The Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655 is the watch the trade calls the "Steve McQueen." Rolex made it from 1971 to 1985 with a 40mm steel case, a fixed 24-hour bezel, and an orange 24-hour hand. McQueen never wore one in public, and the nickname arrived years after his death.
A replica Rolex 1655 Steve McQueen copies a shape and a dial, not a story about an actor. The guide below covers the real reference first, then the details a first copy has to match.
What Is the Rolex Explorer II 1655?
Rolex launched the 1655 in 1971 as a tool watch for cave explorers and people who work underground or in polar conditions. The 24-hour hand plus a fixed 24-hour bezel let a wearer track day and night where daylight gives no clue.
Production ended in 1985 with the arrival of the ref. 16550. That later model added a white dial option and a sapphire crystal. The 1655 kept its black dial and acrylic crystal for the full run.
Why Do Collectors Call It the Steve McQueen Rolex?
The nickname is a dealer invention, not a fact. Steve McQueen was photographed with a Submariner and an Explorer I ref. 1016. No known photo shows him with an Explorer II.
Italian collectors gave it a different name: Freccione, which means "big arrow" and points to the orange hand. That name fits the watch. The McQueen tag fit the sales pitch.
Rolex 1655 Specs at a Glance
- Production years: 1971 to 1985
- Case: 40mm stainless steel, crown guards, screw-down crown
- Lug width: 20mm, case thickness around 13mm
- Bezel: fixed steel with an engraved 24-hour scale
- Crystal: domed acrylic with a Cyclops lens over the date
- Dial: matte black, printed text, lume plots at each hour
- Hands: Mercedes hour and minute, orange arrow for 24 hours
- Movement: caliber 1575, 26 jewels, 19,800 vph
- Bracelet: Oyster 7836 with folded links, later 78360
One detail sets the 1655 apart from every later Explorer II. Its 24-hour hand is fixed to the hour hand, so the bezel does the second time zone work.
What Should a Good Replica Get Right?
Four areas decide the quality of a first copy: the case, the bezel, the dial, and the movement. Each one has a tell that a photo will show.
Case and bezel
The case is the first thing an eye catches. Originals have a slab-sided mid case that tapers into the lugs, and the crown guards sit close to the case without bulging.
Bezel engraving matters as much. The numerals on the original are cut deep and stand out against the brushed steel. Shallow, printed-looking numbers give a copy away.
Dial and hands
Text placement, font weight, and lume color are the three dial checks. The word "Rolex" sits under the coronet, and the line spacing between the printed rows stays tight.
The orange on the 24-hour hand is a warm, matte tone, not the bright neon seen on cheap copies. Lume plots belong inside the minute track, not on the edge of the dial.
Movement and hand stack
Replica 1655s ship with one of three movement types. Budget builds use a basic Asian 24-hour movement with a jumping GMT hand. Mid-tier builds use an ETA 2836-2 or 2893 with a GMT module. Top builds use a clone of the Rolex 3186.
Hand stack order is the test. The 24-hour hand belongs below the hour hand on this reference. Copies that stack it on top read wrong at a glance.
Crystal, bracelet, and case back
An acrylic crystal has a dome that catches light across the whole dial. Sapphire copies cost less and look flat on a 1970s watch.
The Oyster bracelet should have folded links and a stamped clasp for a 7836 style, or solid links for the later 78360. Case backs are plain steel with nothing past the reference stamps.
Dial Marks: Mark I to Mark IV
Rolex changed the 1655 dial several times across 14 years. Collectors sort them into Mark I through Mark IV, and the gaps show in the coronet shape, the font of the "Rolex" signature, and the lume color.
- Mark I: early text layout, tall coronet, creamy lume
- Mark II: "frog foot" coronet with feet at the base
- Mark III and IV: small font shifts and later tritium
Pick one mark and match it. A copy that pairs a late dial with an early handset looks wrong to anyone who knows the reference.
Is Buying a Replica Legal?
No. A replica is not a Rolex product, and selling counterfeits breaks trademark law in the US and the EU. Customs officers can seize shipments, and payment processors drop sellers who get flagged.
That risk sits with the buyer and the seller, not with the design. Treat the photos as a study of a 1970s tool watch and the rules as a separate matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Steve McQueen ever wear an Explorer II?
No. Photos show him with a Submariner and an Explorer I. The nickname came from dealers who wanted a hook for a slow-selling model.
What is the difference between the 1655 and the 16550?
The 16550 arrived in 1985 with a sapphire crystal, a white dial option, and the caliber 3085. The 1655 keeps the acrylic crystal, the black dial, and the caliber 1575.
Why is the 1655 called the Orange Hand?
The 24-hour hand is painted orange. Italian collectors named it Freccione, meaning big arrow, for the same reason.
What size is the 1655?
40mm across, about 13mm thick, with 20mm lugs and a 20mm bracelet end link.