THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 16570
YEAR: 1999
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

For a long time, the Rolex Explorer II was an underappreciated gem in the world of vintage Rolex collecting. That has changed in recent years, with early references such as the 1655 “Steve McQueen” and the 16550 now commanding serious attention from collectors—along with ever-increasing price tags.

The 16550 was produced for a brief four years before being succeeded by the 16570 in 1989. The 16570 then enjoyed a solid 22-year production run before being replaced by its larger 42 mm successor. Over this period, Rolex introduced numerous incremental changes across the dial, case, and bracelet.

This example dates to 1999 and features a “Swiss”-only dial, produced for a narrow 18-month window. Prior to this, Rolex printed “Swiss – T ≤ 25” at the base of the dial to denote tritium lume. With the introduction of Luminova in the late 1990s, Rolex briefly marked these dials simply “Swiss” to signify the change. From 2000 onwards, Super-LumiNova was adopted, bringing with it the now-familiar “Swiss Made” signature seen on modern Rolex models.

The watch remains in excellent, honest condition. The case has been polished in the past but remains strong, with thick lugs and crown guards. The dial is flawless, as expected, and the bracelet shows no perceptible stretch. The movement has been freshly serviced and is running perfectly at +2 seconds per day, with 295 amplitude and a 0.1 ms beat error. A new crown was fitted during service.

These 16570s are an absolute joy to wear - sleek on the wrist and carry that unmistakable neo-vintage charm.