Short answer first
There is no Rolex reference 16559. Rolex never stamped that number on an Explorer II, white dial or otherwise. The white dial Explorer II you are picturing is a 16550 (made 1985 to 1989) or a 16570 (1989 to 2011). "16559" turns up mostly on replica listing pages, either as a typo for 16550 or as a made up code a seller invented to sound specific. So when you shop a white dial Explorer II replica, you are really shopping a copy of a 16550 or 16570, and every quirk of those two references carries straight over into the fake.
Explorer 2 16559 vs 16570: Which Replica Explorer II to Buy First
Why the white dial is the hard part
Black dials forgive sloppy work. White dials do not. Anything thin, uneven, or slapped on shows up the second you tilt the watch under a lamp. This is where most cheap Explorer II fakes give themselves away.
Is a Fake Explorer II 16559 Worth It? Replica Buyer's Guide
- Dial tone: the 16550 white dial ages toward a warm cream. Reps usually go two ways, either a flat paper white or an overdone custard yellow that looks sprayed on.
- Printing: the coronet and the word ROLEX should be sharp with clean edges. Look at the Explorer II line and the SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED block. Fuzzy edges and uneven letter spacing are the first thing I check.
- Markers: black outlined rectangles with lume inside. On good reps the outlines are crisp and the fill sits level. On bad ones the fill bulges or the outline is smeared.
- Lume color: dial plots and hands should match. A greenish dial with bone white hands is a dead giveaway.
- Date window: square, no cyclops anywhere on this model. A fake with a magnifier is not even pretending.
Movement, the tell most buyers ignore
The real 16550 runs a caliber 3085. The 16570 runs a 3185, with some later examples on a 3186. Both are true GMT movements, meaning you jump the hour hand in one hour steps and the 24 hour hand stays tied to the minute hand.
Most budget fakes use an ETA 2836 or a Seagull clone with a GMT module bolted on. That module usually sets the 24 hour hand independently instead. Functionally it still tells two time zones, but if you know how a Rolex GMT movement is supposed to feel, the difference is obvious within ten seconds of handling it. Better reps now use a cloned 3186 or 3187 and get the behavior right. That is the version worth paying for.
Buying a Rolex Explorer II Safely: Reference Checks and Scam Traps
Case, bezel, and bracelet
The Explorer II has a fixed steel 24 hour bezel, not a rotating one. The numerals are engraved into the steel and filled. On a weak fake the engraving is shallow and the fill sits proud enough to catch a fingernail.
Case shape matters more than people expect. The 16550 has a slightly thicker mid case and a different lug profile from the 16570. A rep built from a generic Oyster case will look close in photos and wrong on the wrist. End links should sit flush against the lugs with no gap and no overhang. Check the clasp code stamping and the bracelet reference, 78360 for the earlier watches and 78790 for the later ones. A cloudy, uneven stamp is normal on inexpensive reps and rare on the good ones.
What to ask before you pay
- Which movement is inside, and does the hour hand jump independently?
- Is the crystal sapphire, and does it have any coating?
- What is the case thickness and lug width as measured, not as listed?
- Photos of the dial at an angle, not straight on. Straight on shots hide everything.
- Is the bezel engraving filled or laser etched surface level?
Red flags
A seller who insists 16559 is a real Rolex reference has either never handled the watch or is counting on you not knowing. Stock photos that do not match the watch you receive. A price so low that no factory could have made the case at that margin. And a white dial that looks grey in daylight, which usually means the dial was printed on cheap stock and the finish is absorbing light instead of reflecting it.
Price expectations
Cheap white dial Explorer II fakes run in the low hundreds and look it. Mid tier reps with an ETA based movement and a decent case sit a step or two above that. The top end, cloned movement, correct case profile, proper dial printing, lands near the price of a used Seiko, and that is the tier where the watch holds up next to a photo of the real thing. If you only want the look, the middle tier is where the money makes sense.