Rolex Explorer II ‘Cream Dial’ – Chicchi di Mais – 1984 – Ref. 16550 – ON HOLD

Introduced in 1971 as a tool watch for cavers and polar explorers, the Explorer II evolved significantly with the reference 16550 in 1984, with this offered example originating from the first year of this refs production line, a transitional model that today occupies a quiet but firm place in serious Rolex collecting. This particular example carries the desirable cream dial variant, a rarer alternative to the standard white, whose warm ivory tone has only deepened in character over the decades.