166 Rolex Valuable and Fine Explorer Automatic Wristwatch in Steel, Reference 1016, with Black Dial

Estimate: € 20,000 –⁠ 40,000

Sold € 26,000

Model: Explorer
Reference: 1016
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Bracelet Material: Stainless Steel
Year: 1968
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: 1570
Case N°: 1738358
Dimensions: 36 mm
Signed: Dial, movement and case

The story begins in 1952 when number of climbers travelled to the Tibet and China border as part of a research trip in preparation for the 1953 assault of Everest and Rolex wanted to help in this venture giving them its first prototype Explorer in a 36mm steel case called Big-Bubbleback. A few years later, in 1959 the Explorer model 1016 was launched, it was the first Explorer to be marked 'Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified' on the dial, and was also the first to feature minute marks which went to the very edge of the dial. This example is one of this family and it comes in untouched conditions with sharp case and oyster riveted bracelet. The Dial is perfect aged with its black matte color and the well-know 3,6,9 indexes filled with tritium turned into a ocre color that identifies this model. It is important to underline that until the early to mid 1960s Radium had been used but being its potentially catastrophic effects were after replaced by the tritium, identified by the ‘SWISS T<25 or T-SWISS-T’ signature on the bottom edge of dial like the present lot.