1984 Rolex Explorer 1 36mm Tritium 1016 on Bracelet
Ref: 1016
Specification
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold “Watch Only” and, therefore, comes without its Rolex box or Rolex paperwork. It comes paired with its original 1984, reference 78360, 20mm Rolex stainless steel Oyster bracelet with a signed folding clasp and will fit up to a 7-inch wrist. The watch is from Circa 1984 and is sold in worn condition, but as you can see from the photos, it is in fair condition. A full case and bracelet refurb can be provided on request at an additional cost. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19bDjn4G2cW8-02_o-l4BYWDwVU4uY8No?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 2:30 - https://youtu.be/7CqNkBAnkEg
The Watch
Here we have a 1984 Rolex Explorer Tritium 1016 on a Bracelet. The Rolex Explorer was first introduced in 1953, shortly after the first successful summit of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Chronometers used by the expedition were the forerunner of the explorer, albeit without the name. Introduced in 1963, it remained in production until 1989, when the Ref 1016 was discontinued after 26 years of production. A 36mm stainless steel Oyster case has polished and brushed surfaces that transition perfectly towards tapering drilled lugs, and a lug-to-lug length of 43.5mm and a case thickness of 12.5mm ensure a comfortable fit on your wrist. On the right a large screw-down crown. Its polished bezel holds a domed crystal above a matte black dial and has Arabic numerals at 12, 3, 6, and 9 with baton indexes between, all of which are coated in Tritium, and Mercedes’s hands are Tritium filled and complemented by a lollipop counterweighted sweeping second hand. At 12 o’clock, we have the Rolex Coronet Oyster Perpetual Explorer and Superlative Chronometer. Officially Certified at 6 o’clock, Swiss- T<25 on the bottom edge completes this striking timepiece. On the reverse, a coin-edged screw-in case back, inside is an automatic Rolex Cal. 1570, 26 jewels, 19,800 beats per hour, this COSC-certified movement with hacking seconds was introduced in 1972. The watch comes paired with its original 1984, reference 78360, 20mm Rolex stainless steel Oyster bracelet with a signed folding clasp and will fit up to a 7-inch wrist.
Personal Note
When I was first starting out in this industry many years ago the Rolex Explorer 1016 could be found relatively easily in great condition and for what now seems like insane prices. As time has progressed the 1016 has gained popularity among collectors and great examples have been snapped up and remain in collections today. This is why when this lovely and honest 1016 from 1984 came my way I had to jump at it. Featuring its original Tritium dial and hands which have a subtle but lovely age developing on them and paired with its original bracelet from 1984, all priced incredibly well in today's market. I would not hesitate to add this to your collection if you have been considering one, they only seem to be gaining in popularity still!
The Brand
In 1905, German-born Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis set up a company in London that imported Swiss movements, which were installed in British cases and sold to jewellers who put their names on the dials. Recognising the potential for their brand, Wilsdorf created the brand name Rolex in 1908. In 1910, a Rolex became the first wristwatch to carry the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, awarded by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. Demand for Rolex watches rose swiftly, and British taxes on the Swiss movements Rolex used prompted Wilsdorf to move the business to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1919. With production costs lowered, Wilsdorf quickly set out to solve the age-old problem of moisture and dust entering a watch case and damaging the movement. The Rolex watchmakers came up with a fully sealed watch case, which Wilsdorf named the Oyster and released to an appreciative audience in 1926. In 1931, Rolex introduced the first automatic winding wristwatch, giving it the legendary name Oyster Perpetual. In 1945, they released the Datejust, which was the first watch to have the date jump instantaneously at midnight. The 1950s saw a whole lot of releases, such as the Air-King (1958), the Explorer (1953), the Submariner (1953), the GMT Master (1955), the Day-Date (1956), the electromagnetic field resistant Milgauss (1956), the Lady-Datejust (1957) and the first Deep Sea model (1960). Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 saw ownership of Rolex S.A. (a collection of sub-companies) passed to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which was founded by Wilsdorf in 1945, the mission of which is simply to sustain Rolex S.A. indefinitely.