Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016

Introduced in 1960 an icon was born in the Rolex Explorer reference 1016. The 1016 was produced until circa 1989.

The 1016 is one of the most desired timepieces and for great reason. The 1016 is one of the purest expressions of watch design and for this reason that I am probably asked for vintage Explorer reference 1016s more than any other watch.

This example features a 2.20M serial dating it to circa 1969. The case is lightly polished. It measures 36mm in diameter (43mm lug-to-lug).

The lume is very attractive on this dial. It is paired on a Rolex 7206 bracelet with 58 end links dating to 1969 and is possibly original to the watch.

The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well. It recently passed a water resistance test of 3 bar.

To learn more about the history and evolution of the Rolex Explorer I, you can see my video and corresponding article Reference Points A Comprehensive Collector's Guide To The Rolex Explorer I.

PRICE: $19,000 (Item SBUXYT1976)