OVERVIEW

I’m imagining the executives at Rolex in the late 1960s thinking “We need a new watch” and one guy says “I know! We should take the 1675 GMT and make it less useful by adding a fixed bezel and say it’s for spelunking!” Hence the very niche and oddly designed Explorer 1655 was born in 1971. Despite Rolex’s expert execution in producing this design, consumers at the time found the dial to be too funky and the marker layout too confusing to read. Hence, initial sales of the 1655 didn’t do very well with evidence of the model sitting in stores for a very long time. While this particular example has a serial number indicating it was produced in 1973, the papers show it actually wasn’t sold until May 16th, 1978.

As with anything that becomes collectible though, it’s quirkiness has over time proven to be it’s best quality and in my opinion is the coolest tool watch Rolex ever made. This is not just because of its unique design, but also because it actually wears better than a 5513, 1680, 1665, or even a 1675. It sits flat on the wrist and the steel bezel is the same size as the case making the entire watch look more proportionally pleasing. It’s one of those things that you just have to experience in person to know.

CONDITION NOTES

CASE: Excellent case with long, thick lugs and wide chamfers. The case was probably lightly polished and the top lugs expertly rebrushed in the past but the chamfers and shape look original. Correct and sharp MK2 bezel.

DIAL & HANDS: Flawless MK1 dial with perfect original creamy lume. Excellent handset in perfect condition and original matching lume with vibrant orange hand.

MOVEMENT: No corrosion and recently serviced in 2025 and running smoothly with high amplitude.