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Old 18 February 2019, 12:42 AM   #1
EddieK12
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Strange Explorer II 16550 Cream w/ black surrounds

Hi y'all.. In a confirmation period of a Explorer II I purchased.
Obviously a few things caught my eye at first. Black surrounds and hands with a 16550 reference and a creamed dial.

After reading EVERY possible thread, there is no solid results to confirm it. 9 million reference number. All of the hands glow after charging in the light but the plots are dead. If the plots are original tritium, they don't seem to have the "aged" look.

Watch was advertised original with box and papers and tags. I took some photos of the dial upclose.

16570 dial refinished cream? or unicorn 16550? Thanks in advanced








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Old 18 February 2019, 12:52 AM   #2
1675-David
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conventional knowledge says that a correct cream dial has WG surrounds but I've seen a thread here on TRF discussing the possibility of the cream/black surround combination where more than a couple of examples came forward, now if I could only find that thread I'd post a link.. As you say you have probably already read it but I gather this combo is not outside the realms of possibility.
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Old 18 February 2019, 12:57 AM   #3
subtona
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The color does not seem quite typical but that could be the image or the way the black surrounds are setting it off?

Hope you can verify. It is a good looking watch!!
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Old 18 February 2019, 02:00 AM   #4
swish77
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Can you post a UV light photo of the dial/hands? If they react differently to the light, then something most likely has been changed, and based on your description I would guess it was the hands.

As for the aging plots on the dial, keep in mind that not all batches of tritium take on a lot of patina. There are plenty examples from the '70s-'90s that show little or no patina on tritium, especially if the watches were worn a lot (sun exposure).
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Old 18 February 2019, 02:25 AM   #5
watchcrank
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I have seen a few of these. The guess is that the last few plates with the incorrect color made it to the transitional area and the black surrounds were used. No real documented information on that. But most are in the R range and into the 16570 models. I would think that this dial in a 9 million serial would have to have been added later. Someone may have some better information.
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Old 18 February 2019, 05:47 AM   #6
77T
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I have seen one like that recently but it had an RSC-UK service in 2007.

It looked very much like yours.

Did yours come with a certificate like this?




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Old 18 February 2019, 07:18 AM   #7
ccaballero
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Van Cleef Arpel had explorer like this if recall
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Old 18 February 2019, 09:15 AM   #8
BNA/LION
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Strange Explorer II 16550 Cream w/ black surrounds

The Explorer II 16550 Cream Dials have white gold/silver color surrounds. I have heard that people have used heat and chemicals on dials to achieve the cream color. More research and a verification from Rolex would be a good idea. IMHO

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...er+16550+Cream
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Old 26 March 2019, 04:43 AM   #9
DEVOTED2TIME
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Any updates about your watch OP? Curious to find out more about this particular configuration.
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Old 27 March 2019, 02:24 AM   #10
Swearengen
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I saw a cream 16550 with white gold surrounds and black hands in a dealer in Holland. I wasn't convinced, but the dealer was fairly confident. I am undecided but erring on the side of caution.
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Old 27 March 2019, 02:35 AM   #11
1665fan
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White gold surround and black hands was never made by Rolex to my knowledge, any dealer should know that
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Old 27 March 2019, 03:37 PM   #12
AdamG
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Should have WG surrounds
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Old 28 March 2019, 05:00 PM   #13
16610v
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I think the most special characters for 16550 to make it different from 16570 white dial are
1. cream dial
2. rail dial
3. wg surround

The dial version with the above 3 characters are the most desirable by collector for this special and short-period ex ii
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Old 15 May 2019, 09:25 AM   #14
Allinthegame
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That cream dial looks gorgeous
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Old 15 May 2019, 09:37 AM   #15
Wiener48
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Really Like the color change. Same here with some of the 116520 Daytonas, see https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...ighlight=Crema
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Old 17 May 2019, 12:45 PM   #16
btinl
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There was one on eBay with black surrounds and non-rail dial that was on eBay for a pretty long time. It quickly traded hands between a few vintage dealers and is again for sale.
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Old 15 June 2019, 01:42 AM   #17
Jessemack
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Did you ever find out if this was original? I have been obsessed with EXP IIs lately, and would love to know.
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Old 15 June 2019, 02:07 AM   #18
05carbondrz
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 16610v View Post
I think the most special characters for 16550 to make it different from 16570 white dial are
1. cream dial
2. rail dial
3. wg surround

The dial version with the above 3 characters are the most desirable by collector for this special and short-period ex ii
If it doesn’t have these Traits,It won’t bring a premium.
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