
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer, Gilt Gloss Dial, ref. 1016, 1964
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (maker)
- Date
- 1964
- Historical period
- Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Case 36 mm
- Stock no.
- vws2982cs
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Vintage Watch Specialist (vws2982cs)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer - Gilt Gloss Dial - Model Ref:1016 - 1964 - Box and Papers (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Vintage Watch Specialist (dealer), United Kingdom (stock number vws2982cs), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated 1964. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 36 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Vintage Watch Specialist
A Beautiful Vintage Rolex Explorer 1016 with a Gilt Gloss Dial in Very Well Preserved Condition and Sold with its Original Box and Papers, 1964 The 1016 Explorer was introduced to the market in 1959 after which Rolex would settle down and concentrate on small tweaks over the next 20-30 years. This model would become a workhorse of the sports line and, because of their excellence in design and construction, have become sought after by collectors. What’s On Offer This Rolex 1016 Explorer is in superb preowned condition and is sold with its original box and papers, a very rare treat for this reference! Dated to the 3rd quarter of 1964, this watch has been cared for quite obviously although it shows slight signs of wear, such is the joy of vintage watch collecting! One of the nicest features of the watch is its gilt gloss dial which has remained in beautiful condition with the 3, 6, 9 hour plots and big triangle at noon. The lume has aged to a beautiful pale vanilla hue both on the dial and the original Mercedes hands. At 36mm, the Explorer is a nice mid-size watch that can be worn very comfortably, it's also the ideal watch for all occasions from everyday wear to formal occasions. This is a rare and beautiful watch in fantastic condition, running well and keeping good time. Additional information Made from Case: Stainless Steel Dial: Black Crystal: Sapphire Bracelet: Oyster Steel Technical specifications Winding: Automatic Movement Type: Mechanical Calibre: 1560 Jewels: 25 Waterproof: Power reserve: 44hrs Purchase details Condition: Excellent Model Reference: 1016 Date of issue: 1964 Dimensions Width (without crown): 36mm Lug width: 20mm Lug height: (lug to lug) 41mm Wrist size: 190mm
Historical context
Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)
Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.
The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking
Atlas type guide
Dive and water-resistant watches
Keeping water and dust out of a wristwatch was a long-standing challenge. Rolex's screw-down Oyster case (1926) and Omega's Marine (1932) were landmarks; in the early 1950s Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms and Rolex's Submariner defined the professional dive watch with rotating bezels for timing dives, luminous dials and high water resistance. The ISO 6425 standard (1982) later codified what a 'diver's watch' must do.
Dive watches became icons of post-war design and exploration, and their evolution — helium escape valves, ceramic bezels, saturation-diving depth ratings — records the history of underwater work.
What to look for
- Unidirectional or bidirectional rotating bezel with minute markings.
- Screw-down crown and case back; depth rating printed on the dial.
- Luminous hands and markers (radium before c. 1960, tritium c. 1960–1998, then Super-LumiNova).
- Reference numbers on the case between the lugs or inside the back.
Dating clues
- Screw-down Oyster cases: from 1926.
- Professional dive watches: from 1953.
- Tritium 'T' marks on dials: c. 1960–1998.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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