ROLEX. A RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH SWEEP CENTRE SECONDS, 24 HOUR HAND, DATE AND BRACELET
Lot 2665

ROLEX. A RARE 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. 3'505'753, CIRCA 1973

Closed28 May 2014

Price Realised

HKD 93,750

More Information

How to sell

ROLEX. A RARE 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. 3'505'753, circa 1973
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.; overall length of bracelet approximately 185 mm.

Specialist note

US$7,000-12,000

With Rolex fitted presentation box.

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.

The present example belongs to the first generation of reference 1655 with "straight seconds hand" and is offered here in very attractive condition.