This Rolex Explorer II 1655 Freccione super clone recreates the first Explorer 2 of 1971, the 39mm steel tool watch with the big orange arrow 24-hour hand. Rolex built it for speleologists and polar teams: the arrow turns once a day against a fixed engraved bezel, so the wearer knows whether it is 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. This replica copies the vintage look: matte black dial, cream-toned aged lume on the markers and hands, straight baton hands, crown guards and a brushed steel Oyster bracelet. Collectors sometimes call it the “Steve McQueen” Explorer 2, although the actor never actually wore one.

Rolex Explorer II 1655 Freccione Specifications

• Reference: 1655 “Freccione” (Explorer II, also written Explorer 2; made 1971–1985)
• Case: 39mm stainless steel Oyster case with crown guards and screw-down crown
• Dial: matte black, aged-lume hour markers, orange arrow 24-hour hand, date at 3 o’clock under a Cyclops lens
• Bezel: fixed brushed steel with engraved 24-hour scale
• Movement: clone Cal. 1575 (automatic, date, 24-hour hand)
• Power reserve: 48 hours on the genuine Cal. 1575; about 46 hours on the clone
• Water resistance: 50 m
• Bracelet: brushed steel Oyster with folding clasp

Explorer 2 1655 vs 16550 vs 226570

The 1655 is the original: 39mm, matte dial, and an arrow hand that moves together with the hour hand, so it reads 24-hour time rather than a second time zone. The 16550 of the late 1980s moved to 40mm, a sapphire crystal, Mercedes hands, a red 24-hour hand and the first independently set hour hand, which turned the Explorer 2 into a true two-time-zone watch. The 226570 is today’s 42mm version with the orange hand back. Choose this Rolex Explorer II 1655 replica for 1970s character, the 226570 for modern travel.

Rolex Explorer 2 1655 Replica FAQ

Why is the Rolex 1655 called “Freccione”?

“Freccione” is Italian for “big arrow”. Italian collectors gave the 1655 this name because of its oversized orange arrow-tipped 24-hour hand, which later Explorer II references replaced with a slimmer hand.

Can the 1655 Freccione show a second time zone?

Not in the GMT sense. On the genuine Cal. 1575 the arrow hand is linked to the hour hand and works as a day/night indicator for people underground or in a polar winter. If you need to track home time while travelling, pick the Explorer 2 16550 or 226570, whose hour hand can be set independently.

How much does the Rolex Explorer II 1655 Freccione super clone cost?

It costs $659, with the clone Cal. 1575 and the brushed steel Oyster bracelet included. The super clone is the only version of this reference in stock.

How close is the Explorer 2 1655 replica to the genuine?

Very close on the outside: the 39mm case, the matte black dial, the aged lume and the big orange arrow hand follow the 1971 original. Inside, the clone Cal. 1575 runs for about 46 hours against the 48 hours of the genuine, and the case is water resistant to 50 m.

See the full Rolex Explorer replica collection.

Other versions of this model in stock: Rolex Explorer II 16550 (vintage 40mm, black dial), Rolex Explorer II 226570 Black, Rolex Explorer II 226570 Polar (white dial).