• The finalists in the Mod OTY have been chosen, please go vote in the finals: https://forum.replica-watch.info/threads/2024-moderator-of-the-year-final-poll.11004158/
  • It's our birthday and YOU get the gifts! Eight giveaways including six watches that you can enter for free! https://forum.replica-watch.info/forums/raffles-contests-and-giveaways.58/

  • Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!

1655 Explorer II : Ugly duckling or King of cool ?

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada
Double exposure art piece I made to commemorate Messimer's climb in 1980 of Everest without supplemental oxygen and the 1655 on his wrist. I decided to put it on a shirt and order one for myself. Watch nerdy or what?? :cool: 🤣


Got my 1655 shirt in Green today and it looks great and a good roomy fit!
Source
 
  • Like
Reactions: Karbon74

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada


Do the crown guard area look suspect to you or is it my eyes playing tricks on me??
 

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada
Also today is a monumental event for both Reinhold and the 1655



1655 T shirt

il_794xN.6198601181_nmfz.jpg
 

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada
Test I just received this 1655 from 1984. It runs 1 sec/day off, the bracelet is still as new and so on. For so little apparent wear and original, the orange hand has a bit of the Albino look. Does anyone know if they can lose color even if not used much?


Nice!!

Yes the finish is UV reactive on the orange hand . They have been shown to turn from a faded orange to a pale yellow to completely white
 

1016 lover

Renowned Member
4/10/22
539
952
93
Test I just received this 1655 from 1984. It runs 1 sec/day off, the bracelet is still as new and so on. For so little apparent wear and original, the orange hand has a bit of the Albino look. Does anyone know if they can lose color even if not used much?


Wow, so beautifull, wath do you used for taking pictures?
 

TubeGuy

Known Member
2/2/24
138
89
28
So California
Thanks for the comments!
The pictures were taken by the seller in The Netherlands. I found it on Chrono24. It's supposed to be 100% original, hence my question: If it was not worn much, how did the orange hand fade? Bracelet is tight, and dated correctly.
 

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada
Thanks for the comments!
The pictures were taken by the seller in The Netherlands. I found it on Chrono24. It's supposed to be 100% original, hence my question: If it was not worn much, how did the orange hand fade? Bracelet is tight, and dated correctly.
UV exposure in combination with the chemical make up of the paint used on the hand , that plus time and you get a unique color.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1016 lover

TubeGuy

Known Member
2/2/24
138
89
28
So California
Right on. I just discovered that the bracelet has a date code of SP1 What the hell?

Sorry if this is hijacking. You guys have the deepest knowledge I've seen.

h5uya4.webp
 

automatico

Known Member
5/10/11
106
216
43
...I just received this 1655 from 1984. It runs 1 sec/day off, the bracelet is still as new and so on. For so little apparent wear and original, the orange hand has a bit of the Albino look. Does anyone know if they can lose color even if not used much?

Hard to beat a low mileage vintage watch!
I would trade an eXmark mower, a weed eater, 10 pounds of Hershey's Special chocolate bars, a black tomcat, and a case of cat food for it.
Plus some $$.

Faded hands...
I have some nos 1655 hands from 20 or 25 years back, always stored in a dark, dry cabinet and the 24H arrow is light orange, about the same as when I got them, far as I can tell. I have seen some 24H hands that were darker orange than my nos hands on used 'sunburned' watches and have also seen some that have turned different shades of yellow. On top of that, I have seen a few 24H hands that were more red than orange.
Do not know the stories on them though...oem, service, aftmkt, or refinished.

Besides 36mm 16xx DJs and 1016 Explorers, the 1655 is also a favorite. I have never owned a genuine 1016 or 1655 but still have a few 16xx DJs. I guess I should have bought a 1016 (or two) and a couple 1655 watches back when they were affordable but just never did.

Btw, the last 1603 D J I bought was May 12, 2015 for $575 with a black dial and original bracelet so anyone can see why I am out of the market.
I am a cheap bast***. Ha!
That's still over twice as much as I paid for the first new 1603 DJ I bought, a looong time ago.
Ended up with a few 5500 AKs, 16xx DJs, some old 'hand crankers' etc. No Explorers.
 

TubeGuy

Known Member
2/2/24
138
89
28
So California
I may have to send this back due to bracelet. Weird. I see no info for SP1. If it's a service replacement, those have regular date codes, right?
 

369mafia

Resident Explorer Expert
Patron
Certified
7/7/15
3,840
7,518
113
Canada
I may have to send this back due to bracelet. Weird. I see no info for SP1. If it's a service replacement, those have regular date codes, right?
have you thought to ask the person who sold it to you?
if the bracelet is mint they it probably is a service replacement
unless your seller can confirm this, it may be aftermarket. which to me is not a big deal as long as the watch is legit., but I would ask for a bit of a refund if you were charged for a gen bracelet and got and aftermarket one
 

TubeGuy

Known Member
2/2/24
138
89
28
So California
have you thought to ask the person who sold it to you?
if the bracelet is mint they it probably is a service replacement
unless your seller can confirm this, it may be aftermarket. which to me is not a big deal as long as the watch is legit., but I would ask for a bit of a refund if you were charged for a gen bracelet and got and aftermarket one

I'm messaging him tonight. I paid $22.3k for it, and for that it was supposed to be all original. I like new old stock watches if/when they can be found.

I've searched and searched, and service bracelets do start with an S, but I find nothing about SP1 date code on a bracelet. And how do you quantify that value?

The case looks real good, but I wonder about the edges because they are so sharp. I mean beautiful. The dial and hands look right. But I f*cked up looking close enough.

Can't tell you how much I appreciate the feedback. Better experts here than Timezone.