Opinions please on this EXII 1655????

[Lol-x]

1. Do you think the dial may be re-lumed for a 1977 model?

2. Do you think the lug thickness looks O.K.?

3. Does it matter if the minute hand has some lume discolouration?

The price is around $12,500.

[HL65]

Steve- it doesn't look relumed to me. The case is fair- a bit polished down on outside and lost edges. For $12,500- not a bad price....

[Lol-x]

O.K. thanks Ken

[Michael M.]

Hi Steve, hands don't & markers don't look like they have been relumed. The case definitely has been polished before, most likely more than once, the hands light discoloration is normal. As for the price, $12,500, I'd only pay between $9,000-11,000, because this is a slightly newer model & the case has been polished a few times, all in all though, a solid example of a 1655

[onkyo]

I think relumed.... all the markers look too rounded and not sharp as you would expect. They look too 'puffy'.

The price is too high too.

[sherwin]

That is a nice exp2. for 12.5k its an ok price (imo), maybe ask the seller if he is nego on price, i reckon try to get him down to about 10-11k, and you have yourself a nice 1655.

my worthless $0.02

[Rana]

I first became aware of the Rolex Professional range some 55 years ago and always said one day I will wear one.
But whenever their was an opportunity to buy one, then the thought of spending £5,000 on a wristwatch seemed plain crazy!
However, there comes a point when after 43 years of hard work you stop and think, WHY NOT.
What I wanted in the watch was something that offered a timeless quality without being "in your face", and be able to put up with everyday outdoor life as well as formal wear.
So I opted for the Rolex Explorer II (year 2011), 40mm, 3186 movement, 78790 A bracelet, with the white face as not only does it look good when I wear it everyday but it also aptly suits a formal appearance. Its weight and wearing comfort are great.
Now the Explore 42mm is too huge, and the perfect shape and size of 24 hand has been replaced by one which is too much in the face. Explorer 40mm was the perfect watch so why tinker with its shape and size?

[Lol-x]

Originally Posted by onkyo

I think relumed.... all the markers look too rounded and not sharp as you would expect. They look too 'puffy'.

The price is too high too.

Some tritium lume is like that, it doesn't have straight edges and it does look a little 'puffy'.

I also can't see much polishing on the lugs they in fact look quite good and consistent in their appearance.

The lume looks uniform and some of those unsharp edges are just how tritium goes....doesn't it

[T5AUS]

Hi Steve, to me the dial just looks too fresh for a 77 model, if not a relume could it be NOS ?

[swatty]

Any shots of the model number and serial number ?

[Lol-x]

Originally Posted by T5AUS

Hi Steve, to me the dial just looks too fresh for a 77 model, if not a relume could it be NOS ?

Hi Phil, good to see you man.
I don't know if it is a re-lume, but the shape of the coronet on the dial and the inscription below the 6 O'Clock maker seems to indicate that it is the original dial.

[HL65]

Steve-
Since Pav said that I switched computers and am now on iPad where I can blow picture up. The lume does look puffy and like a relume. It is a bit hard to tell from that one shot. Again if it was a normal dial for a 1655 with a decent polished case I don't think $12,500 is a bad price. Ps. As for coloring of lume - the coloring is fine as I have seen many white marker vintage watches so that is not an issue.

[Submarino]

I think the 24H hand is too orange for a hand that was originally bright red on all models produced after 1975. In my opinion that 24H hand should be more of a faded orange at this time for a 1977 watch. My 2 cents!

[therolexguy]

Originally Posted by Submarino

I think the 24H hand is too orange for a hand that was originally bright red on all models produced after 1975. In my opinion that 24H hand should be more of a faded orange at this time for a 1977 watch. My 2 cents!

My thoughts, exactly. I still like it though.

[CapitalIQ]

Are you limited on budget? If you have a few thousand more to spend, I'd pick up a complete set with box/paper, etc.

I don't think it's too far out from the $12k asking price of this one.

Also, the "top" (from your picture) lugs seem to be quite over polished than the "bottom" half.

[Lol-x]

Yes my budget is very limited.
I don't see how this watch has been re-lumed but I will conceded that I am not convinced that it is original. Generally I like to see sharp edges on the hour markers. This doesn't appear to be so on this piece.

[CapitalIQ]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Yes my budget is very limited.
I don't see how this watch has been re-lumed but I will conceded that I am not convinced that it is original. Generally I like to see sharp edges on the hour markers. This doesn't appear to be so on this piece.

I'm not sure if I would do in your position.

From a pure financial perspective, I think buying the whole set would tend to retain its value during market fluctuations than its peers.

If this one isn't 100% "singing", I'd pass.

[HL65]

PS..One follow up since reading - the orange hand looks perfectly fine to me. Some are faded and some are dark like this one.....

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

PS..One follow up since reading - the orange hand looks perfectly fine to me. Some are faded and some are dark like this one.....

Ken, quick question. Shouldn't it be more like redish in any case?

[onkyo]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Yes my budget is very limited.
I don't see how this watch has been re-lumed but I will conceded that I am not convinced that it is original. Generally I like to see sharp edges on the hour markers. This doesn't appear to be so on this piece.

Stevo, What happened to your 1655 you bought a couple of years ago?

ps... I keep staring at that dial and I think it's ok. I am not sure though. It would be easier to tell in your hand with a bit of magnification.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Submarino

Ken, quick question. Shouldn't it be more like redish in any case?

No- dark orange or light orange. I have never seen a reddish one which is why they call it orange hand....

[STEELINOX]

From this one picture I can see the mid casing has been not only polished but - re-grained, from the look of the edges that meet the EL and the lack of edge at the points where there shuld b chamfer.

Not a deal breaker, but, not worth what is being asked as some have expressed...

[edit] the bezel also looks to have been re-grained too

[Submarino]

Originally Posted by SteelerFan65

No- dark orange or light orange. I have never seen a reddish one which is why they call it orange hand....

According to: http://www.doubleredseadweller.com/oh_e2.htm a red hand was introduced in 1975 and seems like these hands have faded to orange while the orange hands have faded to yellow. Here's the info from their website:

The Orange Hand Explorer II by M. Siegel
The Explorer II model, 1655, was introduced in 1971. The movement was either the 1570 or the 1575, and essentially this particular model was a GMT with a fixed stainless steel bezel. It had a distinctive dial with an extra hour hand...

The watch initially when it was first marketed, the second hand was straight and the extra hour hand was a bright orange. In 1974 a luminous circle was added and models manufactured after 1975 the extra hour hand was painted a bright red. The production of the 1655 continued until 1985 when it was discontinued.

A debate exists in regard to when the orange hand was no longer used on the dial. Reference texts seem to agree that the orange hand was discontinued by the mid 70's. It is interesting to note that many 1655's made after the mid 70's and into the 80's have orange 24 hour hands. Perhaps the explanation is that the red hands faded to orange, just as orange hands have been known to fade to yellow.

[edouble141]

This one looks pretty red and pretty dog gone sweet if I dont say so myself....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130580035722...84.m1555.l2649

[Submarino]

That's a nice full set.

[onkyo]

Originally Posted by edouble141

This one looks pretty red and pretty dog gone sweet if I dont say so myself....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/130580035722...84.m1555.l2649

Very nice set.... and rarely seen.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by Submarino

According to: http://www.doubleredseadweller.com/oh_e2.htm a red hand was introduced in 1975 and seems like these hands have faded to orange while the orange hands have faded to yellow. Here's the info from their website:

The Orange Hand Explorer II by M. Siegel
The Explorer II model, 1655, was introduced in 1971. The movement was either the 1570 or the 1575, and essentially this particular model was a GMT with a fixed stainless steel bezel. It had a distinctive dial with an extra hour hand...

The watch initially when it was first marketed, the second hand was straight and the extra hour hand was a bright orange. In 1974 a luminous circle was added and models manufactured after 1975 the extra hour hand was painted a bright red. The production of the 1655 continued until 1985 when it was discontinued.

A debate exists in regard to when the orange hand was no longer used on the dial. Reference texts seem to agree that the orange hand was discontinued by the mid 70's. It is interesting to note that many 1655's made after the mid 70's and into the 80's have orange 24 hour hands. Perhaps the explanation is that the red hands faded to orange, just as orange hands have been known to fade to yellow.

That is great...I still have never seen a red one and they called it an orange hand for a reason....As I stated above- the hand on this watch looks fine to me- which differs with some others who think it looks too orange. I have seen hundreds of these and they are either dark orange or light orange and never seen a red yet.

[Lol-x]

Originally Posted by onkyo

Stevo, What happened to your 1655 you bought a couple of years ago?

I still have that one. So yes I don't think this one pictured in the first post is worth proceeding with any further.
I couldn't see anything really wrong with the case or any excessive polishing....thanks to all for the advice.