The fake Rolex 1655 Steve McQueen is a replica of the Explorer II reference 1655, the orange-hand GMT watch Rolex introduced in 1971 for cave explorers and speleologists. The nickname comes from collectors, not from Rolex, and not from the actor: Steve McQueen was photographed wearing a Submariner, not an Explorer II. When you judge a replica 1655, the four things that matter are the case profile, the fixed steel bezel, the orange 24-hour hand, and how the dial prints up close.
What the Reference 1655 Actually Is
The 1655 was the first Explorer II. Rolex built it as a tool watch for people spending long stretches underground, where day and night blur. A 24-hour hand paired with a fixed 24-hour bezel let the wearer track a second time zone and, more importantly, tell whether it was day or night on the surface.
- Stainless steel case, roughly 39 mm across, with no crown guards
- Fixed, non-rotating bezel engraved with 24-hour markings
- Orange arrow-tip 24-hour hand, the detail that defines the model
- Date window at 3 o'clock under a cyclops lens
- Production ran from 1971 into the mid-1980s across several dial generations
Why Collectors Call It the Steve McQueen
The nickname is auction and forum shorthand. It attached itself to the 1655 over the years because of McQueen's association with rugged tool watches, and it stuck even though he was never documented wearing an Explorer II. Rolex has never marketed the watch under that name.
That matters for replica buyers in a practical way: sellers use "Steve McQueen" as a search term, not as a specification. Two listings with the same nickname can describe completely different watches, so always anchor the purchase to the reference number, the 1655, and to specific dial and bezel details.
What to Inspect on a Replica 1655
Case and profile
The original case has a slim mid-case, flat bezel edge, and a lug shape that tapers toward the spring bars. Many replicas oversize the case or thicken the lugs, which makes the watch sit tall on the wrist. Check the lug-to-lug measurement and how the bezel meets the case, since a gap or a sharp step is an easy tell.
Bezel and 24-hour hand
The bezel on a 1655 is fixed, so it should not rotate. Engraved numerals should be crisp and evenly spaced, with a matte steel finish rather than a polished mirror look. The orange hand is the focal point: compare the shade against reference photos, because replicas often use a flat, bright orange instead of the slightly muted tone of the original.
Dial printing and lume
Look at the text weight, the spacing of the Rolex and Explorer II lines, and the shape of the coronet. Lume plots should sit inside the minute track without crowding it. On aged-style replicas, the patina tone should be consistent across the dial and hands, not blotchy or orange only in one area.
Movement and hand function
The 24-hour hand should move in step with the hour hand and set independently where the movement allows. On a good 1:1 replica, the GMT function works rather than being a decorative hand glued to the dial. Ask how the hand is set before you buy.
Dial Generations and Freccione Variations
Vintage 1655 dials changed over the production run. Early examples differ from later ones in marker style, text layout, and hand shape, and collectors sort them into marked generations. A replica will usually copy one generation, so match the dial to the case and bezel you are looking at instead of mixing features from two eras. The Italian nickname Freccione, meaning big arrow, refers to the orange hand and is used for the same reference.
Buying Checklist
- Confirm the reference is presented as 1655, not a later Explorer II
- Verify the bezel is fixed and the engraving is legible
- Compare the orange hand shade to reference photos in daylight
- Check case thickness and lug taper against a 39 mm profile
- Ask for macro photos of the dial text and date window
- Confirm the 24-hour hand actually functions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Explorer II 1655 a real Steve McQueen watch?
No. The nickname is collector shorthand. McQueen was photographed with a Submariner, and Rolex never called the 1655 the Steve McQueen.
Does a replica 1655 use the same case size?
The better replicas stay close to the original 39 mm case. Budget versions often run larger and thicker, which changes how the watch wears.
What gives a replica 1655 away fastest?
Usually the orange hand color, a glossy bezel finish, or oversized lug shape. Those three details are visible from arm's length.
A replica 1655 is a visual tribute to a real tool watch, not a genuine Rolex, and it should be treated that way when you shop. Get the reference number, the bezel type, the hand color, and the case size right, and the rest of the watch tends to follow.