Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 - 'Chicchi Di Mais' Unpolished
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!
While the initial run of Explorer II, the Reference 1655, or 'McQueen' (spoiler: there is no evidence of a connection or that he ever wore one, but the nickname stuck!) had black dials with orange accents, while later iterations like the Ref. 16570 added a white dial to the mix. These are commonly referred to as ‘Polar’ dials and they are among the most striking Rolex dials of the last 40 years or so, due to their monochromatic scheme with gloss white dials and black outer lume rings.
So What is Chicchi di Mais?
In Italian, this means ‘Corn Kernel’ which describes the extremely attractive way a small run of these early 'Polar' Explorer II watches aged in the early 1990s — where the lume plots resemble bright yellow corn kernels!
Dial aside, the example that we have here dating to circa 1990 features a fantastic, unpolished case that remains thick and symmetrical, with clear factory finishing visible throughout. It shows normal signs of wear throughout, with both the steel 24-hr bezel and Oyster bracelet matching beautifully. That gloss white 'polar' dial within is also superb. The Tritium plots exhibit that attractive, deep patina that give this piece its nickname, and the handset is lighter in color, which is typical of pieces of this vintage.
The Ref. 16570 may just be the last truly great value in sport-Rolex, offering both an iconic sports model with proper pedigree, a 'full-size' case, and a GMT-function for right around what a new model costs. And we all know which looks better...
Condition Report & Details
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Every Oliver & Clarke timepiece comes with a one-year mechanical warranty starting from the date of delivery. We ensure all watches are in wonderful working condition and are ready for daily wear. Many have been fully serviced by our team of watchmakers.
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- Due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, they may not keep time as accurately as when new, nor as precisely as quartz or electronic devices.
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