A review of what Rolex used to be Rolex Explorer II 216570

Hello Guys Simon here with another Explorer Review, 😉

I am writing once again a review of a watch that arguably changed my state of the collection. I recently uploaded a blog post where I discussed the downsizing of my collection, thankfully not because of financial problems but the added appreciation of each individual piece in a smaller more refined collection. If you are interested in the story you can happily go over to my post and read the whole thing for yourself. This time though I want to shed some light on the watch that made this possible in the first place.

As always full disclaimer this is my opinion here and you are more than welcome to share yours down in the comments and I am excited to read it! As I am reviewing watches like this I am not trying to be only objective towards any standard because we all share a very personal hobby where everyone got different preferences so feel free to disagree, maybe have a laugh at some of my takes or shake your heads on another as long as you enjoy it 😄

So what makes this thing now so special that it made me sell off a big part of my previous collection. Well I already reviewed the predecessor of this watch and that was a very personal take where I talked a lot about its versatility and the comfortable wearing experience. Though the size and the bracelet where things where it kinda fell short for me and the new model really stood out as fixing those minor complaints for me but also adding a lot of new things I did not even know I wanted. Lets take a look at what the new Explorer 2 improved.

First of all it is bigger which I like, the 42 mm do not bother me it still wears very well and I really appreciate the extra space on the dial. Overall it looks a lot more tool orientated and purposeful. Although we kinda loose the versatility given that everything got beefed up and we got a more sturdy and robust design but in a certain way now the watch really leans into the idea that this is a tool made for a given job. This shift indicates that we now come back to the routes of the Explorer 2 and its history as a cave spelunking tool. The markers and lume plots got bigger and so did the hands of the watch. Everything on the dial screams legibility, the contrast on the dial is amazing making this one of the best watches to read at a glance. Also one of the few watches where my father once said "I don't even need to put on my glasses to read that watch" which is an astounding accomplishment by itself for a watch but we are just joking around here! 😉 Overall the whole upsizing process made it a more appealing watch for me even if it might be a bit less versatile for every situation.

Combined with the MN Strap it became the watch of choice for so many occasions. Go out in the woods or on a hike take the explorer, got shit to do around the house take the explorer, go on a trip different time zone take the explorer, go out for a drink with the lads, take the explorer. It is just a very capable package that is serious if you want it but also kinda playful. It might still be versatile for an everyday lifestyle but I would not wear it with a suit like the previous one.

So to sum up the new design I would say it is more purpose orientated, also the big orange GMT hand is a nice callback to the first reference 1655 from the 70's. In my opinion it rides a fine line between being really useful but also somewhat playful with the white dial and the orange accents.

Now on to the age old question is it worth the money? Well as so many things do it depends on your situation and what you value. I think that the value for money is better than the previous one because you get so many new features like the bracelet and when talking about the 2022 renewed model also a new movement improvement. On the other hand if I wanted value for money I would not only look into Rolex. So it is up for you to decide if you want the "Rolex-Benefits" which include being able to sell it on quite easily and never having to worry that it depreciates as much in value as other sport steel models from other brands do, then yea there is some good value to be found. Which in my opinion is a fair point to make for Rolex in general but that is a topic for its own blog post 😉 Personally I think you get a lot of features in this package from the brand that are very iconic like the cyclops a date and gmt function the 100m water resistance as well as an iconic design. Would I buy it again, absolutely I like the newer model more than the previous one, given I find the 42 mm case adds to the comfort and the overall aesthetic to me if you got smaller wrists it might not be your cup of tea. A given fact is tho that you can not really go wrong with the explorer if you search for an iconic GMT watch. Sure there might be other great options out there like the Tudor black bay pro or so but for me personally I just adore the color scheme of the watch and what it represents for Rolex. A no nonsense clean looking legible toolwatch that was made for a job and handles everyday life with ease.

On to my final verdict of the Explorer 2, well the biggest appeal to me is that this could be my only daily wearer and I would probably be fine. Given I am not the biggest dresswatch guy or diving specialist I could see myself surviving and thriving with an Explorer 2. But as I am a watch collector and enthusiast I am thankfully not limited to one watch and so it just makes for a damn good centerpiece of my collection and that there is the winning point. The Explorer 2 is a good base for any watch collection it does so many things and gives you all the heritage history and quality you could want from a watch like this. With my Pelagos FXD and this I can get by 95% of the time, it made a lot of other watches obsolete because it is just that darn good of a watch. Probably one of the reasons I decided to downsize my collection and next to the Daytona probably my favorite Rolex model in the range.

Final thoughts for you if you consider getting and Explorer 2 it might be the truest Rolex that still exists next to its little Brother the regular Explorer. No flash no blink just a good tool and with that I will leave you. A watch that represents the ways Rolex used to make watches. Purpose intended with no sign of pretentious intentions.

Thanks for reading guys hope you enjoyed it till next time. Stay safe!

Greetings Simon.