Review of the Explorer II 216570 - Cornerstone in rebuilding the collection

[brucethemanlee]

Nice


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[maker]

Excellent review from the OP.
Am considering one of these with the polar dial, but wondering if the movement is likely to be upgraded/replaced in the near future?
If anyone has any ideas on that would be grateful.

maker

[jackjack305]

I appreciate you taking the time to write this out for us! Really helpful :)

[Rascasse]

Nice insights. The Exp 2 has been the watch that got me back into Rolex.

[sfwatchfellow]

Just an epilogue to this thread...My wife surprised me with a white dial 216570 today. Happy to join those enjoying this aesthetically and technically delightful machine.

[mountainjogger]

Very good review!!!

[Colin G]

This watch is on my radar with the polar dial. I will probably put a deposit down in the next couple of months and wait for it to arrive.

My only hesitation is that it will be a bit large for my 6.5" wrist. I have a newer Sub and it fits just fine so hopefully the EXPII won't be much bigger. The AD I buy from is an 8 hour drive from me so I won't really be able to try it on first unless I make a special trip.

[natosteve]

Fantastic review. As an interesting aside I love how my explorer 2 looks with various Tudor fabric straps.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[John07]

GAHHHHH. Reading these reviews and seeing the pictures makes me want to get an Exp II SO bad..!

[Icehockeyboy]

Originally Posted by John07

GAHHHHH. Reading these reviews and seeing the pictures makes me want to get an Exp II SO bad..!

Same here.


So I did!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Knight of Arms]

Thank you for the info. I think this is the model I am looking dlfor and this helps a bunch.

[Strummer25]

Excellent review. This reference is definitely calling me

[Icehockeyboy]

Great review!

If I didn’t already own one, I’d be wanting to get one!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[coleburns]

Originally Posted by natosteve

Fantastic review. As an interesting aside I love how my explorer 2 looks with various Tudor fabric straps.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Are all these tudor straps?

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Nycturbovr6]

Excellent review

[natosteve]

Originally Posted by coleburns

Are all these tudor straps?

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Yep. All Tudor fabric straps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Gcharles63]

Great review. This watch is next up on my list and will be my first Rolex. Had the chance to pick one up this winter and the timing was just not right... Now I am struggling to find one. Patience is not one of my strong points. Thanks for sharing. I think it is an outstanding looking watch and am excited to join the Rolex family.

[snoop24]

Thanks for sharing!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brigadoonb]

Nice review. Thank you for posting. Great watch!

[interneal]

Thanks for posting! Currently selling my 16570 to upgrade to a 216570. I’m encouraged by your thoughtful review.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ganiccus]

i bought an explorer II black dial as my first ever rolex two weeks ago, can't agree more with the review. great proportions between the size of the bezel and dial. I also love the weight of the watch sitting on my wrist, you have the feeling you wear something special yet the quality of the bracelet gives you the confidence that everything is properly held in place.
The quality of the brush finish on the bezel is something I also learned to appreciate while staring at it. It speaks to the level of detail Rolex put in their design, which ultimately gives the Explorer II this rugged and sturdy look you would expect from a model made to withstand extreme activities.
If you are looking to add a watch to your collection that has a different look than the cookie cutter ceramic bezel models popping everywhere on social media, yet has a sporty identity and useful complications, the Explorer II is for you.

[EdwardC]

Thanks for sharing the review

[ckelly17]

Awesome review - preaching to the choir here

[drhanson]

Thanks for all the kind replies to this review over the years. It's closing in on ten years since I wrote this, how about an update? The watch was pretty amazing over the past decade, my constant companion and it went through a lot!

The watch ran pretty much the same for 9-1/2 years, it was fast between 0.5 & 1.5 seconds a day until about six months ago when it started running a little slow. Still within COSC spec but watches running slow are a bit of an inconvenience so it had a service done to address that as well as the inevitable signs of normal use. Crazy to think that a movement can go through about 2.4 BILLION beats before it starts letting you know it needs attention.

My favorite feature of the Explorer II is the ability to change the hour hand independently. This Jump Hour feature was one that saw a lot of use when traveling and for the ridiculous daylight savings time adjustments. I picked up a Grand Seiko recently when I learned their 9F85 quartz (I know, blasphemy) also has that feature.

The only negative I found with this model was the feature I ended up having little use for, the 24 hour hand. Unless I was more than a few time zones away from home and needing to call a family member or friend, I've rarely ever looked at it. On occasion, the 24 hour hand has actually been a distraction, like when waking up in a dark hotel room and groggily looking at the watch to see the time and not being awake enough to discern the glow from the triangle lume of the 24 hour and the Mercedes hour hand without my reading glasses on. Some may find more use for this feature than I do but I'll likely not opt for that complication again in the future.

The other complication I could have done without is the date. In months with less than 30 days I'd usually not notice I needed to adjust the date until two weeks into the month. I guess that means I looked at the date on my watch no more than twice a month? The date used to be a useful feature, but with today's reliance on smart phones and Outlook, I find I've evolved to use it less and less.

Overall, no regrets at all with the Explorer II, an awesome piece and still highly recommended.

[balanceoftime]

Excellent and well thought out review. I enjoyed reading!

[missik]

Thank you for the review. Very helpful. Makes me want to add one to my collection.

[jamtred]

I'm very envious that once upon a time, you could walk into an AD and walk out with an Explorer II. I'm seeking the new model and it's great to hear that after 10 years, you're still enthusiastic about it.

[Redemption144]

Originally Posted by drhanson

Thanks for all the kind replies to this review over the years. It's closing in on ten years since I wrote this, how about an update? The watch was pretty amazing over the past decade, my constant companion and it went through a lot!

The watch ran pretty much the same for 9-1/2 years, it was fast between 0.5 & 1.5 seconds a day until about six months ago when it started running a little slow. Still within COSC spec but watches running slow are a bit of an inconvenience so it had a service done to address that as well as the inevitable signs of normal use. Crazy to think that a movement can go through about 2.4 BILLION beats before it starts letting you know it needs attention.

My favorite feature of the Explorer II is the ability to change the hour hand independently. This Jump Hour feature was one that saw a lot of use when traveling and for the ridiculous daylight savings time adjustments. I picked up a Grand Seiko recently when I learned their 9F85 quartz (I know, blasphemy) also has that feature.

The only negative I found with this model was the feature I ended up having little use for, the 24 hour hand. Unless I was more than a few time zones away from home and needing to call a family member or friend, I've rarely ever looked at it. On occasion, the 24 hour hand has actually been a distraction, like when waking up in a dark hotel room and groggily looking at the watch to see the time and not being awake enough to discern the glow from the triangle lume of the 24 hour and the Mercedes hour hand without my reading glasses on. Some may find more use for this feature than I do but I'll likely not opt for that complication again in the future.

The other complication I could have done without is the date. In months with less than 30 days I'd usually not notice I needed to adjust the date until two weeks into the month. I guess that means I looked at the date on my watch no more than twice a month? The date used to be a useful feature, but with today's reliance on smart phones and Outlook, I find I've evolved to use it less and less.

Overall, no regrets at all with the Explorer II, an awesome piece and still highly recommended.

So … you don’t really need the GMT hand nor the date… Wait - I think Rolex made something for you - the Explorer I 🤪
I also have the 216570 Polar and can only say good things about it. I actually have family in Europe and use the date feature nearly daily, so happy that there aren’t any superfluous features on the watch for me. Just what I need and nothing more.
And with it being so confortable to wear, it is always on now !

[bds79]

I’ve really enjoyed reading through this thread. Great reviews and interesting to see your thoughts after 10 years of wear.

I’m about to make a move on the black dial version, which I’ve lusted over for years. One (slight) “concern” I’ve had is whether it would draw much attention since it is somewhat large. I don’t want people commenting on or asking about my watch frequently. I just want to enjoy it for myself.

So, over the 10 years that you’ve worn it, have you gotten a lot of comments on it? Have people noticed it?

[CVrider]

Great review here! Lots of good info that helped in my decision to purchase one recently.