If you are searching for a reproduction Rolex Explorer II 1655, the core buying advice comes first: do not buy one. The 1655 is a real vintage reference that Rolex built from 1971 to 1985, and any watch carrying its name, dial print, or caseback stamp is a counterfeit, not a reproduction. In the United States, trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime, and imported fakes get seized and destroyed. What follows is what a buyer needs to know: how the real 1655 is built, what to check on a genuine example, where replica listings fall apart, and what legal paths exist.
Why the Explorer II 1655 Attracts Copies
Rolex designed the 1655 for cave explorers and for people who worked through polar winter, where day and night run together. A fixed 24-hour bezel and an orange 24-hour hand let the wearer separate AM from PM at a glance. That function, plus a plain steel case and a black dial, made the watch a template that counterfeiters copy because it looks expensive without looking loud. The nickname "Steve McQueen" came from dealers in the 1980s. McQueen himself wore a Submariner, not this reference.
What to Look For on a Genuine 1655
- Case: stainless steel, 39 mm across, about 12 to 13 mm thick, 20 mm lug width.
- Bezel: fixed steel ring with a 24-hour scale. It does not rotate.
- Dial: black. The reference shipped with a black dial, and the 24-hour hand is orange.
- Crystal: domed acrylic with no cyclops lens. The date sits at 3 o'clock under flat glass.
- Movement: Caliber 1575, a 24-hour version of the 1570 family, running at 19,800 vibrations per hour.
- Caseback: stamped inside with the reference number and a production date code.
- Dial variants: collectors sort early dials by the coronet shape known as the Frog Foot and by the Rail dial layout. Each variant moves the value.
How Replica Listings Give Themselves Away
- Wrong case size. A 40 mm or 42 mm case cannot be a 1655.
- Rotating GMT bezel. The real bezel is fixed.
- Cyclops magnifier over the date. The 1655 has none.
- Modern high-beat movement described as original. The genuine caliber runs at 19,800 vph.
- Photos borrowed from auction houses or forum threads. Ask for a dated image of the caseback and the movement.
- Prices that sit far below the vintage market. There is no bargain on a watch that collectors track by dial variant.
Parameter Bands to Verify
Case diameter should land at 39 mm, thickness near 12 to 13 mm, and lug width at 20 mm. Lug-to-lug spacing runs about 47 mm. Water resistance was rated at 100 meters when new, which a 40-year-old gasket set will not match. Movement beat rate is 19,800 vph, or 2.75 Hz. Any listing that quotes 28,800 vph is describing a different and much newer movement.
Legal and Practical Pitfalls
Counterfeit watches carry no enforceable warranty, and sellers who trade in them operate outside consumer protection law. Payment methods common in that market, such as wire transfer or gift cards, leave no path to a refund. Customs officers seize counterfeit shipments at the border, and the buyer absorbs the loss. Resale is the second trap: a counterfeit cannot be sold without exposing the seller to criminal liability, so its value drops to scrap. Repair shops will decline service because parts are not interchangeable with genuine components.
Legitimate Alternatives
- Buy a genuine 1655 through an auction house or a dealer who offers a written authenticity guarantee and a service history.
- Choose a 24-hour field watch from a brand that uses its own name and its own design language. No trademark is copied, and the watch can be serviced, resold, and insured.
- If the goal is the look, a modern Explorer II or a steel GMT from a mainstream brand delivers the 24-hour function with full documentation.
FAQ
Is a reproduction Explorer II 1655 legal to buy in the US?
No. A watch that copies Rolex trademarks is a counterfeit good, and importing or selling one violates federal law. Possession alone is not the charge, but the sale and the shipment are.
Will a replica hold its value?
No. There is no collector market for counterfeits, and listing one for sale creates legal exposure for the seller.
Did Steve McQueen wear the 1655?
No. The nickname came from Italian dealers. McQueen wore a Submariner ref. 5512 and later a 5513.
What should a genuine 1655 cost?
Auction results set the range, and the figure depends on dial variant, case condition, and whether the hands and bezel are original to the watch. Check recent sale records rather than trusting a listing description.