With 2022 marking the 50th anniversary of the Explorer II, watch enthusiasts are looking forward to a new generation of Rolex’s most interesting and eccentric sports watches at the Watch Fair in April. After all, the Explorer II is a tool watch, invented for the very specific task of exploring caves. Will the brushed steel bezel, long the calling card of the Explorer II, give way to a ceramic bezel as we’ve seen in the Submariner, Daytona and GMT?
Ceramic bezels have saved me more than once in my WFH life, as indoor door handles are the biggest risk to my swiss replica watches, but does such gear do anything against underground stalactites and stalagmites? The ceramic problem has been solved. The brushed steel bezel is back, along with the familiar black and polar dial configuration, orange hands and orange text on the dial.
As a matter of fact, not much has changed. The current white and black model looks very much like the white and black 216570 introduced a decade ago. There are some differences, only very subtle. The strap is 22 mm at its widest point, instead of 21 mm. The relationship between the wider bracelet and narrower lugs provides a transition that looks and feels more elegant, amplifying the fact that while the 42mm Explorer II has always been big, it’s certainly not big. It sits low and steady on the wrist, providing a crisp interface for a watch that can be used for extended periods of time in low-light conditions.
The upgraded GMT movement is the same as the 3285 in the current GMT-Master II, with a more efficient Chronergy escapement, which means a longer power reserve of 70 hours, compared to 48 hours for the 3187 in the previous version. It also has a Paraflex shock-absorbing system, a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring, and a rotor mounted on ball bearings.
The proportions of the case and bracelet have been fine-tuned for the 42mm size, and the 3285 movement inside is a great GMT movement that has already proven itself in the Explorer II’s cousin, the GMT-Master II, which is my everyday replica luxury watches. The new Explorer II is better than its predecessor, all without making your head spin.
In terms of the dial, both the Polaris and the black watch initially look the same as the previous versions, but there are differences. Starting with the black dial, what is striking is that the hour, minute and 24-hour hands are now in white gold. On the Polar version, you will notice that the hands appear less shiny. Both new versions have a small crown at 6 o’clock between “Swiss” and “Made in”.
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