Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
Accessories
:
Accompanied by Rolex guarantee stamped Duty Free Shop Japan dated 8th August 1988, green card holder, 1988-1989 calendar card, hang tags, instruction manual, product literature, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
While most would agree that the Rolex Explorer II ref. 16550 fitted with a white dial is one of the most interesting vintage sports wristwatch by Rolex from the 1980s, some examples feature a creamy patina developed on the dial due to age and the nature of the material. Developed at random, not all examples fitted with a white dial develops a creamy hue, making examples that do, highly rare.
Initially introduced in 1985, the ref. 16550 was a transitional model of the Explorer II with a short production span of roughly four years. Featuring applied luminous white gold indexes, the successor ref. 16570 featured applied blackened surrounds indexes giving a different appeal.
The present example Rolex Explorer II ref. 16550 features a rare “cream” dial from circa 1988 bearing an “R” serial. During the transitional period over a one and a half year, a rare batch of ref. 16550 would feature intriguingly blackened surrounds as its indexes before the reference completely phased out. A true delight, this cream dial features equally stunning lume plots that have aged in a uniform cream hue. The blackened surrounds have also aged with an attractive holographic patina within its blackness from oxidation. An extremely well-preserved example perhaps bought from a Japan voyage, it is further complete with its original accessories.
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Artist Biography
Rolex
Swiss
• 1905
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.
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Ref. 16550
A rare and well-preserved stainless steel dual-time wristwatch with center seconds, date, 24-hour indication, “cream” dial, bracelet, guarantee and presentation box
