Born for high-altitude Himalayan climbing, the Explorer arrived in the 1950s, launching in the same year as the Submariner and the Turn-O-Graph.

As Rolex once put it in an advertisement, “We built the Rolex Explorer as there are no watch repair shops on top of the Matterhorn.”

To say it was a major year for Rolex — and for watches more broadly — would be an understatement. It helped shape the company Rolex would become, defined the modern sports watch segment, and laid the foundation for the watch-collecting pyramid that Rolex now sits atop.

The Explorer has come to embody what many consider the ideal “one nice watch.” Its simplicity and timeless design allow it to go anywhere, not just far-off mountaintops. Reference 1016 in particular, produced for an incredible 29 years from 1960 to 1989, stands as a true vintage hall-of-famer. With its understated 36mm case, no-date layout, and crisp black dial — gilt or matte — it’s the sports Rolex that doesn’t shout for attention: the anti-hype Rolex, if you will.

At hand, we have a 1964 Ref. 1016 with a lovely case and bezel, but of course the star of the show is its spectacular gilt dial. The once high-gloss black has aged beautifully, shifting to a caramel hue on the right side and a richer milk-chocolate tone on the left — is this not almost art?

The printing has taken on a warm golden hue, paired with yellowed lume on the hands and hour markers — a seriously sexy combination..

This fine explorer has been fully checked and regulated by our watchmaker.

From the Matterhorn to your wrist — begin its next chapter. Reach out to acquire this exceptional Explorer !

Specifications:

Rolex Reference 1016 Explorer
36mm steel case
Serial 104xxxx dating to 1964
Chocolate gilt glossy tropical dial
Bulang and sons leather strap
Fully checked by our watchmaker
One-year mechanical warranty
Free worldwide Fedex Priority shipping

Rolex Explorer 1016 Tropical Gilt Dial

Rolex Explorer 1016 Tropical Gilt Dial

Before/after