THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 1016
YEAR: 1960
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 36mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Let’s start off with a fun fact: the 1016 Explorer holds the title for the longest-running Rolex model in continuous production—and it was the first watch to feature the now-familiar “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” text on the dial. Launched in 1959, the 1016 remained in production until 1989, an astonishing thirty-year run.

Like most early Explorers, the 1016 flew under the radar for years. Only dedicated Rolex collectors sought out these wonderfully understated models, and today they’re seldom seen in the wild.

The example we have here is the second of the gilt-dial variations: the Type 1 chapter-ring dial, with short, flat early tritium hands. (Yes, there is a Mk0—no, it doesn’t make sense.) This is the first dial to feature the SCOC print, marking the introduction of the new 1560 Microstella movement. The watch retains its original radium dial, confirmed on our Geiger counter. The hands were likely replaced in the mid-1960s and feature the earlier “glowy tritium,” a detail supported by a 1964 service engraving on the caseback.

The case is very full, likely polished a long time ago, and shows honest signs of wear—exactly what you’d hope to see on a watch that’s actually lived a life. A correct NOS T22 acrylic dome has been fitted, replacing a later service crystal. The movement is running well at –6 seconds per day and around 210 amplitude with the crown down. Remarkably, the original box and chronometer papers have survived intact, dated November 1960.

This early gilt variant is a rare sight today, and it’s a privilege to handle one with its original dial, as so many have been relumed. We’ve paired the watch with a period-correct USA-stamped rivet bracelet dated 1/70 and a straight-lug BOR bracelet from Forstner for good measure.