Rolex
Rolex Explorer II 16550
The Rolex Explorer II (reference 16550) is a 40 mm stainless Steel watch. It runs on the automatic caliber 3085 with a 48-hour power reserve. It was made from 1985 to 1989.
Specifications
Case
- Reference
- 16550
- Collection
- Explorer II
- Case size
- 40 mm
- Case material
- Stainless Steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless Steel
Dial and bezel
- Bezel
- Fixed steel 24-hour
Movement
- Movement
- Automatic
- Caliber
- 3085
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
- Frequency
- 28,800 vph
- Functions
- Date / GMT
Production
- Production
- 1985–1989
Dial versions
This reference was made with these dials and finishes.
16550 Black
Glossy; tritium
16550 Cream
Cream (aged paint defect); tritium
16550 Polar
Polar; tritium · “Polar”
How it compares within the Explorer II family
Side by side with other references in the same collection, from the catalog.
About the Explorer II family
The Explorer II was introduced in 1971 with ref. 1655, a watch for cave explorers and polar researchers that adds a 24-hour hand and a fixed 24-hour bezel so the wearer can tell day from night. The first version had a large orange 24-hour hand.
The ref. 16550 of the mid-1980s made the 24-hour hand independently adjustable, which turned the watch into a practical second time zone, and offered white or black dials. The 16570 carried on until 2011, when the 42 mm ref. 216570 brought back an orange hand. The current ref. 226570 of 2021 uses caliber 3285. White-dial versions, often called Polar, and black-dial versions trade as separate variants, and dealers note the dial colour first.
Quick answers
- What size is the Rolex Explorer II 16550?
- The Rolex Explorer II 16550 has a 40 mm case.
- What movement does the Rolex Explorer II 16550 use?
- It uses the automatic caliber 3085, with a 48-hour power reserve.
- Is the Rolex Explorer II 16550 still in production?
- No. It was made until 1989.
- When did the Rolex Explorer II 16550 come out?
- It was introduced in 1985 and made until 1989.
- What is the Rolex Explorer II 16550 made of?
- The case is stainless Steel. Bracelet or strap: Stainless Steel.
- Which dials was the Rolex Explorer II 16550 made with?
- The catalog lists 3 dials: Black, Cream, White.
Catalog facts checked October 2026.