Lot 376

Rolex "Oyster Perpetual Date Explorer II Superlative Chronometer officially certified", Case No. 5347895, Ref. 1655, Cal. 1570, 38 mm, circa 1977
An automatic wristwatch with date and 24h bezel - so called "Steve McQueen" or "Orange Hand" - with original box
Case: steel, screw back ref. 1655, 24h bezel (later original), screwed "Twinlock" winding crown, folded steel "Oyster" bracelet ref. 78360 with endlinks stamped 580. Dial: black (later original), central orange luminous 24-hour hand, luminous baton hands (later original).
During a revision Rolex replaced the dial, the bezel and the hands with original parts.
The Rolex Explorer II, reference 1655 was launched in 1971. In contrast to the Explorer I, ref. 1016, reference 1655 is fitted with an additional orange-coloured hand and a 24 hour indication on the bezel.
English-speaking collectors call this reference "Steve McQueen", although there is not a single photograph of Steve McQueen wearing an Explorer II; he owned several Submariner models and usually wore the Submariner ref. 5512. Italian collectors, however, call the Explorer II "Freccione". The name comes from the Italian "la freccia", which means "arrow". Freccione stands for a larger version and means the central arrow-shaped orange-coloured 24h hand.

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