About
Groan, another article about Rolex. Look, I get it. If I had a penny for every time the Crown was mentioned on the internet, I’d have enough money to buy a multitude of Rolexes (just not the status to actually get them allocated at an authorized dealer). The editorial side of horology is inundated with Oyster cases and Mercedes hands, and it shows in how fatigued comments sections have become across the internet.
As hypocritical as it is to say this on the heels of criticizing journalistic favoritism towards Rolex, I still love writing about their watches and I think enthusiasts of all stripes still search for content about the company. In my opinion, no brand captures the romance of the previous century like Rolex does (although Omega and moon-based activities are a close second). You may think you hate Grandpa Wilsdorf, but you don’t. What you actually hate is the hypebeast culture that surrounds the modern product. Neo-vintage Rolex does not suffer from this ailment; it is a subset of the brand that is more utilitarian than luxury in its design ethos.
It is well-documented here at CSH, but I am a big believer in vintage and neo-vintage timekeepers. My infatuation with Rolex follows this philosophy – I am very much of the opinion that five-digit Rolex is peak Rolex, given they offer excellent wearability while still being modern enough to encourage carefree daily use. Forget about maxi cases – the eighties and nineties are where it is at.
Fear not, gentle reader: I’m not writing about the ref. 16710 again. I love me some GMT-Master II and I am not shy about that; it is most definitely a worthy contender for the superlative of best daily from Rolex. What I do want to discuss today, however, is another stout challenger from the Crown that comes with a GMT complication. That watch is the Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 ‘Polar,’ sporting a white dial and tasteful red GMT hand, and it is quietly stunning.
Special thanks to David MacDonald for loaning Count Sunny Hours his darling daily driver. I am very confident you will all be seeing more of David in the near future on a more permanent basis. Stay tuned.
Exploring The Explorer II’s Genealogy
It is a simple thesis from Geneva: we made a watch for professionals disappearing below the waves and jetting through the skies, so why not make one for those headed into the howling dark? The Explorer II took the adventurous spirit of the original Explorer and contextualized it in a specific application: cave spelunking. Call that aspirational usage at best… I have never heard of anyone using an Explorer II in such fashion. All the same, that was the genesis of the original idea and it remains Rolex’s marketing tagline even today.
The Rolex Explorer II ref. 1655. Image: Analog:Shift
The Explorer II debuted in 1971, albeit in a far different configuration than what has become standardized over time. This was the ref. 1655 “Freccione” (bastardized Italian for “arrow”) or “Steve McQueen,” and it came equipped with a fixed steel bezel, vertically hashed between each interval, as well as a non-independent 24-hour big arrow hand. It is important to note that this elementary union does not give the Freccione dual-time capabilities, even though it uses the same Caliber 1575 movement found in the GMT-Master ref. 1675; this arrangement was strictly useful for day-night time orientation.
Interestingly enough, the ref. 1655 has no historical link to Mr. McQueen at all. It is a fabricated watch connection that is even more apocryphal than the Heuer Monaco, which Steve at least wore while on set for his 1971 racing flick Le Mans. Both are especially tenuous when compared to the Submariner ref. 5512, which was the King of Cool’s true watch of choice.
The ref. 1655 was eventually replaced in 1985 by the ref. 16550, a transitional model present until 1989 that basically laid the groundwork for the Explorer IIs of today. Here, we see the dial layout introduced that all future models will follow, as well as a truly independent 24-hour hand (thus making this a legitimate GMT watch).
The ref. 16550 was the first Explorer II to offer both black and white (“polar”) dial options, sporting a slim red GMT hand as part of the design update. Curiously, paint defects have caused many polar-configured 16550s to age into a cream ivory patina. This phenomenon is one of those rare manufacturing defects that enthusiasts wish they had the ability to omnisciently predict, and the 16550 remains a popularly sought-after model even in this current era of watch collecting.
Finally, we circle back to today’s advocate for neo-vintage Rolex, the ref. 16570, which succeeded the ref. 16550 and was produced through 2011. Like other contemporary Rolexes of the period, the ref. 16570 comes from a period where Rolex was experiencing a true shift in terms of both style and materials.
There are several key characteristics we should cover before adjourning class. First off: the dial. If you need to distinguish a ref. 16570 polar from a 16550 polar that has not patinated, the quickest tell is the indices. The previous generation had white gold surrounds; in contrast, the ref. 16570 comes with black outlining for higher contrast against the dial. Smart upgrade from Geneva for enhancing legibility.
If that minor detail eludes your gaze, a second tell is the luminous material used in the indices. First generation 16570s, like their 16710 cousins, used tritium (denoted by “Swiss T < 25” at 6 o’clock) until 1998. Luminova, photoluminescent and non-radioactive, made its debut for a single production year, identified by their “Swiss Only” dials, after which Super Luminova followed under the labeling of “Swiss Made” dials. The difference lies in production; the former is of Japanese manufacture, whilst the latter originates in Switzerland. Swiss Only dials seem to have the largest cult following, and are supplanted only in desirability by “Chicchi di mais” Explorer IIs, or tritium models whose glossier, porcelain-like dials present a warmer contrast than their non-tritium siblings.
The ref. 16570 uses the steady Caliber 3185 and its successor in the 3186, rated like their predecessors as Superlative Chronometers (aka better than COSC at +2/-2 s/d). There’s no major reason to explicitly hunt a 3186-equipped model other than perceived collectability. Any Explorer II with an engraved rehaut will beat with the heart of the 3186. Barring that quick tell, simply adjust the independent local hour hand. Stuttering in the minute and GMT hands? This means your watch is equipped with the 3185.
One last area to address is lug holes and end links. Rolex slowly abandoned the former between 2000 and 2003 across the entire catalogue, and the Explorer II is no exception. For those who adore convenience and practicality, 90s editions should have a drilled case. If a cleaner appearance is the object of your heart’s desire, 16570s produced after 2003 should not have drilled end lugs. Same goes for the end links, with earlier models having stamped hollow ones versus solid ones which appeared on later models. Chalk both topics up to being a matter of preference.
The ref. 16570 was eventually replaced in 2011-2012 by the ref. 216570, which alongside its new replacement the ref. 226570, is what we consider the modern Explorer II. You and I aren’t here for discourse on models past the ref. 16570, but you should know these later models are generally differentiated by their return to the orange big arrow GMT hand, a beefed up maxi case diameter (42mm), and modernized movements.
A Question Of Substance
Now that you’ve read my two minute Dummy’s Guide To The Explorer II and have memorized every aspect of its evolution up through the ref. 16570, we arrive at a pair of almost glaringly obvious queries: why discuss this watch? Why consider it among the vast catalogue of Rolex models?
I think there are two areas to consider, and it starts with the Explorer II’s physical qualities. At my core, I believe that 5-digit Rolexes offer peak wearability. Rolex lost a certain charm when it went the way of the maxi case – you may disagree, but for me the original case (itself a mere 12.2mm thick) with slimmer lugs offers superior comfort. You are also still at 40mm, which seems to be a bit of a Goldilocks case size in marketability. Most people can wear this case profile very comfortably and not have it look weird or oversized.
Just as important as the function is the form – Daytona and the discontinued Turn-O-Graph aside, where else can you find a handsome, characterful Rolex that has both a white dial and a useful tool bezel? When it comes to watches, there’s a real art to looking different without looking too different, and not every timepiece that tries to nail it does. While white dials are generally considered more informal than black dials, they can still perform in elevated situations. The polar 16570 feels like the perfect corporate cave-diver that can manage up or down at will.
Carry this thought on character with you as we take a look at the Explorer II’s older professional-series siblings. The legendary Submariner, the classic “black goes with everything” elder brother, is consistent yet boringly ubiquitous. The GMT-Master, the trio’s defiantly ostentatious middle brother, resides on the other end of the spectrum barking about how it likes to travel (mostly to the grocery store and back) while tracking the same time zone two different ways. Both have a stronger claim to fame than the more reserved Explorer II, which unfortunately does not share their notoriety.
The double-edged sword lies in the word “reserved.” The Explorer II is the perfect watch to straddle the gap between its aforementioned siblings, but suffers from an almost offensive level of underestimation. I’m not really in the business of nailing down why that is: maybe casual buyers with dollars to burn want the most readily identifiable Rolex they can buy. Maybe the Explorer II just looks like a big slab of steel. But flying under the radar can be a good thing, particularly when the Crown is front and center on the dial.
Exhibiting an understated level of cool is what makes this cave dweller special in my opinion. Hearken back to the Submariner and my next hot take: Rolex’s premier dive watch is so popular it offers next to nothing in terms of individual expression. Return to the GMT-Master and a self-burn freely given from its most ardent supporter: in its common Pepsi configuration, this watch can sometimes prove a measure too flamboyant beyond the general public’s perception of tastefulness (however subjective that may be). The blue and red bezel also provides a clear visual target for bad actors, which can be no bueno depending on where you live. The Explorer II is equally elegant, but in a way that doesn’t approach ubiquitous or eccentric like these other watches.
After breaking down the polar Explorer II, I hope you will eventually come to agree with me on the following: what Rolex really accomplished in trying to make a watch for cave explorers was to actually make the world’s most beautiful field watch. There is strong legibility from the indices contrasting against the white dial, so you can read it quickly even if you don’t have numerals like a traditional field watch. The water resistance at 100 meters is a number with real-world usability, and the Calibers 3185 and 3186 are proven movements that came out of Rolex’s factory as better than COSC (and can be again if in need of servicing). And then you put all of that aside and realize it looks killer on a Jubilee bracelet under a suit cuff. There is a lot to like here from a watch you can really can do everything with.
The average ballpark price of a ref. 16570 is in the $6,000 – $8,000 range depending on condition, kit completeness and where you look. That is definitively not a cheap price to pay for a watch, and we’ve all heard the quartz argument before. That being said, I don’t think you read this far to argue about the merits of mechanical watches versus the high price tags they can command. If you want a handsome workhorse that you can wear forever, and a Rolex at that, then the ref. 16570 is as confident a bet as you can make on doing anything, anywhere in style.
Technical Information:
- Case Material: Stainless steel
- Crystal: Sapphire with cyclops
- Features: Fixed 24-hour steel bezel and GMT hand; Tritium, Luminova or Super Luminova for indices; drilled end lugs and folded end-links on earlier models
- Movement: Caliber 3185 or 3186 Automatic
- Power Reserve: 48 hours
- Screwdown Crown: Yes
- Bezel Movement: Fixed
- Caseback: Screwdown, non-display
- Water Resistance: 100 meters
- Case Diameter: 40mm
- Lug Width: 20mm
- Lug-to-Lug: 47mm
- Thickness: 12.2mm
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