Mark I Dial
Explorer II Freccione 1655 — Mark I Dial
First dial. “T SWISS T” at six, a wide coronet and a rounded foot on the “R” of ROLEX. Paired with the needle-like straight seconds hand without a lume dot. Early cases are thinner, with small, almost pointed crown guards. The first bezel has thick numerals set off-centre (toward the crystal, per HODINKEE); late Mark I examples are also documented with the second, centred bezel. Dated examples: case 2'764'234 (c. 1971), 2'916'398 (caseback II.71), 3'097'660 (c. 1972), 3'149'573 (c. 1972), 3'182'880 (c. 1972), 3'270'441 (c. 1973, Mark II bezel), 3'343'391 (sold July 1974).
Identifying details
- Straight seconds hand
Plain needle-like centre seconds hand without a luminous lollipop.
- Explorer II bezel: thick numerals, off-centre
Variants of 1655
Reference overview →| Variant | Production |
|---|---|
| Mark I DialCurrent | 1971–1973 |
| Mark II Frog Foot Dial | c. 1972–c. 1977 |
| Mark II Frog Foot Dial · Mark II Dial, Straight Seconds Hand | c. 1973 |
| Mark III Rail Dial | c. 1974–c. 1977 |
Case & movement
- Reference
- 1655
- Production
- 1971–1973
- Case serials
- c. 2.5M–3.5M
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case diameter
- 39 mm
- Water resistance
- 100 m
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Automatic
More specifications (3)
- Chronometer
Movement
Rolex 1575
Date caliber with an instantly jumping calendar and no quickset, shared with the GMT-Master, Datejust and early Sea-Dweller. Hacking seconds added in 1971 (HODINKEE’s Submariner guide and Bob’s 1680 guide give 1972). The rotor bridge is marked 1570.
Automatic · Introduced 1965 · 19,800 vph · 48 h reserve
Read more
- Collector Guide: The Rolex Explorer II (All References In Detail)Read more at Beyond The Dial (Everest Bands) (opens in a new tab)
- Rolex Explorer II 1655 Mark 1, 1973Read more at Roy & Sacha Davidoff (opens in a new tab)
- Rolex Explorer II Mk I Dial Straight Hand Reference 1655 Full SetRead more at Wind Vintage (opens in a new tab)
- In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Explorer II, The Ultimate Adventure WatchRead more at Monochrome Watches