We Totally Geek Out On The Fake Rolex Explorer II

To say that there is a lot of excitement over the replica watches new orange hand Explorer II that Rolex announced at BaselWorld, and that we showed you out from behind the glass, would be an understatement.

One question that people in the watch collector community are pondering is whether this new release will spur interest in the original Explorer II, reference 1655 (sometimes called “Il Freccione” or “The Arrow” in Italian), which was made from 1971 to 1984 and was meant for use by speleologists.

I thought I would show you a Freccione with a dial that happens to feature my second favorite coronet replica watches (the Rolex crown logo) ever found on a Rolex dial: the so-called “frog foot” coronet. (These are not to be confused with the 50th Anniversary Submariners, reference 16610LV, that feature a black dial and a green bezel and are nicknamed the “Froggie.”)

Found on the second generation of Freccione dials, the “frog foot” coronet has very thin, slightly irregular points that make the entire coronet reminiscent of the shape of a frog’s foot. The Freccione watches with this dial were made from around 1972 to 1978. This version of the Freccione has dials that say “T SWISS T” on the bottom of the dial, with the T’s signaling that tritium was used as the luminescent on the dial. This version came slightly after the earliest so-called “straight hand” Explorer II, which featured numbers placed on the bezel closer to the crystal side and a second hand resembling a needle (without a circle of lume or a counterweight).

We all know that the tiniest of characteristics on vintage replica watches uk Rollies can jack up their value to ridiculous levels, à la this tropical Paul Newman Daytona, but it doesn’t seem like collectors have yet realized the true funk-factor of the Frog Foot Freccione.

Currently on Vintage Rolex Forum is an excellent example featuring a dial with beautiful patina. If you are looking for a great vintage Rolex with a lot of character, check it out by clicking here.

Next week I will be showing you a Rolex featuring my all-time favorite coronet. Sit tight until then!