1960 Rolex Explorer I (Ref. 1016) Gilt "Swiss Only" Chapter Ring Dial

The Rolex Explorer I references bridge the gap between a dress watch and a sports watch. Without the crown guards and rotating bezels commonly found on sports models offered by Rolex, the Explorer I has a cleaner, sleeker profile while incorporating recognizable sports model features into the dial. The highly visible block indices, luminescent numerals at the 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock positions, and Submariner style triangle at the 12 o'clock position allow for readability under any conditions. The Submariner hands featured on the ref. 1016 add to the unique feel and sporty appearance.

The very first version of the legendary Rolex ref. 1016 Explorer I was introduced in the year 1960, featuring a “Swiss only” gilt chapter dial. This version directly succeeded the also legendary ref. 6610 Explorer I and in parts retains some of the same details that makes its predecessor so closely. This first series dial didn’t last long however and was soon replaced with the “Exlamation point” dial and the subsequent iterations that followed.

The ref. 1016 Rolex Explorer I was one of the longest running sport models Rolex ever produced, from the years 1960-1989, and features many evolutions throughout its production run, however, the Rolex ref. 1016 was always produced in small batches making for low production numbers throughout its tenure. Consequently, the ref. 1016 has become one of the most sought-after vintage Rolex references in recent years, and with collectors holding onto these pieces, the actually available examples for sale becomes smaller and smaller each year. Of course, this only increases the desirability of this model as each variant has become more elusive as time goes on.