Help with Explorer 1655 please

blubarb
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Can I get the opinions of members familiar with the 1655 Explorer please. This is a Mk5 dial 1979-84 production years. The T-swiss <25-T is sans serif. The case has a serial 4033xxx from 1975-76. I believe the bezel to be a Mark III type. I suspect that either the dial has been swapped or the case has been swapped.

Appreciate any opinions please.

Thanks in advance
20250615_024824393_iOS.webp 20250615_024801149_iOS.webp Screenshot 2025-06-12 181306.webp Screenshot 2025-06-12 181703.webp
Edited:
 
ErichKeane
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Not an expert, but found the same site you did.

One thing I find interesting, is that the bezel definitely looks to be #3 here: https://www.watchprosite.com/rolex/the-evolution-of-the-freccione/732.574096.3563066/

Which the site says is 77-80.

Of the dials, I sort of wonder/think it is the mk4, not the mk5, but again, not an expert (which ALSO says 77-80).


All of that to say... that is somewhat inconsistent with the serial number. COULD you perhaps be mis-reading the serial number? Could that be 4833xxx or 4633xxx instead of 4033xxx? If so, that could make this a perfectly-correct 1977.
 
blubarb
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I think the dial is Mk V only because the T-swiss <25-T doesn't have the serif font, and only the Mk V is sans serif. I just re-checked the case number and definitely 4033xxx
 
watch_my_six
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But the tail on the R appears curved, which makes it look more like a mk 4 than a mk 5...
 
blubarb
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watch_my_six watch_my_six
But the tail on the R appears curved, which makes it look more like a mk 4 than a mk 5...
Could you show me which R you are looking at?
 
Subspecies
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Just looking, but that dial looks mk5. Its a tall coronet with a deeper oval where the head would fit compared to the mk4. Which doesn't bode well for the serial number range that you say it has, which would be a shorter coronet. My guess is a later dial in the case or vice versa. If that's been done then possibly other changes were made. It looks lovely but...
 
blubarb
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Subspecies Subspecies
Just looking, but that dial looks mk5. Its a tall coronet with a deeper oval where the head would fit compared to the mk4. Which doesn't bode well for the serial number range that you say it has, which would be a shorter coronet. My guess is a later dial in the case or vice versa. If that's been done then possibly other changes were made. It looks lovely but...
It also has the sans-serif font on the T swiss < t25 T which, to me, confirms a Mk V dial.

One of the reasons I took on this 1655, besides always wanting the 1655, which has been beyond my means, was that the price was well under current market and was available in Aus, so no duties. I have no intention of trying to sell it anytime soon that's for sure.

Yes it's definitely a "watch with a story" as someone mentioned in another forum.

Given it was last serviced by the RSC in HK (service receipt with me) and purchased by a friend at that time, I am confident it has not been re-configured post 2014.

I suspect that this 1655 was given to the RSC for overhaul in this configuration in either of the following conditions:

A) The watch was given to RSC with this dial, otherwise I would have expected a seriously damaged or destroyed dial to have been replaced with a service dial.

B) The bezel (Mk3), I think, is within the range for the Mk V dial (just?)

This makes me suspect (possibly) that the bezel and the dial were most likely together as part of the original configuration.

C) I suspect that either the case itself was changed prior to the RSC overhaul as I can only assume that they also would have supplied a service case with the 4.3 mil serial.

So, I will never really know, and it doesn't really matter as I enjoy wearing the watch. Ultimately, I prefer to believe, on the sum of the parts, that it was the case that was swapped prior to it being in the hands of the Hong Kong RSC.

All said and done it is only a search for justification as to its existence and It really is my "watch with a story".

However, I suspect should a 1655 case with a 5 mil - 6 mil come up for grabs I guess I would have to seriously consider it. What do you think?
watch_my_six watch_my_six
Sorry, I’m referring to the main "R" in "Rolex".
They do look the same to me though.
 
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