Rolex Explorer II Ref. 1655 - 'MK4' Unpolished
When is a Rolex GMT not a GMT-Master?
The Rolex Explorer’s core has always been in rugged expedition. While it was originally born out of the Everest celebratory Explorer I - the Explorer II was designed for cave diving. Officially known as spelunking!
The 1655 Explorers were known as ‘Steve McQueen’s' for an alleged relationship with the actor and racer (spoiler: there is no evidence of a connection or that he ever wore one, but the nickname stuck!) and enjoyed a relatively short production run of roughly 13 years. As with nearly all Rolex models during this time, there were numerous changes throughout the production run.
The example that we have here is from circa 1978 and has what we call a 'Mk4' dial. The main difference between a Mk1 and Mk4 is the addition of a lollipop seconds hand, which we feel makes this a little more like ‘Rolex-like’ than the bare, straight seconds hand of the Mk1. The matte black dial is in fantastic overall condition, seemingly free of wear or damage and shows a light, even patina across the Tritium elements. The handset matches perfectly and exhibits very faint fractures in the seconds and 24hr hand — which retains its vibrant orange color. The case is unpolished with thick, symmetrical lugs and visible factory finishing and shows honest wear throughout with one impression on the tip of the top left lug. This example comes fitted to a correct solid-link Oyster bracelet with a blade clasp.
A strong, well-rounded example of the Reference!
Watch + Condition Details
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Shipping, Returns, & Warranty
At Oliver & Clarke, domestic shipping is on us! If you are international and require a quote – please feel free to reach out to us at info@oliverandclarke.com so we can get you squared away.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
We back each Oliver & Clarke timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty starting at the date of first delivery. We service or perform necessary maintenance to the extent necessary to all of our watches, unless otherwise noted. All watches are listed and sold running and functioning as intended.
*Please note that due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, these machines may not run as accurately as they did when new, nor will any mechanical timepiece keep time as accurately as a quartz or electronic device.
We do not guarantee water resistance, thus do not warranty against moisture incursion or water damage.
*We also do not recommend deliberate exposure to water or worse - steam!
Our warranty is voided under the following circumstances:
- Internal or external damage caused by an accident, mishandling, abuse, modification, or handling/service performed by a third party individual other than one of our own.
Our warranty is non-transferable.
The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee
Through rigorous vetting of each watch offered, we’re able to guarantee authenticity of our pieces. Ultimately, your satisfaction is our mission, as is helping you get YOUR perfect watch. If you have any questions at all, we will get back to you ASAP.
Each of our timepieces are vetted, evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our experienced team prior to sale. We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise disclosed. We guarantee the authenticity of each watch in perpetuity.
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From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
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