On to new heights: Rolex Explorer II | WatchTime

This text was initially printed within the January/February 2022 concern of WatchTime print journal. Images by Marcus Krüger.

On the event of the fiftieth anniversary of the mannequin Rolex has up to date it Explorer II with new motion and delicate design adjustments. We check out what the newest model can provide collectors, explorers and adventurers.

Even earlier than final 12 months’s Watches and Wonders in April, there was a number of hypothesis in regards to the anniversary explorers. Would there be a ceramic bezel? Would it not get a inexperienced hand or different parts within the colour that Rolex has used so usually for anniversary fashions? Would the case diameter change? Nothing like that. The adjustments to the looks of the brand new Explorer are minimal. Even most watch lovers can solely acknowledge the broader bracelet in direct comparability.

Was that disappointing? Really not; Design continuity is an element that makes Rolex so profitable and retains its worth. Whereas different manufacturers exchange their much less widespread fashions with fully new variations each two years, Rolex improves the expertise of all of its watches – even the much less widespread ones. And till just a few years in the past, the Explorer II was one of many Rolex sports activities fashions that would even be purchased at a reduction from jewelers. These days are over. The brand new, improved mannequin is having fun with nice reputation regardless of minimal visible adjustments. And that is not simply as a result of new caliber, which is now nearly customary within the Rolex portfolio.

50 years on expedition

How did all of it begin? In 1971, Rolex launched the Explorer II as an expedition watch. The 24-hour show was designed particularly for cavers who work at midnight for days or go on polar expeditions within the Arctic summer season when the solar by no means units. The Explorer II was the skilled improvement of the Explorer launched in 1953, which didn’t have a date or a second time zone. This design icon continues to be in manufacturing in the present day.

The Explorer II has been on quite a few Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and has been worn by volcano and cave explorers. The primary mannequin had pointed tip bar arms, rectangular indices and an orange 24-hour hand. The second mannequin adopted in 1985. The 24-hour hand was now slimmer and crimson as a substitute of orange. The utilized markers had been spherical in typical Rolex model and the acquainted Mercedes-shaped hour hand was added. Along with the mannequin with a black dial, a model with a white dial was additionally supplied. The brand new caliber 3085, which was additionally launched within the GMT-Grasp II the identical 12 months, enabled the hour hand to be independently set to a second time zone. This meant that the fastened coupling of the 24-hour hand with the hour hand was a factor of the previous and elevated its usefulness.

In 2011, on the event of its fortieth anniversary, Rolex took the following evolutionary step and primarily based the 24-hour hand mannequin on the unique mannequin of the “orange hand”, as it’s identified amongst collectors. Rolex additionally elevated the case diameter from 40 to 42 mm and likewise elevated the dimensions of the arms and indices.

New particulars

Essentially the most vital change to the revised Explorer 2021, our check watch, is its extra harmonious proportions. The bracelet, which has now grown to a width of twenty-two mm, the narrower lugs and the broader clasp guarantee a greater and extra engaging adaptation to the 42 mm case.

The dial reveals solely minimal adjustments. To match the matt black painted white gold arms, the utilized white gold indices now have a matt black PVD coating. The massive markings and arms enhance readability. Nonetheless, the white dial of our check watch is an obstacle on this regard. The model with a black dial is less complicated to learn. And now, for the primary time, Rolex has given the flat glass an anti-reflective coating on the inside floor – a noticeable change that has a constructive impact. At evening, the Chromalight luminous materials will increase legibility with its intense blue shimmer, which lasts till the early hours of the morning. The Cyclops date magnification lens solely improves readability when wanting immediately on the entrance of the watch.

General, the design is profitable with the sloping sunray metal bezel, the white dial and the orange arms. Nonetheless, the mix of modern-looking parts with typical Rolex and historic Explorer II parts is just not as seamless as different icons of the model – the Submariner and the GMT-Grasp II, which have remained unchanged for many years. The white dial and 42mm dimension are atypical for Rolex watches and signify an fascinating different to most sports activities fashions with black dials.

A small new element might be discovered on the dial: a small Rolex crown at 6 o’clock. As with different Rolex fashions, it factors to a brand new technology of actions.

Movement replace

The brand new time zone caliber 3285 has changed the older 3187. Apart from the Milgauss and the Air-King, a brand new technology of calibers powers all different Rolex fashions. The largest benefit for the wearer is the prolonged energy reserve, which is now three days as a substitute of two because of the higher effectivity of the Chronergy escapement. For this goal, the geometry of the armature and escape wheel was optimized. And with the LIGA course of, through which these parts are electroplated, Rolex was capable of create a perforated and due to this fact lighter construction. Because of the nickel-phosphorus alloy used, the escapement doesn’t react to magnetic fields. The brand new motion additionally has a ball bearing as a substitute of a plain bearing.

Once we opened our check watch, we seen that Rolex had additional optimized the actions with out a lot fanfare. The rotor bearing now has 27 balls as a substitute of simply seven, that means the rotor runs nearly as quietly as a bushing rotor. Many Rolex followers ought to like this.

The well-known benefits of Rolex actions have remained: the in-house Paraflex shock absorber, which is meant to return to its primary place higher within the occasion of shocks, the extraordinarily steady stability bridge as a substitute of a stability cock that’s solely hooked up to it. On the one hand, the free-swinging hairspring with Breguet hairspring fabricated from a paramagnetic Niobium-zirconium alloy and the free-swinging effective adjustment with Microstella weights on the stability wheel. And the motion might be adjusted with a particular device, disassembly is just not required. The decorations have a sunburst end, however there isn’t a hand engraving.

As all the time with Rolex, the official chronometer certificates from the Swiss testing heart COSC confirms the excessive accuracy of the motion in several positions and at completely different temperatures. Rolex’s in-house specs require much more exact regulation, guaranteeing a mean accuracy of between -2 and +2 seconds per day. On the timing machine, our check watch met these excessive expectations and confirmed a mean deviation of simply 0.3 seconds.

All six positions remained between -2 and +3 seconds; accordingly, the biggest deviation between positions was 5 seconds. Nonetheless, the amplitude variations had been fairly vital, with a 50 diploma drop between the vertical and horizontal positions.

Along with the accuracy, our check watch additionally meets Rolex’s high quality requirements. The workmanship is nearly excellent – glorious polish and satin end on the case, the bracelet with no play between the hyperlinks and a finely printed dial. Each part exudes prime quality and stands as much as cautious inspection with a magnifying glass.

The case options Rolex’s personal screw-down Twinlock crown and is waterproof to 100 meters. That is sufficient. However just like the GMT-Grasp II, we’d have appreciated the safer Triplock crown on this expedition watch, which presents higher safety.

Regardless of the crown safety, the crown might be simply unscrewed. Within the first place, the drive spring is wound up as anticipated. If you happen to pull the crown out to the second place, you’ll be able to modify the hour hand in hourly increments, which is helpful when touring to a special time zone. The 24-hour hand reveals the house time. If the hour hand strikes over the date line, the date adjustments accordingly. This works each forwards and backwards and is nearly as easy as a correct fast adjustment mechanism. The minute hand might be superior to the third place together with the 24-hour and regular hour arms. The safe Oysterlock clasp can be simple to make use of. By lifting a security bar over the spring-loaded lever, the sturdy folding clasp opens. The sensible Easylink extension of as much as 5 mm might be folded out of the clasp.

At $8,550, the Explorer II’s listing worth is lower than the GMT-Grasp II in Oystersteel ($9,700) with a rotating 24-hour bezel. The value is cheap and though the demand is bigger than the availability, it’s nonetheless not as excessive because the GMT-Grasp II. Frequent patrons might have a practical probability of getting this watch in much less time from a licensed supplier, however should include a Count on a sure ready time.
Diploma Evolution as a substitute of revolution: Rolex forgoes main design adjustments and has due to this fact as soon as once more constructed the most effective Explorer II of all time with its new motion and smaller modifications such because the extra harmonious bracelet proportions.

Rolex Explorer II specs

Producer: Rolex SA, Rue François-Dussaud 3-7, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Reference quantity: 226570

Options: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone

Motion: Manufacture motion caliber 3285, computerized, chronometer, 28,800 vibrations per hour, 31 jewels, cease seconds, fast date adjustment with hour adjustment, Paraflex shock absorber, Glucydur stability with Microstella regulating screws, 70 hour energy reserve

Case: 904L stainless-steel, flat sapphire crystal with Cyclops date lens and inside anti-reflective coating, screw-down Twinlock crown, totally threaded 904L stainless-steel case again, waterproof to 100 m

Bracelet and clasp: Oyster bracelet fabricated from 904L stainless-steel, with security folding clasp and step extension

Consider outcomes: Deviation in seconds per 24 hours

Dimensions: Diameter = 42mm, Top = 12.1mm, Weight = 164g

Worth: $8,550

Outcomes:

Bracelet and clasp (max. 10 factors):
The protection folding clasp with step extension and the metal bracelet are properly made, sturdy and chic. 9

Case (10):
The cleanly polished, saltwater-resistant case might be extra waterproof for an expedition watch. The screw-down crown ensures security. 9

Dial and arms (10): Rigorously crafted dial with utilized indices. The matte painted arms will not be as engaging because the polished arms of different Rolex fashions. 9

Model (15): Wonderful design, however not as timeless as different Rolex fashions. The broader bracelet ensures higher proportions. 13

Readability (5): The massive arms and indices are nonetheless simple to learn regardless of the low distinction on the white dial. The blue luminous materials glows for a very long time. 4

Course of (5): The deeply grooved crown is simple to make use of. The date might be rapidly adjusted and the cease seconds make it simpler to set the time exactly. 5

Consolation (5): The curved hyperlinks make the watch comfy to put on even with the broader bracelet. Extension piece within the clasp. 5

Motion (20): The properly thought-out and sturdy manufacture motion ensures an extended energy reserve. 19

Charge outcomes (10):
Very small common deviation, however within the damaging vary. The values ​​are shut to one another in all positions. 9

Whole worth (10):
Cheap worth and excessive worth retention – however tough to get. 9

IN TOTAL: 91 factors