For 2021 the significant new Rolex watch release of interest to watch hobbyists will be this updated Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II know as the reference 226570. It directly replaces the outgoing Rolex Explorer II 216570 – keeping the same 42mm wide form factor but offering many minor exterior upgrades and a modern-generation in-house made Rolex automatic GMT movement.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer II began life as a combination between the Rolex Explorer and the GMT-Master II. According to the story, Rolex developed the watch for cave explorers who used the GMT hand not necessarily to indicate the time in a second time zone but rather as an AM/PM indicator. Why? Well, as there is no natural light underground (and explorers could spend days down there) – knowing if it was day or night via your watch was undoubtedly helpful. To accomplish this, users need to synchronize the 24 hour GMT hand with the 12 hour time.
The Rolex Explorer II has been famous over the last few years for several good reasons. It isn’t the least expensive Rolex Oyster Perpetual family watch, but it has traditionally been a good value and less than the more popular GMT-Master II or Submariner. The GMT-Master II had the fancier bezel, and the Submariner had the fancier bracelet – while both of them feature ceramic bezel inserts.
When Rolex upgraded to the 216570 from the previous generation Rolex Explorer II 16570, it made the case size 2mm larger (40mm – 42mm wide) and marked a return to the “classic” orange-coloured GMT arrow hand. The change in size helped visually separate the Explorer II from other Rolex sport watches. It thus helped carve out a new market for it, ideal for those who wanted something more significant than the 40mm wide standard size that Rolex sport watches had been focused on for many years.
Unlike the Rolex GMT-Master II, the Explorer II has a fixed (not rotating) bezel, with the 24-hour markers etched into the steel and then painted black. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters. Attached to the case is an updated three-link Oyster bracelet (it is broader than the previous bracelet) that I am personally excited to try on my wrist. The deployment doesn’t have a micro-adjust, but the 5mm comfort extension link can be folded out of the deployment clasp.
Inside the Rolex Explorer II, 226570 is the still new Rolex calibre 3285 automatic GMT movement (the same movement used in the current-generation GMT-Master II). The 4Hz frequency movement has about 70 hours of power reserve and is accurate to about 2 seconds per day. Like all Rolex movements, the 3285 is “Superlative Chronometer” certified, which means it has both a COSC Chronometer certificate as well as passes Rolex’s stringent in-house performance and accuracy testing standards.
Even though the Rolex Explorer II might seem like a niche piece, its bold size, handsome looks, and comparatively unpretentious guise have made it very popular with enthusiasts who might not even own another Rolex watch.