Matte Mark 2
Explorer 1016 — Matte Mark 2
1969
Short-run matte dial with a balanced coronet like the late gilt dials. Unique tells: “Swiss T<25” sits above the minute track rather than below, and the “E” of Rolex has outward-sloping diagonal serifs.
Serials run from about 516,xxx (1959) into the R and L letter series of 1987–1989. Dial types were not strictly sequential: some matte dials reappear late in the run.
No verified image of this watch yet
Identifying details
- Explorer dial
Arabic 3, 6 and 9 hour markers.
Variants of 1016
Reference overview →| Variant | Production |
|---|---|
| Gilt Type 0 (OCC) | c. 1959–c. 1960 |
| Gilt Type 1 | 1960–1962 |
| Gilt Type 2 | c. 1960–1963 |
| Gilt Type 2 · Gilt Type 2, Exclamation Point and Underline | 1962–1963 |
Case & movement
- Reference
- 1016
- Production
- 1969
- Case serials
- c. 2.1M–2.2M
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case diameter
- 36 mm
- Crown
- 6 mm
- Crown guards
- None
- Water resistance
- 100 m
More specifications (5)
- Crystal
- Acrylic (Tropic 22)
- Movement
- Automatic
Movement
Rolex 1570
Same architecture as the 1560 at a higher frequency. Gained hacking seconds in 1972 without a change of designation.
Automatic · 19,800 vph · 26 jewels
Read more
- Explorer1016.com – Matte Mark 2Read more at Explorer1016.com (opens in a new tab)
- Reference Points: A Comprehensive Collector's Guide To The Rolex Explorer IRead more at HODINKEE (opens in a new tab)
- The History of the Rolex Explorer, The All-Rounder Watch PersonifiedRead more at Monochrome Watches (opens in a new tab)