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Fratello
Another Friday, another list. This week, we follow up on last week’s list of the top five Rolex GMT-Master II alternatives with the best alternatives to the Rolex Explorer II. It’s a logical step since the two models offer much of the same functionality. But they are inherently different watches in terms of presence and […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex Explorer II Alternatives In 2026 to read the full article.
Fratello
There’s an odd sort of feeling to taking a Rolex Explorer II into the ocean. Even here, off the rolling waves of Sydney’s eastern beaches, you notice something about this watch that most sports watches I’ve spent time with simply don’t share: it feels in its element. You don’t take a 16570 into the surf […] Visit Why I Could Fall In Love With The Quirky Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 to read the full article.
Monochrome
Born in 1953 as a tool watch for mountaineering, the original Explorer (a.k.a Explorer I) is a rugged, time-only piece for just about any occasion. Although relatively unchanged at its core, the Explorer has seen many updates with a dozen or so reference numbers in its 70+ years of existence. The Rolex Explorer II launched […]
Fratello
The original Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II 1655 that debuted in 1971 is probably my favorite Rolex watch of all time. I wish I’d felt the same in the mid-1980s when you could pick up an unloved “Freccione” at a huge discount. Unfortunately, I only started warming up to the Explorer II with its steel […] Visit This Monday Morning, I Realized I Should Have Bought The Black-Dial Rolex Explorer II 16570 Instead Of The White One to read the full article.
Fratello
In our series Exploring Evergreens, we have a look at watches that have been around for some time. These are watches that have stood the test of time to become archetypes, sometimes even icons. Today, I am covering the Rolex Explorer ref. 16570 in the black-dial execution. This is the most worn watch in my […] Visit Exploring Evergreens: The Black-Dial Rolex Explorer II 16570 to read the full article.
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Time+Tide
A long time ago in a land far away (2012 / Canada), I embarked on the journey of watch collecting. I had saved enough to confidently go into the local Rolex authorised dealer and strike up a deal. Ten years ago, you could actually negotiate a discount on some of these watches, which was the … ContinuedThe post How I changed my mind about the Rolex Explorer II (and why it now rarely leaves my wrist…) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
It is time for another round of “Don’t Feed the Hype“. As a refresher for those who may not have seen previous entries in the series, my goal is to showcase readily available alternatives that provide a similar essence or merit to watches that have become increasingly unobtainable. It is my hope that these lesser … ContinuedThe post DON’T FEED THE HYPE: 3 alternatives to the Rolex Explorer II ref. 226570 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Cool Tool: The Story of Rolex Explorer II
Time+Tide
It’s fair to say the Rolex releases last week were simply whelming – neither under or over. The highlight of the 2021 collection was the return of the 36mm Explorer and the first ever Explorer in a two-tone configuration. Many expected big changes for the Explorer II, after all, it is the 50th anniversary of … ContinuedThe post The small change that makes a BIG difference to the new Rolex Explorer II 226570 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Each of the models in the Rolex Professional series is a tool watch made for a man on a mission. While the Submariner and Sea-Dweller are diving watches, the Rolex Explorer II was originally built in 1971 for speleologists or cave explorers who required a sturdy, functional and highly legible watch while working in almost … ContinuedThe post VIDEO: The Rolex Explorer II Ref. 216570 is the unsung hero in the Professional series appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
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Time+Tide
Will you fall for the understated charm of the Rolex Explorer II?The post HANDS ON: Is the Rolex Explorer II enough of a value proposition to be the Crown’s ultimate tool watch? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Let me start this review with an admission: I thought the Big Crown was going to turf many of its current models in 2020. The Milgauss, for example, is well past due for an evolution from its current form, if it remains at all. Likewise, the Air-King – which stylistically borrowed heavily from a set … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: The Rolex Explorer II Ref.216570, sleeper classic or on the brink of extinction? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
The Explorer II often does the rounds at the top of ‘the most underrated Rolex model’ list, and it’s not difficult to see why. In addition to many of the attractive hallmarks of steel sports Rolex models, it also has just a dash more personality – is it the pop of orange that catches your eye? … ContinuedThe post What Sealed The Deal – Peter’s Rolex Explorer II Ref. 216570, “when I got it there wasn’t a huge amount of demand” appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Today’s review is a little unusual on several accounts. Most significantly it’s of a watch that’s been discontinued for seven years. Given this fact, Bruce (of BLNR fame) has written a more personal, evocative piece, which makes sense as much ink has already been shed in tribute to the details and intricacies of … ContinuedThe post IN-DEPTH: Future classic? The Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
The Jack Mason Strat-o-Timer GMT Frontier refines the brand’s tool-watch identity with a hardened steel case and traveller GMT movement.
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Quill & Pad
The watch nerd that WMMT is, he rarely immediately wears his new watches, putting them aside for a few days and letting the anticipation grow. When it finally came time to wear his new Rolex, he took it out of the box and proudly put it on his wrist. And then horror struck: he didn’t feel anything, not a thing! Zilch, nada, niente! What to do?
Revolution
Rolex celebrates one of its most historically significant lines, the mighty Explorer, as its flagship launch of 2021. Both the Explorer and Explorer 2 have been revisited this year and fans of the venerable tool watches won’t be disappointed.
Revolution
A slow burner in terms of its popularity and, therefore, less ubiquitous than some other models, Revolution takes a look at the five iterations of the Rolex Explorer 2.
Revolution
In the words of Jake Elhric, “Every Rolex tells a story”. In this instance two Rolex Explorer watches tell one great story about one intrepid explorer.
Revolution
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Revolution
Revolution
Worn & Wound
Seiko has recently expanded their Seiko 5 Sports Field series to include two new references, each with a GMT function. A first for this line of watches following the popular series that included rotating 24 hour bezels last year, the GMT function allows for a secondary timezone to be easily read in a tidy field watch format. Whether choosing the silver SSK023 or the more rugged black SSK025, each balances functionality against a backdrop of timeless design. As for the specifications of this watch, the Seiko 5 Sports Field series is a robust and reliable timepiece designed for everyday wear. Equipped with a 4R34 automatic movement, it offers a power reserve of approximately 41 hours and is equipped with 24 jewels. The watch incorporates practical functions such as a 24-hour hand for dual time display and a stop second hand function. Functionality is identical to the earlier Seiko 5 Sports GMT release, which means an independently adjustable 24-hour hand and “caller” GMT functionality. Its stainless steel case, measuring 39.4mm in diameter and 13.6mm in thickness, includes a curved Hardlex crystal and showcases Lumibrite on both hands and indexes for enhanced visibility. The watch has a water resistance of 10 bar and magnetic resistance of 4,800 A/m, making it suitable for various environments that really lives up to its field watch bona fides. Importantly, these watches feature a fixed 24-hour bezel in the style of a Rolex Explorer II, which naturally gives these watc...
Worn & Wound
Editor’s note: In this week’s 3 Watch Collection for $5,000, Griffin Bartsch (@cgriffinbartsch on Instagram), a seasoned collector and watch enthusiast, makes his case for value with a trio of watches that punch well above their weight class. In a watch environment where prices keep climbing, it can be tough to find quality and originality that’s budget friendly, and it can be even tougher if you can easily recall a time when these things just weren’t so expensive. But as Griffin points out, there are still great watches to discover at any price point. You can make your submission to the Three Watch Collection – Reader Edition by filling out the form right here. Talk to anyone who has been a watch enthusiast or collector long enough and a constant through-line will be that watches cost more than they used to. It’s hard to deny. In the near decade and a half that I have nominally been what could be called a watch collector, the market has experienced a dramatic surge. It’s gotten to the point where it is unavoidable that rising prices have become a pretty standard stop in the flow of conversation at meetups and on forums. Even I am not immune to the temptations of the topic - I have probably mentioned a few too many times that when I was 18 I could have bought a polar dial Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 for the same money as my Martin D-35 (around 3500 bucks). That Martin still floats right around that price today, the Rolex decidedly does not. A result of a...
Teddy Baldassarre
My first Rolex was an Explorer II 216570 with black dial and I absolutely loved that watch. It was rarer than the GMT-Master II or Submariner, and didn’t have the ceramic bezel, which I found to be a little too glossy and “luxe” for what I was looking for in a watch at the time. I kept and wore the heck out of that watch for almost six years until I just felt like it didn’t speak to me anymore. The 42mm wide “Maxi” case seemed too big and the big, thick hour and minutes hands just began to bug me. I can’t explain why I was so dead set on the 216570 rather than the older 16570 at the time but I can certainly say that now, in 2025, the Rolex Explorer II 16570 is not just my preferred iteration of the modern spelunking watch, but an all-timer from Rolex. I’ve started to refer to the 16570 as a “Forever Rolex” because it ticks all the boxes - size, reliability, dual-time functionality, and discrete aesthetics - all while remaining one of the few Rolexes that isn’t immediately recognizable to every casual observer. Let’s take a look at why I’m such a big fan of this old-school Rolex. Case and Specs: The Other Rolex GMT Measuring 40mm wide and 12.2mm thick with a 47mm lug-to-lug height, the 16570 is an eminently wearable Rolex. And while this is very obviously a sport/tool watch, these proportions make for a very versatile and subdued piece. No, there isn’t a rotating bezel with a nickname-ready color combo here. Rather, there is a demure, fixed ...
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