1978 Dan McCullin Rolex Explorer II Orange Hand

1978 Rolex Magazine Ad

Dan McCullin's Silent Partner in Chaos

Rolex Explorer II Orange Hand 

Reference 1655

    "Photography for me is not looking, it's feeling. If you can't feel what you're looking at, then you're never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures"

—Don McCullin

In the pantheon of vintage Rolex, few watches stir the soul like the Explorer II [Reference 1655]. It’s a rugged beast, born for the wild, with a design that screams purpose over polish. But what elevates this watch from mere tool to myth? Look no further than Don McCullin, the war photographer who strapped it to his wrist and plunged into the heart of history. In 1978, Rolex ran an ad featuring McCullin, his steely gaze fixed on the horizon, that orange-handed 1655 ticking away as bullets flew. That image alone cemented its legacy—and today, it’s a holy grail for collectors who chase the stories behind the steel.

Let’s unpack this. Who was Don McCullin, and why does his Explorer II still have us obsessed decades later? Grab a coffee, because this is a tale of courage, conflict, and a watch that refused to quit.

Don McCullin
The Eye of the Storm
Don McCullin didn’t stumble into greatness—he clawed his way there. Born in 1935 in London’s rough-and-tumble Finsbury Park, he grew up in a world of post-war grit. Life was no picnic, but McCullin had an eye for more than just survival. Photography found him almost by accident—snapping shots of his local gang for a laugh—until The Observer took notice in 1959. That was the spark that lit the fuse. Before long, he was on a plane to Berlin, capturing the Wall’s rise, and then to Cyprus, documenting civil unrest. The kid from the streets had become a lens on the world.
    "I wanted my images to contaminate your thoughts—because they contaminated mine"
—Don McCullin

But McCullin’s real legacy was forged in war. Vietnam, Cambodia, Biafra, Beirut—he didn’t just cover conflict; he lived it. His camera caught the raw, unfiltered truth: soldiers in the mud, civilians in despair, the haunting stillness after the gunfire stopped. This wasn’t about pretty pictures; it was about bearing witness. “I’ve been in some tight spots,” he said in that 1978 Rolex ad, “but my Rolex has always come through.” And come through it did—through jungles, deserts, and urban battlegrounds, the Explorer II was his constant.
McCullin’s work earned him a shelf full of awards—World Press Photo honors, a CBE, even a knighthood in 2017. But he’d tell you the accolades don’t matter. What matters is the truth he captured, frame by frame. And on his wrist, that Reference 1655 was more than a watch—it was a companion that saw it all.
The Explorer II [Reference 1655]
A Tool for the Fearless
Now, let’s talk about the watch itself. Rolex dropped the Explorer II in 1971, and it was a different breed from the get-go. Built for adventurers—cavers, polar explorers, and yes, photographers like McCullin—it was all about surviving the extremes. The Reference 1655, with its 39mm Oyster case and that unmistakable orange 24-hour hand, was designed to tackle the unknown. That hand wasn’t just a pop of color; it was a lifeline, letting wearers track day and night in places where the sun played tricks—like the Arctic or deep underground.
The fixed steel bezel, engraved with 24-hour markers, paired with the automatic Caliber 1575 movement to make this thing a tank. Dust, water, shocks? The Explorer II laughed it off. At a time when most watches were still primping for the boardroom, this one was ready for the battlefield. And for McCullin, who often found himself ducking shrapnel, that durability was everything.
But it’s not just the toughness that makes the 1655 special—it’s the vibe. The matte black dial, the Mercedes hands, the no-nonsense steel case—it’s got a quiet swagger that doesn’t need to shout. Nicknamed the “Freccione” (Italian for “big arrow”) for that bold orange hand, it’s a watch that stands out by not trying too hard. And while some call it the “Steve McQueen” (even though he never wore one), it’s McCullin’s story that gives it real weight.
A Collector’s Grail
Why the 1655 Rules Today
Fast forward to 2023, and the Explorer II [Reference 1655] is a vintage Rolex unicorn. Why? Start with the numbers: Rolex only made about 10,000 of these from ’71 to ’85. Finding one that’s not beaten to hell—or worse, “restored” into oblivion—is a treasure hunt. But rarity’s just the half of it. This watch has soul.
Collectors lose their minds over the 1655 because it’s a time capsule. It’s not some polished-up dress watch—it’s a tool that lived hard. When you hold one, you’re holding history: the expeditions, the battles, the moments of quiet defiance. McCullin’s connection only amps that up. Knowing his Explorer II was there, strapped on as he framed shots that changed how we see war, adds a layer of provenance that’s pure catnip for watch nerds.
Then there’s the design. That orange hand pops like a flare against the black dial, and the steel bezel’s got a rugged charm that’s aged like fine whiskey. It’s not perfect—it’s better than perfect. It’s real. And in a world where vintage Rolex prices are soaring, the 1655’s mix of scarcity, style, and story has made it a heavyweight. Today, a clean example can easily fetch five figures, and if it’s got a documented past? Name your price.
McCullin and the 1655
A Bond Beyond Time
So why did McCullin pick the Explorer II? Because it didn’t flinch. In the chaos of war, you don’t need a watch that’s going to choke under pressure—you need one that’s as tough as you are. The 1655 was that watch. It didn’t care about mud or blood or heat; it just kept going. In that 1978 ad, McCullin’s words say it all: “My Rolex has always come through.” That’s not a sales pitch—that’s a battlefield truth.
For McCullin, the Explorer II wasn’t a status symbol; it was a tool, a witness to the madness he captured through his lens. And that’s what makes it resonate today. Collectors don’t just want the watch—they want the story, the grit, the legacy of a man who stared down history and clicked the shutter anyway.
A Watch That Tells More Than Time
The Rolex Explorer II [Reference 1655] isn’t just a vintage classic—it’s a monument to the fearless. Through Don McCullin’s lens, we see how it earned its stripes, ticking through the darkest corners of the 20th century. For collectors, it’s a prize worth chasing: rare, beautiful, and dripping with history. But beyond the auctions and the hype, it’s a reminder of what a watch can be—a silent partner in the pursuit of something bigger.
So here’s to McCullin, the man who showed us war’s true face, and to the Explorer II that stood by him. In a world obsessed with flash, this watch keeps it real: a rugged, orange-handed testament to adventure, survival, and the stories that time can’t erase.

Rolex Fashion Shot of the Day: Uli's LV Submariner...

Green On Green

Uli's LV Rolex Submariner

If you are a reader of Jake's Rolex Watch you probably know the original Rolex 50th Anniversary LV Submariner is one of my favorite Rolex watches.

To my way of thinking The LV Submariner has the perfect balance of timeless Rolex design language and a colorful, charismatic vibe. I think the green bezel insert is fun, sporty, novel and aquatic–and I love the Maxi-Markers and Fat Hands. This is a really cool color combination–assuming you are not afraid of color.

I WANT A GOOD WATCH!!! 1961 Rolex Submariner Brochure: Reference 5512

...Rolex Zeitgeist...

I WANT A GOOD WATCH!!!

Evergreen 1961 Rolex Submariner Brochure

[Reference 5512]

This super-cool, ultra-fascinating 1961 Rolex Submariner brochure perfectly sums up the raw core essence of Rolex and is one of my absolute favorite pieces of vintage Rolex collateral material! I would go so far as to say this quintessential timeless document is as close as Rolex has ever come to writing a constitution...

It was printed a year after the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf passed away—which means it was printed in a Twilight Zone, as Rolex was in the process of metamorphosing from a utilitarian "tool watch" brand into a luxury brand—in the same way daytime transitions into nighttime. In other words, this document was printed in the Rolex dusk. Dusk being the magical moments between sunset and nighttime where without electric light everything becomes essential shadow and all we see is romantic silhouette, contoured outlines and basic primal shapes.

Twilight is fascinating as it is often time otherworldly, as it is neither day nor night, but something in-between. I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this reminds me of Rod Serling's immortal opening words from The Twilight Zone when he said:

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension: a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You’re moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You’ve just crossed over into... the Twilight Zone."

Speaking of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone, it is fascinating that it was originally airing when this brochure was made at it ran from 1959 to 1964.

I believe this timeless document best reflects Hans Wilsdorf's brand ethos, essence and zeitgeist...Read it and decide for yourself...I think this pretty much perfectly sums it all up for Rolex!!!!

Notice on the page above it still says "Havana" since Rolex was still in Cuba, and also notice on the bottom of the right page below, it refers to the Rolex Submariner as being "designed for Deep Sea Diving and all Aquatic Activities. This document is a true Rolex Time Machine or Time Capsule—if ever there was one!!!

Rolex Coolness: Sylvester Stallone Celebrating 80th Birthday...

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Sylvester Stallone

Keeping The Time Of His Life With Rolex

Celebrates 80th Birthday

Legendary actor, Sylvester Stallone celebrated his 80th birthday today and he's pictured above in a photo that appeared in a Hollywood Reporter article back in 2022 that shows Sly rocking a Paul Neman Daytona. 

It’s always fascinating to reflect on how time has passed. When I was ten years old, Rocky was released in 1976, which also marked the bicentennial of the United States. When Stallone debuted Rocky, he was thirty, and I was ten. The United States was two hundred years old at the time. Now Stallone is eighty, and I’m sixty. The United States is now two hundred fifty years old. Funny how time flies.

Speaking of my childhood memories, it felt like a magical and iconic era. The Six Million Dollar Man was already a huge hit on TV, and every kid wanted to be Steve Austin. Then in 1976 the legendary Farrah Fawcett red swimsuit poster exploded in popularity—it seemed like that poster was hanging in half the bedrooms in America of every red-blooded young man, and then it took off like crazy when Charlies Angles debuted. That same year, Jaws had just come out the summer before and was still everywhere, followed by Rocky in December of ’76. The next year brought Star Wars with the incomparable Harrison Ford, in May of 1977, THE DEEP that June, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind in November. 

Ironically, the Rolex Oyster was also celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1976—still five years away from me discovering the brand and what it would come to mean. Now I look in the rearview mirror of my life and it's super bizarre to see how I have blogged non-stop about Rolex for the past 19 years straight, and at the same time Rolex watches were all over the place back in the mid to late 1970s, in front of my young eyes, without me being able to yet see or understand their significance, nor the role they would eventually play in my life.

Sly is pictured below sporting his yellow gold Rolex Submariner with the black dial and bezel in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Since the yellow gold Rolex had no nickname I officially nicknamed it the "Sylvester Stallone Submariner back in 2016."

The incredible original soundtrack from Rocky was composed by Bill Conti, and its theme "Gonna Fly Now" became a number one Billboard hit in 1976. Click play below and you’ll see exactly why: Maynard Ferguson charges onto The Michael Douglas Show in 1977 like a fired-up elephant, stomps his left foot, then his right, and bellows "three, four!" — launching the band at full throttle from the very first beat. As Chilly Gonzales once put it in his ultra energetic song "Never Stop," "I don't judge you if you're part of a true scene." And that's exactly what this explosive '70s performance is — a magnificently true scene.

Rocky

Rocky is considered to be one of the best sports films ever made, and it debuted in 1976 to critical acclaim, which among other things inspired a worldwide fitness craze. Rocky is the story of Rocky Balboa who goes from being a small-time club fighter who gains the opportunity to fight for the world heavyweight championship. Rocky was made in 28 days, for a budget of a little more than $1 Million. It became the highest grossing film of 1976, and won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Rocky grossed $5 Million on its opening weekend, and for the North American box office did a total of $117 Million, which adjusted for inflation would be close to $500 Million at 2016 prices. Rocky did just as well internationally In 1976, having grossed $107 Million. Rocky was a "Knockout" success!!!!

Rocky has had six sequels to date, with Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1999), Rocky Balboa (2006), and most recently, Creed (2015). Sylvester Stallone wrote the first five sequels and played Rocky Balboa in all six sequels.

Rocky III

The Photo below was taken during Rocky III in 1982, and in it we see Sylvester Stallone wearing his yellow gold Rolex Submariner. When Stallone was younger, he tended to wear his Rolex Submariner on his right wrist, Steve McQueen style. In later years, would switch to wearing his Rolex watches on his left wrist.

Speaking of Mr. T and Rolex; below is a photo of Mr. T wearing his blinged-out Rolex President.

Stayin' Alive 1983

The Photos below of Sylvester Stallone and John Travolta were taken during the filming of Stayin' Alive, which was the follow-up sequel to the mega-hit, Saturday Night Fever. Sylvester Stallone wrote and directed Stayin' Alive.

Rockin' A Rolex President

In the following series of photos below, we see Sylvester Stallone wearing a Yellow Gold Rolex Day-Date "President." 

In the photo above, we see Sylvester Stallone with legendary boxer, Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini."

Ronald Reagan & Sylvester Stallone

Two California Classics

Sylvester Stallone is pictured below with his wife at the time, Briget Nielsen at a White House party with then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Who You Callin' Girlyman!?!

Sly is pictured below with the Gubernator, and notice Arnold Schwarzenegger is wearing his yellow gold Rolex Mocha GMT on a Jubilee. Rolex seriously needs to bring back the brown bezel and dial on the yellow gold GMT Master–it was a superb color combination!!!

The photo below shows Sylvester Stallone holding his wife, Bridgette Nielsen up in the air on Long Island in 1987. The photo was taken by Herb Ritts, and if you look closely you can see Sly is wearing his Rolex Submariner.

The Contender
2005-2007

Sylvester Stallone co-starred in an early reality TV show named The Contender, and in the photo below we see him wearing a stainless steel Rolex Submariner while standing next to his brother, Frank Stallone, and boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. I remember former Rolex USA executive, T. Walker Lloyd talking about his relationship with Sylvester Stallone, as well as his brother Frank Stallone in a podcast interview I did wit him back in 2008. "T", as his close friends referred to him was a Rolex USA executive, and he told me how he personally got Sylvester Stallone his yellow gold Rolex Submariner and Rolex President. He also told me that he thought Sylvester Stallone got carried away as he wanted Rolex watches for his entire pose, including his brother, Frank Stallone.

Sugar Ray Leonard is pictured below wearing his Platinum Rolex Day-Date, and he also wears a bunch of other Rolex models.

Sly's Black-Out Concept Rolex Daytona

In the below from 2011, we see Sylvester Stallone wearing his customized Black-Out Concept Rolex Daytona.

Sly's Rolex DEEP SEA

In the recent photos below, we see Sylvester Stallone wearing his Rolex DEEPSEA SEA-DWELLER.

In the photo above we see Sylvester Stallone wearing his Rolex DEEPSEA, standing next to filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, who interviews him in the video below, which I highly recommend watching!!!

CREED 2015

Sylvester Stallone recently starred in a new movie named CREED, which is based on Rocky, and Stallone is currently up for the Academy Award for Best Costar. He also won the 2016 Golden Glob Award for Best Supporting Actor. In the first photo below, we see Sylvester Stallone with Mr. T in a photo shot during Rocky III.

In this next photo from 2015, we see Sylvester Stallone wearing the same vintage yellow Gold Rolex Submariner he was wearing in the photo above.

The photo below shows boxer Oscar De-La-Hoya with Sylvester Stallone, and if if you look closely at Sly's Rolex, you can see the Nipple indices that confirms it is a vintage Rolex Submariner.

White Gold Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master

In the photos below we see Sylvester Stallone in recent photos showing off his White Gold Pepsi Rolex GMT-Master.

The photo below shows the bejeweled white gold Rolex GMT-Master model that Sylvester Stallone is wearing.

Paul Newman Daytona

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Paul Newman Daytona

1970 Rolex USA Catalog Shots...

...Vintage Rolex Hotness...

1970s Rolex Brochure

Strange as it may or may not sound, I think many Rolex watch designs and brochures are high-art and these images from the 1970 Rolex USA catalog are no exception. I really like this first vintage Rolex Hotness image. It is remarkable how timeless the photo, watch, clothing and hairstyle is, and I love those beautiful light pink nails.

Rolex Macro Shot of the Day: Submariner Fat Hands...

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

Jocke's LV Sub with fat hands.

Rolex Mystery Man: Any Idea Who This Cool Dude Is?

Hans Wilsdorf

Founder of Rolex

Rolex Time Machine Thought Experiment 

What if you sat down with Albert Einstein, but he looked nothing like the iconic wild-haired genius we all know—would you still recognize the brilliance in his mind through conversation alone? What if you sat down with Leonardo da Vinci, but he looked nothing like the familiar portraits we are all familiar with—would you still recognize the extraordinary mind of the ultimate Renaissance genius through conversation alone?

If Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf stepped out of a time machine from 1906—years before Rolex even existed, and decades before he would sport his famous wild white hair—would you recognize his brilliant genius? I’ve spent decades studying everything I could about Hans Wilsdorf and how he became the man he did. So here’s a fun thought experiment: What if we could hop in a time machine, go back to 1905, and bring a 25-year-old Hans Wilsdorf back to 2026—with his permission, of course?

We brief Hans on the modern world, show him iPhones, take him on a ride in a self driving Tesla, and explain how the company he would go on to found has become one of the most prestigious brands in history over the past 121 years. Once he’s done totally tripping-out on all the deeply profound progress, Hans shaves off his handlebar mustache, ditches the stiff three-piece suit, with the bow tie and super high collar, throws on a black t-shirt (looking a bit like Elon Wilsdorf), and decides to rock an LV Submariner.

What would he look like? You’re looking at the answer:

If Rolex's Founder Was 24 Today

A few years ago, I was playing around with AI, and took the image below of Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf at age 24, which was taken 121 years ago in 1906, in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland in an attempt to improve it so it looked much more realistic and 3 dimensional.

Hans Hilsdorf, Founder of Rolex pictured above in 1905 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

My goal was to make Hans Wilsdorf much more photorealistic, for my book cover on my upcoming book series on Rolex leadership. I increased the resolution, and colorized the photo as seen below, and at the time I thought it looked pretty good. Since we are on the subject of my upcoming book series on Rolex's Founding Fathers, I think it would be appropriate to point out the first four books in my series focus on seeing the world through Hans Wilsdorf's eyes. In other words, seeing and experiencing everything the way Hans did—from cradle to grave...

For the record, I have spent countless hours over the past 19 years of publishing RolexMagazine.com restoring vintage photos and Rolex Magazine ads. My goal has ALWAYS been to only restore images to make them look the way they originally did. I will point out, in my opinion, there is a very fine-line between restoration of images versus enhancing images. Restoration, is making images look the way they did originally, and enhancing is taking an original photo and making it look better, often times by recomposing it. This to a large extent takes away from the historical consistency, which is why I typically shy away from doing so.

I was recently experimenting with compelling new AI models, and I thought I would start with my original image of Hans Wilsdorf, pictured two images up in this story, and I prompted it to:

1. Remove grey background 

2. Colorize and make him look way more high res and photorealistic.

The first result is pictured below:

I thought it did a good job, and it's interesting to see how far photorealistic AI has come in the past few years, but for some reason, the anthracite colored (dark grey) suit threw me off. So I prompted the AI to adjust the jacket to brown, which it did, but I also noticed it slightly rotated the camera angle, as seen below.

Face-To-Face

This seemingly beautiful mistake really got me thinking!?!! Next, I directed the AI to rotate the camera angle so Hans Wilsdorf would be looking straight at the camera, which we see the results of below. This sent chills down my spine as it looks so real, almost like I had discovered a never before seen photo taken 120 years ago of Hans Wilsdorf. In other words, it was shocking to see a young Hans Wilsdorf staring me straight in the eyes, as if he were looking at me!?!!

Next, I asked the AI to remove Hans' mustache and put a black T-Shirt on him. It did exactly that, and once again I was shocked, although I was surprised it kept his jacket on.

My next prompt was to ask the AI to remove Hans' jacket, and all of a sudden we have what would almost appear to be like Elon Wilsdorf. This image completely shocked and surprised me as we see what he would look like at age 25, but today, and we see he was a really handsome, clean-cut, GQ looking kind of doood.

The next obvious step was to put a modern Submariner on his wrist, which we see below, which also looks friggin AMAZING!!!!

In my recent, super detailed article on the Complete Early History of the Rolex Oyster, I mentioned many readers of Jake's Rolex World have written-in asking how they could find an early Rolex Oyster model, which are almost impossible to find these days. 

I also mentioned I thought Rolex should re-introduce/re-issue these original OYSTER model watches, but larger, and without soldered lugs, in order to make it easier to change the strap. Rolex could easily do what Panerai has done with the wire lugs that are easily removed for quick strap changes. Or even better, Rolex if you are listening, you could create an Apple Watch Like strap system where users could instantly swap their straps and bracelets, which would be AMAZING!!! Thus, I created the image below that shows a young Hans Wilsdorf rocking an original looking 1926 Rolex Oyster that is scaled up to a modern 42MM, and man, does this look AMAZING, or what!?!!

Despite the fact I had made so much progress with my 2026 AI Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex Time Machine thought experiment, a voice in my head kept saying there was still something missing, and I finally figured it out! The original source image showed Han's rocking a mustache, which I had removed, so I decided to add a short beard/facial hair, which makes him look even more like he is in 2026.

One More Thang!

I also decided to create a render that shows Hans Wilsdorf smiling, while rocking a triple date, Rolex Moonphase Reference 6062 on a cigar colored leather strap.

My objective with this AI thought experiment was to hop in the Rolex Time Machine, and travel back to 1906, and pickup Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf, and bring him back to today so he could see how amazing his lifetime achievements would be. The huge challenge with this thought experiment is that in 1905, he hadn't even started Rolex yet, so if we brought this 24-25 year old Hans Wilsdorf forward 120 years, he would probably be completely gobsmacked and stunned to see exactly what he would be achieving in his future.

I think in the final analysis, Hans would be VERY proud of how well Rolex prospered after his passing in 1960, and I am fairly certain he would be a big fan of Jake's Rolex World :-)

Yesterday, I published the following story:

...Fun AI Thought Experiment... 

Rolex Mystery Man

Any Idea Who This Cool Dude Is?

I am running a contest to see who the first person is that can successfully identify the cool looking dude rocking his LV Rolex in this photo. You can submit your guess on the Rolex.Magazine Instagram page. The first person to figure out who the mystery man is will be mentioned in this article.

His identity will be revealed tomorrow, along with the fascinating context surrounding this image. If you need a clue, I will let you know he is somewhat famous.

CONCLUSION 

Ironically, despite the very similar looks, nobody recognized young Hans Wilsdorf in today’s modern context.

That’s the real power of this thought experiment.

Just as you might sit down with a man who looked nothing like the iconic wild-haired Albert Einstein, yet still recognize his towering genius through conversation alone, the same holds true for Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf.

Even transformed—clean-shaven, wearing a black t-shirt, and rocking an LV Submariner in front of the Palace of Fine Arts—his core essence remains.

This brings to mind the ancient Ship of Theseus paradox: if you replace every single plank of a ship over time, is it still the same ship?

In the same way, if you change Hans Wilsdorf’s mustache, his suit, and even the era he lives in, is he still the same visionary who founded Rolex?

The answer is yes. True identity and greatness are not defined by outward appearance or the passage of time, but by vision, character, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

This image is more than just a fun AI creation. It’s a powerful reminder that the spirit of Rolex began with one remarkable young man—and that spirit is still very much alive today, and certainly his DNA is still alive and well in every Rolex every made... Long live Hans Wilsdorf!!!

Updated Book Cover 

I was so impressed with the results of my AI experiment to try and make Hans Wilsdorf more life-like, I think I am going the switch the cover artwork on Volume 1 to the image below.