Hey guys, I have been looking for a vintage explorer watch, and one came up on eBay recently at a reasonable price.

Any thoughts on this watch?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.sg/ulk/itm/253788058388

 

Go on rolexforums vintage site and look up the explorer 5500. Lots of posts there. The short story is this:

1) A Explorer Rolex 5500 is an Air King 5500 case with an Explorer Dial
2) The dial may say precision or super precision and correlates to the movement
3) Without paperwork it is impossible to know if this was an original Explorer 5500 or if it is somebody who took a cheaper Air King and replaced the dial and hands.
4) Real Explorer 5500's with paperwork and legit patina command a premium. The last auction I saw exceeded $6K.

In my opinion, save up for a real Explorer 1016 and don't settle for cheap imitations or cobbled together 5500s.

 

a minefield without paperwork IMHO

 

Agreed with everyone else. I don’t quite trust it and nothing on the post makes me trust it. For my money I’d want a safer bet.

 

I could be wrong on this, but if it is an original 5500, that would ha e been engraved between the lugs... why hasn’t the vendor got pics...

 

I think you have lots of research to do. Good luck and enjoy!

 

My gut feel is telling me to stay away from this one. I am by no means an expert but I feel that something is off with the dial... And as have been said, many of these arew fakes and or frankens, so be careful!

You can start reading here
https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=145728

Edit: If it is too good to be true...

 

Hey guys, thanks for your comments.
I read that if the dial says "Super Precision on the dial, it will have a cal 1530 movement, not a 1520. If it says Precision on the dial only, it'll have a cal 1520.

The seller seems to have another explorer 5500 on sale, with precision on the dial with cal 1530. Suspicious. Maybe I should give it a miss then.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.sg/ulk/itm/283078223882

 

Without original paperwork you are buying an Air King. Why not just buy an Air King? Why pay $1000 more for a modified Air King? Dont be a sucker just because the dial says Explorer. I have a website bookmarked that sells these 5500 aftermarket replica explorer dials and handsets. Costs about $100 or so. So pay $2000 for an Air King, $100 fake dial and hands, then they sell it to people for over $3000. Even if the explorer dial and hands are original parts, it is still just an Air King. Rolex offered the explorer 5500 as an option you could order. The paperwork is the only way to prove you originally ordered the air king with explorer dial.

 

it's like tudor rangers I heard, can easily get a frankenwatch, avoid if you dont have expert help

 

Interesting, thanks for that.

 

The eBay listing includes, in the description of the dial…the ‘get out of Jail free’ words …“a little damage / Re-painted” ………?

Walk away………quickly

 

Almost exactly the same story with the Tudor Ranger..

 

If my own mother had one for sale without paperwork and original sale receipt, I still wouldn’t buy it.

 

Actually, I've seen a whole batch of these come out in 1 go. Too much of a coincidence for all, most, or even some of them to be real. Its either one guy who sold his entire collection of legit Explorer 5500s (not likely), or it was some guy who made a batch of these, and dumped them into the market.

 

It’s my opinion that slightly more 5500 Explorers were made than the Commando. How often do we see legitimate Commandos come up?

 

I have mixed opinions about 5500 explorers. Personally, I have one that came with Rolex service papers (rolex UK) and I confirmed via phone with the service center that the watch they serviced was a "Model 5500, gents steel rolex oyster perpetual explorer precision". With that said, I still have doubts of the authenticity and I bet it would be near impossible to sell if I ever wanted to.

My advice is if you really like one of these go for it but if you ever want to get rid of it that may be next to impossible. I read an antidote online that said something along the lines of the only 5500 explorer I would ever buy is one brand new from a Rolex AD w/ full set and make sure you keep the original papers and receipt.

 

Maybe like what @Uscjake87 said, I should save up for a 1016. Or try striking the lottery

 

A real box/papers/receipt 5500 Explorer will cost near 1016 money anyway. Anything cheaper is likely unverified

 

+1 1016. Big fan of that 1016.