*Nicknamed the “Freccione” in Italian or “Big Arrow” due to its iconic bright orange hand, the Explore II ref. 1655 launched in 1971 was built for adventures. Designed for speleologists (cave explorers), the large tipped luminous hand and 24-hour bezel are vital features to these specialists while unearthing the unknown, and to track time where daylight is a limited resource. Due to a limited market for such specialized timepieces, this reference was not an instant commercial success and consequently few examples were sold. Reference 1655 is thus particularly rare and highly collectable.

Fitted with a MK 2 dial characterised by the coronet with heavier dots on the tips that is a reminiscent of a frog foot, the seconds hand and the T SWISS T inscription at the bottom edge of the dial. The present example is preserved in excellent condition and has furthermore aged with patina on the luminous plots. With the latest 2021 release of the new Explore II Ref. 226570 paying homage to the iconic orange arrow hand, this is a superb opportunity to acquire the original frontier made for the extremes.