History of my Explorer II, Model 1655

[Mithrilbike]

I am new to this forum and have enjoyed reading and learning more about watches and Rolexes in the last few weeks than I have known my whole life.
I am not a collector or expert but have owned my Rolex Explorer II (Model 1655) since 1978, when my parents bought it for me brand new from a Jewelry shop in San Francisco as a high school graduation present. I liked the sportier styled Rolexes and the bezel design of this watch, which is why I chose it over the Submariner styles, which I also liked.
Anyway, off I went about a week later to start my military career at the USAF Academy, where they promptly took away my watch for the duration of basic training, which lasted six weeks that summer. I then wore the watch during my 4 year cadet career, then 8 1/2 more years after that flying C-141 cargo planes all over the world, when I suppose the 24 hour hand came in handy. Since then I have flown airliners for a major airline. I went about ten years not wearing the watch because I was in the right seat in the cockpit and had to adjust that seat constantly with a lever on the left side (I wear it on my left wrist) and it was getting scratched constantly because of the narrow space there.
I don’t think I was told emphatically enough, or maybe I just did not absorb, the necessity of regular servicing of my watch. Over the 37 years I have had it, it often did not keep time very well! I had it serviced after about 5 years, then I went a long time with no service, maybe 15 or even 20 years. I also did not understand the nature of the crystal, which I have come to understand is acrylic on this watch and so scratched fairly easily. In later years I discovered I could rub out many small scratches with a fine soft cloth and polishing compound, but for a long time I was discouraged by scratches.
In 2010 I took the watch to the Rolex service center in Dallas, TX. There I was quite surprised to learn that it was too old for them to service! They did not have the parts. I thought these were lifetime sorts of items, so this was disappointing. They did refer me to the American Watch Institute, where I was referred to a watchmaker who performed two services in 2010 and 2014, which actually were pretty disappointing also. The watch never kept time very well, and they kept it for many months each time, and it was expensive. Between the experiences at Rolex and with this watchmaker I had just about decided that it was too old and maybe just not fixable.
Finally I decided to give it one last try to find someone who could really restore my watch to good condition, where it least it kept time well. When I first owned it I think it was maybe +/- 5 seconds a day or so, which I thought was pretty good. Later with the poor or no servicing it went a long time about 10 seconds/day fast. After the last two services in 2010 and 2014 it was a full minute per day fast, which I found unacceptable.
So I took my watch to Mr Bob Ridley of Watchmakers International. I live close enough to his shop that I was able to take my watch there and he examined it and talked about what it would require. It was not inexpensive, but I realized by then that it was a fairly valuable watch, which I still enjoy very much, so I went ahead and had everything Mr Ridley recommended done.
I have only had the watch back for a week now, but I must say I am extremely pleased with the results. It is keeping time like it never had before, to my memory at least. After three days it had varied one second from the official NIST clock I set it to. That is a LOT better than I expected or even hoped for. Mr Ridley and his son and coworker Phillip did a fantastic job on the watch, using real Rolex parts and keeping the proper age feel of the watch. It looks great to me and I will be having it serviced regularly now, and he tells me it will last another 35 years (with proper service every 4-5 years). I used to think the watch was just not that great, but now I realize that with proper care it keeps great time, and is really an amazing little machine. I had the opportunity to see the movement working under a scope at the shop, and that was eye-opening.
Here are some pictures of the watch and movement from Mr Ridley. I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon a true craftsman who takes the time and makes the effort to do a job befitting of this sort of watch.

[Tools]

Great looking watch. One of my favorites..

[BNA/LION]

Thanks for sharing! Beautiful Watch!

[RC2]

Awesome!!!!

[thomaspp]

Gorgeous!

[capote]

Love all things Explorer, but the 1655 is one of the best no doubt

[Presa canary]

So awesome

[Robbyvm]

One of the nicest references , wear it with pride it's a beauty !

[adam78]

Superb! All I got for my HS graduation gift was a gold-plated Seiko quartz...

[Franks07]

Beautiful watch. You did well choosing Bob Ridley to service your watch as he is on a very short list of independent watchmakers who still have Access to original Rolex parts and is extremely sensitive to all implications related to preserving the "vintage" aspect of your timepiece.
Wear it in good health for many more years!

[up2nogood]

Now that's a great watch! Awesome that Rolex didn't service it, they'd have taken all the old parts and tossed them.

[sea-dweller]

Very nice!

[mineral]

Wow nice looking watch. Enjoy

[tfduff723]

Outstanding - a great original owner story.

Beautiful watch

[ndsleep612]

Thanks for sharing your ownership story. I'm kind of shocked Rolex would refer you to the inept American Watch Institute. Bob Ridley is one of the few good guys remaining. If you search this forum, you'll come upon a few more.

[lhanddds]

Nicely done, congrats

[watchcrank]

Great watch, and capable of years of service.

[Dr.Smellody]

Fantastic watch and story!

[Zoran]

Great story!
Glad to see so much love for the 1655! My favorite and on my short-list for sure!

[toneafficianado]

What a great story! Thanks for sharing the details. I have had my Exp II for a year but have already decided it will never be sold. I hope I have it for decades too. Great you had your old favourite brought back to give good service again.

[donq]

Sweet Steve McQueen!

[cop414]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, great watch that has many decades of life left!

[Vincent65]

Beauty! Glad you're still enjoying it, and got it serviced properly.

[Scot_3]

Really enjoyed your story and wonderful pictures, thanks for sharing, and thanks for serving

[R-H]

Great looking Explorer, and great story enjoy wearing it for the next 35 years.

[J!m]

Beautiful! And I'm glad you stuck it out- any machine can be fixed in the right hands...

I REALLY WISH Rolex would consider a modern version of this watch. They would do well now even though the originals did not.

Are you listening Rolex???