Views on this Vintage Explorer Please

[Falstaff]

Another one I've dredged upform Ebay Uk...less than ideal pics, seller unwilling to disclose serial, but to my eye looks like would clean-up, depending on a sensible final price....?

...Stretch rivet bracelet, with a clasp that dates tothe 80s, so must be cobbled together?

Opinions as to head originality, given limited detail pics?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROLEX-VIN...19.m1438.l2649

[John Ireland]

I am very suspicious of this watch and suggest you walk away. 1. I've never seen an Explorer with a ref. # 1002 caseback. This feels like an Explorer dial stuck into a 1002 movement. 2. I never trust a seller who takes this bad a photograph of what they are selling. If you can't take excellent pictures of a watch then get out of the business.

The 1002 and 1500 Explorers are both 34mm cases...and have basically the same movement. It is not uncommon to see Explorer dials put onto non-date OPs and sold with the jacked up Explorer price.

Again...I recommend that you walk away from this watch.

[Falstaff]

Thanks John, yes, for some reason I asked the seller if it was a 36mm case minus crown, and with Xmas pending didn't register the lack of a clear reply. Yup, he's playing games. All he would say is that the serial is correct to the watch...another semantic sleight-of-hand. Ah well, another one for the heap.

[Paul]

Any buyer is taking a chance with those pics but I guess there's half a chance we are seeing a legitimate 5500 Explorer.

The 1002 case-back was commonly seen on the 34mm 5500 Explorer ... although the two I have had with that configuration, also had a date code on the case-back.

The 'Precision' dial would fit for a 5500 Explorer and if it's an early gilt dial under the blur and crystal scratches, they really are rather nice.

Never an easy sell though cos. as John's noted, the prevelance of 5500 Explorers that started life as a different 34mm reference (often Airkings) scares off many folk.

Bad pics ... limited information ... from a seller called 'Watchdealer' .... who has had no problem loading quality high res. pics for his previous auctions ...... I'm out

[Falstaff]

Again, agreed. He was very selective in his reply, only giving the barest info and allowing inference to do the rest, a tell-take sign that someone knows a lot more than they are letting on. Basically, dressing it up in get-out clauses if/when the time comes.