The Rolex Explorer I references bridge the gap between a dress watch and a sports watch. Without the crown guards and rotating bezels commonly found on sports models offered by Rolex, the Explorer I has a cleaner, sleeker profile while incorporating recognizable sport model features into the dial. The highly visible block indices, luminescent numerals at the 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock, and 9 o'clock positions, and Submariner style triangle at the 12 o'clock position allow for readability under any conditions. The Submariner hands featured on the Ref. 1016 add to the unique feel and appearance.

The 1016 Explorer was one of Rolexes longest produced watches, and these end of production "R Serial" 1016 Rolex Explorer 1's have become highly collectible. Due to the simple fact that there weren't many manufactured. Collectors love these watches as they were the last of the Rolex watches produced with a matte black dial well into the 80s, whereas the rest of the Rolex sports line switched to glossy lacquer with white gold surround lume plots. The Rolex Explorer I Ref. 1016 would make a great addition to an existing collection and offers the utmost versatility as a stand-alone piece. A perfect daily driver, the ref. 1016 is suitable for any setting from casual to formal.