The Explorer II Enigma. Historical Thread

[ral]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

Um, not to intrude on this very lovely Explorer thread, but on the older style GMTII there are exactly 10 clicks between each hour marker, so you can actually count up your time by 6 minute increments. And yes I use it for this.

I love my black face explorer, and my only regret is that I can't push a button and switch between white and black.

1/10th of an hour increments... hey perfect for filling up DSR's.

[veefour]

Originally Posted by rmcarlton

I never gave the Explorer II much thought, until seeing a black face on a NATO band. I love the look and it doesn't draw attention. I just might be in the market for a used one. This website is causing major problems with my bank account.

Same with me!!
This pic from Skippy in this same post made me look at the Exp II with different eyes

[CPTL]

This thread keeps coming back. Great job David!

And to all you Expy haters out there...

[DSJ]

Originally Posted by CPTL

This thread keeps coming back. Great job David!

And to all you Expy haters out there...

It's my personal mission to keep this one going!

[bsblau]

Originally Posted by Dylan Wade

Happy to see this back on the board.........long live this thread and of course that means the EXP II.

I am currently in Taiwan wearing my EXP II this week after a week prior in SGP wearing the Sub Date. I can't put my finger on why..........: but I just prefer the whole experience of wearing the EXP II with a cuff linked shirt (Usually white or combination of dark stripes on white).

I'm kind of now stuck on EXP from Mon-Thu and Sub from Fri to Sun (Fri = casual office day)........it all just feels and goes better that way.

Who’s with me on this one?

Everyone else must think I'm nuts and hey your probably right.........but at least I'm a contented nut for now:

I'm with you on that; the ExpII's slimmer profile is just great with cuff.
As routine my ExpII is with me on the weekdays, my SD will get its turn
on the weekends. Sometimes I'll have them both on the weekend. SD
on my left wrist & ExpII on my right.

GMTII wasn't on my list when I bought the ExpII; as I wanted a watch
that did not have the 'rotating bezel' ala Sub,SD or GMT but still a 'sports'
Rolex. FYI I got my SD before my ExpII.

Cheers,

[akhamdani]

what a great picture Fr. John .

[Skippy]

Originally Posted by veefour

Same with me!!
This pic from Skippy in this same post made me look at the Exp II with different eyes

I'll do anything I can to improve the desirability of the wonderfull Explorer II

A GMT Master(II) might have the rotating bezel but it shure doesn't look as good as the Explorer II on a NATO.

[veefour]

Originally Posted by Skippy

I'll do anything I can to improve the desirability of the wonderfull Explorer II

A GMT Master(II) might have the rotating bezel but it shure doesn't look as good as the Explorer II on a NATO.

X2

[watchboy]

Sorry, I did not read ALL the posts in the thread but just did a quick browsing of most of the posts.

My first Rolex, the Explorer II blackie!

Friends, Romans(Rolex men), countrymen (all over the world), lend me your ears..... I want to tell you my story.

Roll back in 1992, Singapore .... in which I started working. After working hard for a couple of years, I decided that I wanted a ROLEX. Well a ROLEX was like a Mercedes Benz in car, meaning a prestige watch. I saved hard and in 1995, I bought my EXP II black dial. I was not a WIS guy but I just find that the EXP II was more appealing to me. I had thought about the Sub, but there were watches that look like that. I wanted something "unusual", besides a lot of my colleagues had the Sub and GMT I & GMT II.

So it was a crystal choice for the EXP II, since I could not afford the DAYTONA. I was deciding white or black. I decided to get the black as it was "easier" to read the time due to the contrast of the markers and hands with the black dial. Back in 1995, the black EXP II was slightly more expensive than the white dial. I was told by the AD that it was due to the demand of the market? Indeed it was, READ ON.

Then I decided to ask one of my friend who was an air steward with the Singapore Airlines to get one for me overseas. Eventually he bought one from Copenhagen and it was a couple of hundreds cheaper than Singapore's prices. I paid S$3350 and was very happy! 10 months down the road in 1996, met an ungrateful B**** and SOLD my EXP II to a pawn shop for S$2400 to help her financially. So bla bla bla, gal gone and money gone too!!!

Fast forward to year 2000, saved enough to buy a Rolex again to pamper myself for all these years of hard work. I fell in love with the GMT hands of the EXP II. So I was bent to get back another EXP II Black dial. And to my surprise, IT WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND in Singapore not even Malaysia!!! I went all the way to HK for a trip, not a single store had the black EXP II!!! Only white were available. Back in Singapore, I was told by HOUR GLASS, one of the ADs there, that there was a long LIST of clients waiting to buy the Black EXP II. Some even paid an advanced S$5000 to get hold of any available piece arrived. CRAZY!!!

I still did not give up and kept searching within Singapore stores and finally one day after 3-4 months, I found a store had it!!! And guys, guess the price?! It was S$6500!!!! And the price of Sub back then was S$5800 and the GMT Master II was S$5200!!! So in the end, I decided to get the GMT Master II for S$5000 after some discount!

The GMT Master II was my most accurate watch in my collection. +1 second in 30 days back in 2005 and I timed it again last X'mas and was +5 seconds in 30 days again! No service was done since 2000 when I bought it!!!

As an expat myself, I always love GMT. Though my GMT Master II was most accurate, I do not really like the Bi-directional bezel. I do miss my EXP II Blackie with a fixed bezel and GMT hands.

Then just as I was thinking to get an EXP II back, ROLEX came out the Ceramic GMT Master II. Damn I was weak, I fell for it instantly and traded my old GMT Master II plus cash for a TT Ceramic GMT II!


So that's my story. I still regret selling my Black EXP II. But my story does tell you that the black EXP II was damn HOT back in those days!!! For the last few years, I did not follow the market's demand for this beauty anymore.

Thanks for reading.

Kind regards.

[Timber Loftis]

Kudos to a well-told tale, watch boy. It had drama, betrayal, and a good ending even if it wasn't one with a wedding between you and an Expy.

[watchboy]

Originally Posted by Timber Loftis

Kudos to a well-told tale, watch boy. It had drama, betrayal, and a good ending even if it wasn't one with a wedding between you and an Expy.

Thanks Timber! And thank GOD! I am happily married now to my wife (not that ungrateful B.... obviously)and have more than one watch!

[Skippy]

Great story Watchboy. Look at it this way back in the day you had great taste in watches and lausy taste in women and now it's the other way around

Read stories before of the Explorer II models being very popular in the Pacific rim(http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/5.html) but I don't know exactly why it is, will try to find some info about this.

[Art161]

This thread for the Expy II refuses to die. It's as tough as the watch itself! There is a suggestion in the Suggestion section of the forums that this thread be made a Sticky. If enough people post over there and agree, perhaps Steve will do that. If you would like a Sticky for this thread, now would be the time to post over there. Perhaps David will be welcomed home from vacation by a Sticky about the Expy II.

[sparkyg]

Just a note that I believe the new Exp II with the Rolex rehaut uses the 3186 now, sorry if this is a repost.

[Z-Sub]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Just a note that I believe the new Exp II with the Rolex rehaut uses the 3186 now, sorry if this is a repost.

M-serial likely but the Z with RRR maynot.

I know for sure in Asia, black dialed Daytona and other Rollies are in much higher demand than the white dialed counterpart.

[J. Martin Tensuan]

Originally Posted by evy411nia

I love my Expy II not only for the looks but for the comfort. I will sometimes slip it on for a moment after taking off my SD that I've been wearing all day...just to feel the difference. Without a doubt the most comfortable of the sport models. I love the slope of the bezel and although I'm not a fan of the magnifier, It looks better IMO over a white dial.

I second that, John.

[Timber Loftis]

ZOMG STICKY

[Skippy]

For now we'll have to keep it on top by our selves so here's another picture.

[akhamdani]

touchy story.....

[CPTL]

Never really thought about the cyclops and dial color, but the cyclops on my Expy (white) is easier to read than on my Sub. Maybe it does have something to do with dial color and light being reflected.

[travellingbrit]

My Dark friend travels with me wherever I go. Last week I was stranded in Sao Paulo with a 24 hour delay and at the hotel bar there's a guy from Curitiba with a stunningly cool white face EXP11. So of course we start talking Rollies and after a few beers it's apparent that we have a two minute time difference in our watches - so had to get the laptop out to check the time with accurist - Turns out my Rollie has lost two minutes since I last timed it a few Months ago, which left me picking up the bar tab. But great chance meeting with another EXP 11 appreciator.

[mopsey]

Entry level??? How very dare you!!!!
£3040 for a EXP II. £3080 for a SS Sub Date. £40 difference.
I rest my case!!

[f16570]

Mopsey, the guy was just an erse.
Stupid statement about entry level by a total eejit.

[akhamdani]

Hi,lastly I could post some pictures of my 3 weeks old Exp II,I bought it from AD in Gibraltar in Spain for 2800£.At the first time I was not sure about the white or black dial,then I made up my mind to take what the dealer has.There was a white one on stock,but the dealer said that he ordered a black one M-serial with the new movement & engraved ring under the cystal,so i decided to wait few days for it.Really happy to have it,fits great on the hand.

[travellingbrit]

Nice pics Ali...nothing can beat a nice box shot of a new born EXPII...all those adventures ahead....fantastic

[Skippy]

Nice pictures of a great watch Ali!

[Dylan Wade]

Here's one for the books..............

I just picked up my favourite Rolex; the very one I first saw that made me want to get a Rolex in the first place. I could not find one to begin with, so picked up a SS Sub (a happy choice still). A month or two later Iturned down an opportunity to actually get one and simply not been able to get the GMT IIc out of my head since. So yep, I'm now the very happy owner of the New GMT IIc.

So what has this to do with the EXP II?.............Well as with many things in life you cant have it all your own way; The wife said "ONLY TWO" which means something has to go, its gonna be the SS Sub, I'm going to miss it for sure bit there is simply no way the EXP II (polar) is going anywhere...........LONG LIVE THE EXP II

[Skippy]

Good choice if you ask me!The Sub and GMTIIc just don't offer as mutch difference in looks as the GMTIIc and the white Explorer II.

Enjoy your GMTIIc !!

[DSJ]

Well, I don't think this one's going to make it as a sticky, but I started a group for us!
http://www.rolexforums.com/group.php?groupid=8

Please join

[Skippy]

Great idea! Just joined, stil a little quit though.