Rolex Explorer II 16570 Tritium Black Dial T Serial – 1996

Rolex Explorer II 16570 Tritium Black Dial

A traditionally overlooked reference, the 16570 Explorer has found it’s way out from under the rock it was hiding for all these years and is finally being appreciated by collectors worldwide, and for good reason. The Polar spec gets most of the love these days, but when you see a crisp black dial variant it becomes clear that these are just as special in their own way, especially in Tritium form where they are a perfect blend of vintage charm and modern usability.

This particular example is a T-Serial dating from 1996, and presents in good vintage condition. The case shows some scratching and wear commensurate with its age, but no large dings or dents. Lugs are even, with clear markings between them. Bezel shows some small dings, and some fading of the 24hr scale paint. Please see images for full condition details.

Dial is in very good condition. White gold surrounds show very minor handling marks, and the plots are full with some discoloration/small marks present on a few. Hands are Tritium, and in good condition. Show some speckling under UV light, but this is not uncommon.

Crystal shows a scratch between 7 and 8, and a minor chip on the outer edge in the same area.

Bracelet is a 78790 with 501B endlinks, and 11 links. Clasp code is VB coded, indicating it’s from circa-1975. Though earlier than the watch, these clasps are quite valuable in their own right. Shows minor stretch.

Service history is unknown. Currently keeping COSC time.

Comes with correct 16570 stickered outer box, inner box, calendar and Watch Vault cleaning cloth.