ROLEX EXPLORER 1016 MKI

It’s probably one of the most beautiful and perhaps most balanced designed, vintage Rolex watches ever. This Rolex Explorer 1016 MK1 offers an amazing vintage presence on the wrist and is a watch of course linked to that famous and very first Mount Everest conquest and exploration by mankind.

As you can see this Explorer I has a beautiful matte black dial, also called a MK1 ‘frog foot’ dial, referring to the splayed points of the Rolex coronet. These early dials offer much more vintage flair as they were the first ones to be fitted into the 1016 Explorer watches after Rolex moved away from the Gilt dials. The dial on our Explorer I displays that fat and ‘greasy’ Tritium lume these early MK1 Explorer watches are known for, the same applies to the original hour and (longer!) minute and seconds hands. When hit with a UV torch the hands and indices immediately light up showing a bright green, only to once again immidiately and completely disappear once the UV source is removed. To be clear, this is correct and what you’re suppose to see with these early Explorer watches – The correct, long set of hands on this 1016 are already a rare find and it’s a big plus that these are still on the watch. The 53 year old case looks very fair with good lugs and smooth bezel, and of course a killer dial.

This vintage Rolex Explorer 1016 MK1 was fully serviced by our watchmakers and will be delivered with a 12 month warranty. We would like to invite you to our HQ to experience this watch for yourself, coffee is always on!

reference: 1016
case number: 17XXXXX
year of production: 1967
case diameter: 36mm
movement: automatic, Rolex caliber 1570
box and papers: no

SOLD