THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 16550
YEAR: 1987
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

As far as “transitional” Rolex references go, the Explorer II 16550 is among the most interesting and desirable. Following the commercial obscurity of the reference 1655 “Steve McQueen” (hard to imagine today), the 16550 was introduced with a new movement featuring a quickset date, hacking seconds, and the novel addition of an independently adjustable GMT hand.

Despite its short four-year production run, the 16550 went through several dial variations. Early examples featured white-gold surrounds (WGS) on the hour markers, while later ones switched to black surrounds. By far the most desirable are the so-called “cream dial” versions. Due to a manufacturing imperfection, the dials on certain 16550s aged to a striking creamy tone—most commonly seen on WGS examples.

This example dates to the end of 16550 production in 1987 and has been blessed by time with a lovely creamy dial. The tritium lume on the markers has aged to a darker pumpkin tone, while the lume on the hands is a few shades lighter—common of Chicchi Explorers. The watch has been worn and enjoyed over the years: there is some corrosion at the lower-right portion of the dial and wear to the case, particularly on the wider-font bezel unique to the 16550. Nevertheless, it remains beautiful on the wrist and is easily one of the watches that pairs best with Stef’s famous beige jumper.

The movement is running beautifully at +2 s/day, with an amplitude of 291° and a beat error of 0.1 ms. The original 78360/501 bracelet with an M-coded (1988) clasp shows minimal stretch. With spotless cream-dial 16550s rapidly climbing in value and becoming one of the most collectible vintage Rolex references, this is a fantastic example to enjoy daily—offering all the charm of a creamy dial without the pressure of perfection.