Ref. 16550A very rare stainless steel dual time wristwatch with date, cream "rail" dial, and bracelet
Manufacturer: Rolex
Year: 1987
Reference No: 16550
Movement No: 1’490’036
Case No: 9’720’297
Model Name: Explorer II
Material: Stainless steel
Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3085, 27 jewels
Bracelet/Strap: Stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, reference 78360, max length 220mm
Clasp/Buckle: Stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp
Dimensions: 39mm Diameter
Signed: Case, dial, movement, and bracelet signed.Rolex’s Explorer models were watches designed and intended for adventurers. While the Explorer I was marketed to mountain climbers, the Explorer II with its 24-hour graduated bezel and its large, luminescent 24-hour hand arrow, was intended for those spending extended time in dark environments, such as spelunkers.
Launched in 1985, the Rolex Explorer II reference 16550 was the first Explorer II model to be fitted with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. Only in production for less than a handful of years, it has become a favorite amongst collectors of Rolex sport watches. Due to a flaw in the paint used in the reference’s earliest dials, watches fitted with originally white dials are often seen with tones that have aged to pleasing shades of ivory or cream.
The most coveted among these are those fitted with “rail” dials, as found on this extremely well-preserved example. The term “rail” is used to describe the near perfect alignment of the vertical space between the text written across the two lines on the dial at 6 o’clock. You will notice “Superlative” and “Officially” are on the left, while “Chronometer” and “Certified” are on the right.
In addition to the color change, the dials of the reference 16550 were made using a glossy, lacquered finish, giving them a porcelain-like look. The white gold applied luminous hour markers complement the dial of the present example, and is different from dials used in the reference 16570, its successor, which used hour markers with black surrounds. Additionally, the reference 16550 allowed the 24-hour hand to be independently adjusted, rather than simply indicating whether it was day or night in dark environments.
This Explorer II delights with its hardly worn condition, crisp, unpolished case, and beautifully aged dial. A very early example of the reference, it furthermore offers collectors an interesting serial number, produced during the last year of Rolex’s sequential numbering system before the letter prefix system was introduced.
