Sitting down and commencing a hands-on review of one of the world’s best and most iconic tool watches from the crown is a daunting task. Plenty of thoughts, memories, and emotions begin to brew, and I find myself wondering which of the most important aspects of the modern Explorer II I should discuss. There’s also the fact that this is one of those references that collectors and watch lovers have strong feelings towards depending on which dial color is brought into question.
Today on the WRB we have with us what is most likely the more popular variant, nicknamed for many years now as “The Polar” Explorer II – of course referring to the eggshell white dial reminiscent of a polar landscape. This specific watch here actually belongs to my brother who recently purchased it from a local Rolex AD, and he’s let me enjoy it for an extended period of time to allow me to craft what I hope to be a thorough and detailed review.
Quick History
The Explorer II has always been known as one of Rolex’s most tool oriented watches ever since its debut in 1971. It’s known as one of the most versatile watches in the catalogue, having the ability assist navigation both under water and on land due to its water resistance, 24 hour GMT hand, and just overall robustness. The now highly collectible vintage models such as the reference 1655 aka “Steve McQueen” and the reference 16550 were all designed with smaller 40mm cases.
Sizing and Design Updates
The one and only collectors gripe about the new modern Explorer II Ref. 226570, and some of the earlier modern variants has to do with the case sizing being too large at 42mm. The older 40mm case was widely considered the goldilocks size, part of the reason many prospective Explorer II buyers consider the older variants, as they fit better on small to average sized wrists.
I’ve always wanted an Explorer II, but the current model we have here today is a touch too large for my 6.5 inch wrist, and I’m not a fan of the semi-hollow bracelets on the older 40mm variants – and so here I sit waiting for Rolex to one day announce a new smaller version.
While this current modern variant we have here has the larger case size, I will say that the slender tapered lugs, and overall slim thickness of the case are perfection. For what is considered a “larger” Rolex watch it really is not that far off the mark due to these design factors.
Experience on Wrist
Besides the sizing which we’ve gone over above, and have established it as a near miss for my wrist, the dial is outstanding, and I’m already head over heals for the retro and old school tool appearance of the stainless steel bezel. The dial we have here, which is the stark white “Polar” variant was designed to be easily legible at quick glance.
This is one of those Rolex watches that does not obviously look like a Rolex on first glance from a distance to the untrained eye. Models like the Datejust, Submariner Date and few others are really quite a bit more recognizable. This is part of the beauty of this watch, it allows you to fly under the radar with a less flashy look very much like my air-king 114200 – and when wearing this watch on wrist this aspect provides some piece of mind.
The Lovely Dial and Bezel
The dial and bezel of the Explorer II have always been its standout design features, and have always stood out as significantly different from the rest of the Rolex lineup. Everything on the dial with this modern version seems to be a beefed up version of past references, but it retains the overall original layout. The indices, and hands are both slightly oversized and outlined in black really helping in the contrast department, they certainly give off the vibe of a “maxi-dial” like on the modern Submariner.
The symmetry of the dial is executed flawlessly as usual by Rolex, except for on the Explorer I 39mm variant that I felt had too much open space resulting in a lacklustre empty looking dial. All aspects of this dial mesh well together, and various minute details such as the placement of the Explorer text, as well as the crown insignia is applied in harmony with the sporty appearance of the watch. The bright orange 24 hour hand is well sized and very easy to spot, and the date bubble is left in its iconic position and blends in surprisingly well.
The bezel on this watch has remained nearly identical in look to more recent vintage variants, with the number engravings filled in black and with the same blocky retro font as before. You need to at least appreciate the look of this bezel if you want to like this watch, as it really makes up a large part of the overall design ethos. Years ago I personally was not totally convinced on the style, but it grew on me to the point that I adore it – and part of that is being able to appreciate the heritage of this watch and the incremental changes over time. Once you research deeper into the history of the Explorer II references the style begins to make sense, and seeing that this watch has been worn by influential people such as Jason Statham can aid in the journey.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is the perfect everyday wear adventure watch for those that can pull off the additional 2mm size constraint, I can see this easily taking over daily duty if it fit me better. It glides under the radar for travel, but retains useful features like the GMT and date function. It’s also robust enough for sporty activities, weather on land, in the air, or under water – and it’s handsome enough to pull off double duty at the dinner table. This is the ultimate explorer’s watch and I recommend it to anyone who can pull off the size.
I’ve worn mine since 1996. Spent twice what it cost maintaining it. It is by far my favorite in my collection.
Always fun to hear things like this. It’s certainly a “do it all” sports watch. Cheers
Had the smaller one, now have the 42. At first thought it was too big but it grew on me and now it’s my favorite piece. As my sons would say “it’s clean!”
For it’s 42mm sizing it really does not wear very large. I would be all over a new 40mm variant though.