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Old 17 October 2017, 05:13 PM   #61
brucethemanlee
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Old 19 October 2017, 09:11 PM   #62
maker
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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.

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Old 20 October 2017, 06:20 AM   #63
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I appreciate you taking the time to write this out for us! Really helpful :)
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Old 20 October 2017, 02:55 PM   #64
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Nice insights. The Exp 2 has been the watch that got me back into Rolex.
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Old 25 December 2017, 11:21 AM   #65
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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.
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Old 18 January 2018, 11:06 PM   #66
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Very good review!!!
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Old 2 February 2018, 05:27 AM   #67
Colin G
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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.
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Old 31 March 2018, 05:35 AM   #68
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Fantastic review. As an interesting aside I love how my explorer 2 looks with various Tudor fabric straps.




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Old 10 May 2018, 01:12 PM   #69
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GAHHHHH. Reading these reviews and seeing the pictures makes me want to get an Exp II SO bad..!
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Old 11 May 2018, 08:52 AM   #70
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GAHHHHH. Reading these reviews and seeing the pictures makes me want to get an Exp II SO bad..!


Same here.


So I did!


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Old 25 August 2018, 02:38 PM   #71
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Thank you for the info. I think this is the model I am looking dlfor and this helps a bunch.
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Old 26 February 2019, 10:46 PM   #72
Strummer25
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Excellent review. This reference is definitely calling me
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Old 6 March 2019, 07:01 PM   #73
Icehockeyboy
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Great review!

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


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Old 29 April 2019, 08:01 AM   #74
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Fantastic review. As an interesting aside I love how my explorer 2 looks with various Tudor fabric straps.




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Are all these tudor straps?

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Old 30 April 2019, 11:46 PM   #75
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Excellent review
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Old 1 May 2019, 05:32 AM   #76
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Are all these tudor straps?

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Yep. All Tudor fabric straps.


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Old 14 June 2019, 10:42 PM   #77
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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.
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Old 18 June 2019, 09:13 AM   #78
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Thanks for sharing!


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Old 2 September 2019, 02:44 PM   #79
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Nice review. Thank you for posting. Great watch!
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Old 18 December 2019, 03:47 PM   #80
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Thanks for posting! Currently selling my 16570 to upgrade to a 216570. I’m encouraged by your thoughtful review.


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Old 20 December 2019, 01:20 PM   #81
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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.
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Old 4 January 2020, 05:47 PM   #82
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Thanks for sharing the review
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Old 8 March 2020, 12:48 AM   #83
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Awesome review - preaching to the choir here
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Old 26 May 2022, 05:34 AM   #84
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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.
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Old 23 July 2022, 06:03 PM   #85
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Excellent and well thought out review. I enjoyed reading!
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Old 28 July 2022, 02:46 AM   #86
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Thank you for the review. Very helpful. Makes me want to add one to my collection.
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Old 22 August 2022, 05:51 AM   #87
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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.
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Old 7 February 2023, 04:33 AM   #88
Redemption144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drhanson View Post
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 !
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Old 10 February 2023, 07:01 AM   #89
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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?
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Old 13 March 2023, 01:42 AM   #90
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Great review here! Lots of good info that helped in my decision to purchase one recently.
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