If you are shopping for a fake Rolex Explorer II 1655, the most useful thing to understand is that the 1655 is one of the hardest vintage Rolex references to copy well. The original was built from roughly 1971 to 1985 with a 39 mm case, a fixed 24-hour steel bezel, an acrylic crystal, and a Caliber 1575 whose 24-hour hand is not independently adjustable. Most replicas break at least one of those four points, and many break all of them. Learn the reference before you spend anything. What you are really deciding is how much risk you will carry for a watch almost nobody in the room can identify.

What the 1655 Actually Is

Rolex introduced the Explorer II as a tool for cave explorers and people working in places where day and night blur. The reference 1655 kept the Oyster case and added a fourth hand on a 24-hour scale, plus a fixed bezel engraved with 24-hour numerals. It carried a date at 3 o'clock under a cyclops and ran on the 1575 automatic movement. Production ended in 1985 when the 16550 took over. Because the bezel does not turn and the 24-hour hand is tied to the hour train, the 1655 cannot display a second time zone the way a GMT-Master can. Collectors note that limitation constantly. The nickname attached to it came from dealers and auction coverage, not from any documented photo of the actor wearing one.

Why This Reference Resists Copying

  • Case size. The genuine watch sits near 39 mm with 20 mm lugs. Many replicas use a 40 mm or 42 mm case that wears larger and reads wrong on the wrist.
  • Crystal. The 1655 shipped with a domed acrylic crystal. Clones usually ship sapphire because it is easier to source and looks more modern.
  • Movement behavior. Genuine 24-hour hands track the hour hand. A large share of replicas use a GMT movement with a jumping hour hand or a separate 24-hour setting, so the handset behaves like a different watch.
  • Bezel finish. The original bezel is steel with engraved numerals filled black. Copies tend to have thicker numerals, softer engraving, or a printed insert.
  • Dial marks. Early 1655 dials went through several variants, including the layout collectors call the rail dial. Reproductions rarely match text width, font weight, and spacing together.

Checkpoints Before You Commit

  1. Measure the case across the bezel, excluding the crown. Anything past 40 mm is not close.
  2. Confirm the crystal material. Acrylic is correct here; sapphire is a giveaway of modern parts.
  3. Test the 24-hour hand. Pull the crown to the time-setting position and see whether the fourth hand moves in step with the hour hand or jumps on its own.
  4. Inspect the case back stamping and the serial area between the lugs for font and depth.
  5. Check the date window and cyclops magnification, which should sit near 2.5x.
  6. Ask what movement is inside. A claim of Swiss origin on a low-cost GMT build deserves scrutiny.
  7. Check water resistance claims against reality. Nobody pressure-tests a counterfeit before shipping it.

Parameter Bands for the Real Thing

  • Case diameter: about 39 mm
  • Lug width: 20 mm
  • Crystal: domed acrylic
  • Movement: Caliber 1575, automatic, date
  • Bezel: fixed, 24-hour scale
  • Production: 1971 to 1985

Legal and Practical Risk

Counterfeit watches are illegal to import into the United States, and shipments are subject to seizure and destruction with penalties attached. Reselling one is trafficking in counterfeit goods, which carries exposure beyond losing the watch. Servicing is the other problem. Independent watchmakers often decline counterfeit work because parts are not interchangeable with genuine components, and authorized service centers will not touch it. There is no warranty, no parts pipeline, and no resale market worth naming. If a seller promises all of that, you are hearing a sales script.

FAQ

Is the 1655 the Steve McQueen Explorer II?

That is the collector nickname. There is no confirmed photograph of him wearing the reference, so treat the label as marketing shorthand rather than history.

Do 1:1 Swiss super clones use Swiss movements?

Often not. Many builds use Asian GMT movements with Swiss branding applied at the sales level. Ask for the exact caliber and expect a vague answer.

Can a jeweler tell it is fake?

Yes. Case proportions, crystal material, and hand behavior are visible without opening the watch. A trained eye does not need a loupe for the first two.

Will the 24-hour hand work like the original?

Usually not. The correct behavior is a fourth hand locked to the hour hand. Independent or jumping 24-hour hands appear on most replicas.