Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 2, 2026

Rolex Explorer II

Rolex Explorer II is a self-winding Swiss made wristwatch introduced by Rolex in 1971. The watch was originally intended to be a tool watch for speleologists. The fixed 24-hr bezel and bright red arrow hand were designed to keep track of day and night while caving.

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Jul 2, 2026
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Rolex Explorer II
Rolex Explorer ref.1655
TypeAutomatic
DisplayAnalogue
Introduced1971

Rolex Explorer II is a self-winding Swiss made wristwatch introduced by Rolex in 1971.1 The watch was originally intended to be a tool watch for speleologists.1 The fixed 24-hr bezel and bright red arrow hand (some Explorer II models also have a bright orange arrow head) were designed to keep track of day and night while caving.2

The Explorer line originated in honor of Sir Edmund Hillary's successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The Rolex Explorer is part of Rolex's Professional line.

History

Rolex unveiled the first generation of the Explorer II, the reference 1655, in 1971 as an addition to the existing Explorer line. Like the GMT Master, it featured an extra hand which rotated every 24 hours, acting as an AM-PM indicator to aid cave explorers.

In 1985, Rolex introduced the 16550 reference which featured an adjustable independent 24 hour hand, along with a white face option.3

The most recent reference, the Ref. 226570, features Rolex's cal. 3285, which is also used in the modern GMT Master II.4

Notable wearers

The original reference of the Explorer II is nicknamed the 'Steve McQueen', although there is little evidence that he wore one.3

Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles III, owns a white dialled version of the Explorer II, and wore it during his tours of service in Afghanistan.56

The American professional climber, Alex Honnold, wore a black-dialled version of the model whilst climbing Taipei 101, a 1,667ft skyscraper in Taiwain without safety equipment, rope or harness, in 2026.7

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Inside the Rolex Explorer II 1655 Bob's Watches
  2. Pre-Owned Men's Rolex Explorer II Ref 16570 Black Dial
  3. White, Colin A. (2020-05-01). The Vintage Rolex Field Manual Chevalier Digital Edition: The Essential Collectors Reference. MORNINGTUNDRA. ISBN 978-0-578-63089-2.
  4. "Hands-On: The New Rolex Explorer II Ref. 226570, In Both Polar And Black". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  5. Katara, Amrita. "4 Luxury Watches Spotted on Prince Harry's Wrist". Tatler Asia. Archived from the original on 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  6. Benedictus, Luke (2023-01-14). "Prince Harry Rolex". Time+Tide Watches. Retrieved 2026-06-14.
  7. "Alex Honnold, Rolex, & the True Meaning of an Explorer". Watches of Espionage. 2026-02-03. Retrieved 2026-06-14.