Replica Rolex Explorer II 1655: Short Answer
No replica of the Explorer II 1655 matches the original. Rolex made the reference 1655 from 1971 to 1985. It has a 39mm steel case, a fixed 24-hour bezel, and an orange 24-hour hand. Replicas sell from about $60 to $500. The better builds copy the case width, the bezel engraving, and the arrow hand. The weak builds use the wrong dial font and a movement that sets the 24-hour hand in the wrong way.
What the 1655 Is
Rolex launched the 1655 in 1971 as a tool watch for cave explorers. The fixed bezel carries 24-hour numerals. The orange arrow hand, called Freccione in Italian, points to that scale. The case measures 39mm across. Early examples have drilled lugs. The crystal is acrylic. The movement is the Caliber 1575, an automatic with a date at 3 o'clock. Production stopped in 1985, and the 16550 took its place.
Dealers call it the Steve McQueen Explorer II. Rolex never used that name. No photo shows McQueen with the watch. Treat the nickname as marketing.
Dial Marks
Collectors sort 1655 dials into five marks. The marks differ in Coronet shape, text spacing, and the minute track. Later marks carry a finer track. Prices differ by mark. Replica dials sit in two groups: printed dials with soft text, and better dials with crisp text and a correct track. Photograph the dial at 10x and compare the Coronet feet to a reference photo.
Movement
Most 1655 replicas use an Asian ETA 2836-2 with a GMT module, or a DG3804. Both are 25.6mm movements with a date wheel. On the original Caliber 1575, the 24-hour hand sets apart from the hour hand. Ask the seller to show a video of the 24-hour hand setting. On cheap builds the 24-hour hand rides with the hour hand and cannot move alone. That is a tell.
Case, Bezel, and Bracelet
Case diameter is 39mm. Thickness runs near 13mm. Replica cases often measure 40mm or more. Lug width is 20mm. The bezel is steel, fixed, and engraved, with black fill in the numerals. It does not turn. A rotating bezel on a 1655 replica means the factory used a different case. Period bracelets are the folded-link Oyster 7836 and the later 78360, both with 20mm end links. Aftermarket straps show up on many replicas.
What to Check Before You Buy
- Case width. Ask for caliper photos across the case at 3 and 9 o'clock.
- Bezel. Fixed, steel, engraved. Count the numerals.
- Dial text. Compare the Coronet and the letter spacing to a reference photo.
- Hands. The 24-hour hand is a wide arrow with an orange finish.
- Movement. Ask for the caliber code and a video of the 24-hour hand setting.
- Crystal. Acrylic on the 1655, not sapphire.
Price and Legal Status
Replica prices track the movement and the dial. Entry builds run $60 to $120. Mid-tier builds run $150 to $300. Builds with a 2836 and a custom dial run $300 to $500. Prices shift by seller.
Counterfeit watch sales are illegal in the United States. Trafficking in counterfeit goods falls under 18 U.S.C. 2320. U.S. Customs and Border Protection can seize imported watches. Personal orders shipped from abroad carry the same seizure risk.