Live Auction 1395Important Watches
Rolex. A stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, 24 hour-hand, date and bracelet
Lot 173

Rolex. A stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, 24 hour-hand, date and bracelet

SIGNED ROLEX, OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE, EXPLORER II, STEVE MCQUEEN MODEL, REF. 1655, CASE NO. 2'767'797, CIRCA 1971

Closed13 May 2013

Price Realised

CHF 12,500

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Rolex. A stainless steel automatic wristwatch with sweep centre seconds, 24 hour-hand, date and bracelet
Signed Rolex, Oyster Perpetual Date, Explorer II, Steve McQueen model, Ref. 1655, case no. 2'767'797, circa 1971
Cal. 1570 automatic movement, 26 jewels, black matte dial, luminous baton and dagger numerals, luminous hands, sweep centre seconds, magnified window for date, central luminous 24 hour hand, tonneau-shaped water-resistant-type case, bezel calibrated for 24 hours, screw back, screw down crown, stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, case, dial and movement signed
38 mm. diam.

Specialist note

Easily recognizable by its large luminous central 24 hour hand with orange frame, the popular reference 1655 is also known among collectors as "Steve McQueen" or "Freccione", the latter being Italian for "big arrow".

The celebrated Rolex "Explorer II", originally launched in 1971, was designed primarily for speleologists (cave explorers). The model features a fixed bezel with 24 hour display and a special 24 hour hand that can be set to distinguish day from night hours or to read the current time in different time zones.

Ref. 1655 is described and illustrated in 100 Years of Rolex - 1908 to 2008 by Franca and Guido Mondani, pp. 145-147.