In Memoriam - Watch Review | Rolex Explorer II ref 226570

Greetings watch fam, it's been a while. I've been a bit busy. No time for watches, laziest pun in the world. While watches have been at the wayside, I wallowed in my Rolexlessness, but though my puns might be, I haven't been lazy. I've been working on another project. It's not for here though, I don't want to cross streams. This is my retreat from reality, and I must at a minimum, maintain my monthly missive to the watch world. Of course, this Rolex bad boy has been sold, but I'd already written most of the review, so I thought I should finish and post it, as it was a great watch from a historic brand. It was a milestone piece and it gave me the tingles. I've actually sold a few watches during my time away, but that's the next post. Let's get on with it, watches wait for no-man - except for grails, they'll always be there waiting for you to buckle under the pressure...

Background.

I’ve been visited the AD since early 2023 when I put an order in for the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel, and a couple of months later received it and loved it - that’s how it should be. The Lady at the AD was very nice, genuine, and got my situation, looking to move into premium watches and build a relationship with an AD, some money to burn but not loads. they are a privately owned boutique with a handful of stores around the UK. I was invited to the Rolex Exhibition in September 2023, and put my name on the list for a few pieces.

The Rolex Explorer II, has always been the tougher, less glamorous sibling to the Submariner and GMT - which is one of the reasons I like it. The original Explorer line was born in the 1950s, after climbing Everest and becoming the go to for explorers and adventurers. By 1971, Rolex had released the Explorer II (ref 1655) , equipped with a fixed bezel and bright 24-hour hand, originally in orange. It was made for cave explorers, aka spelunkers, someone said it should have been called the Cave-Dweller, I agree.

It is a rugged, purposeful and kind of utilitarian piece. Also, I really like orange. Fast forward to the modern ref. 226570, released in 2021 for the Explorer II’s 50th anniversary. It updated the 216570 with Rolex’s new-gen Caliber 3285 movement, slimmer lugs, and just a little more polish (not literally). The result? The last proper Rolex - the only model without a precious metal offering - it just wouldn't be right - but never say never, Rolex do do dumb things sometimes.

Purchase / Post / Packaging. 

It was a hot summer day in August 2024, a day like any other, it was meant to be a day for browsing but it turned into something else. I don't know if it was the sizzling English heat, that made me a little more piable, a little more susceptible than usual, or if it was the longing to know what it was like to own a Rolex, from a status as well as a scientific viewpoint. But that day I was made an offer I should have refused.

I was looking and enjoying my browse when I was made an indecent proposal, it wasn’t the Lady on this day, I had popped in without an appointment. Any getting to the point, I was wooed hard, but I went for a walk before deciding, which was probably weird for them to witness, it’s a lot of money to spend. I had been saving for a Rolex but not this Rolex, so what to do. I was on the wait list for a steel GMT and a Sky-Dweller.  Anyway £8500 is how much it cost - which is mental - though I said it was £8550 on the youtube review so I have have had a refund which makes me feel better. I love the design, and the vibe and the story and the fact it’s the last proper Rolex, but it’s a lot of money (for me).

There were a few comfort points, I knew it wasn’t going to appreciate in value but just in case the Sky-Dweller came in (hah whaat a joke) I thought I could sell it only losing a few hundred point which is worth it for the experience - error. Another reason was as a gift to myself for finishing a post-graduate degree. As a youngster I never went to University - I had family responsiblities etc, but after somehow making my way into a decent career, I always said, it’s just a piece of paper no big deal. I made it here without one. I did a bunch of professional qualifications, and then a subject came up that I thought was very interesting and important, that is Corruption, so I started a Masters course, part time, distance learning.

I tell you what, things couldn’t have gotten much more messed up during those years pandemics and personal problems. I cut it short but nearly gave up on the whole thing. Actually, I could have bought a Sky-Dweller for the price of the course - that might have been an error, it remains to be seen. Anyway, I got a post-graduate diploma and this is what I was on about when I mentioned crossing-streams earlier.

The grass is always greener, until it isn't.

So, after going for a walk, I came back and bought it. Justified by various stories calling it a gift to myself for an achievement - and that was that - they were very happy for me - so was I. However, I do think sometimes that the sentimental stories are just an excuse but yea, it was sentimental, a milestone watch.

Then the next time I went in a few weeks later (Sept 2024), I was offered an Air-King, and then a month after that I was offered a Zombie, which I love but couldn’t justify with the move - if it was that green dial the Sky-Dweller, oooeeee, I would have stuck it on the credit card.

Side note: about two weeks ago I got a call from the AD, offering me a Rolex GMT Master II - Batman 126710BLNR  - I had to decline - I am currently skint, to use local parlance. For those tuning in around the globe, it means 'I ain'ts gots no moneyz'. However, if it was a Pepsi or the Skydweller I would have made it happen somehow, I would have sold a child - I don't have kids but I'd have figured it out...

Case, Dial & Hands.

Well then, this is what it’s all about, Rolex, the most coolest, most reliable and trusted brand when it comes to boosting your status but what about the quality, what’s it like to own. Well folks, what I can say is that it feels like a solid son of a bitch. With so many other watches in the collection of various costs and quality, it feels a touch above, and that can be something as simple as the brushed steel having a particular sheen, and click when date changes, it’s quite reassuringly solid, I feel like it’s very sure of itself I guess.

Rolex use the 904L steel which is more corrosion resistant, ( on screen -contains higher levels of chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and copper - which is why it costs more) though it’s slightly softer than the 316L so easier to scratch. I didn't get a mark on it, ok I did get one but it was hardly noticeable - I take care good of my babies, and then I sell them.

There is quite a lot going on on the dial, it's busy but it just about balances out. As always I wish the crown logo was at 12 with some kind of partial lumed indices but it would be right on an cave divers watch. The dial is all about shapes and legibility, so you have to allow for the mercedes hour hand, the large triangle marker at 12, there rectangles at 6 and 9, rounds marker in sets of two, it’s plays with symmetry and pairs, the triangle at 12 complements the GMT hand, the long lollipop seconds and sword minute hands just touches the minute track.

The 6, 9, 12, the cyclops, bezel marking and the GMT hand design are true to the original 1971 reference, staying true to original design language is very much what legends are made of. I don’t mind a bunch of writing on the dial, I like reading, again there are two lines under the Rolex and two at the bottom, the orange text matches the GMT hand. I quite like it, but there has to be some variation in font and colour, I got that orange, love that. Also love the authenticity feature on the chapter ring, the repeated Rolex text, I like chapter ring flourishes, it’s a nice attention to detail thing as well as a security feature.

Strap & Fit

When I moved house earlier this year, I only initially bought a handful of watches with me, I was wearing the ExII on my first trip and as you might know, getting boxes uppacked can take a while, so I only had the ExII immediately available. I was busy, so I wore it 4 or 5 days straight, granted it was cold so it was almost always covered by a sleeve, but I was shifting boxes and furniture (small pieces) and I didn’t give it a second thought. It’s only when I checked the time or on the odd occasion I smacked into a wall or something that I thought oh poopy-pants, then after a quick inspection I was back to work! It’s big but it’s easy to wear. And it did looks good on chunkier me, I think it did anyway.  

I told you I like orange. Back, then when I was chunkier, when I first bought it - things were good. We were in love, those were the good days, but then things change, I changed.

The size was the main sticking point for many people including me, it’s a 42 mm case with an unfortunate 50.5mm lug-to-lug, after the weight loss and wrist skinnification, that was just over the edge for me - it's the main reason it had to go. I just didn't fit right anymore. Early on it’s saving grace was that’s it’s pretty thin, 12.5mm for a date GMT with 100m water resistance, that's really nice technical work. 

Movement & Accuracy. 

Not too much to say here, I have droned on a bit, suffice to say it feels as solid as a rock and hard place all wrapped onto the wrist. It uses the caliber 3285 which is the same as the current GMT-Master II and has the bonus of the more efficient Chronergy escapement, meaning 70 hour power reserve which is great. It s got the Paraflex shock system, a paramagnetic balance spring, and a rotor mounted on ball bearings. Who cares, it's a Rolex.

Competition / Value for money.

You know, in collection there is no competition, the Tudor Black Bay Burgundy Bezel and the Zenith El Primero Synopsis are the sporty luxury watches I have, the design language is different enough that they each stand alone. The Longines Conquest is a rugged GMT, I like it a lot but it’s not competition.

Was it worth it? In hindsight, it wasn’t worth it at all. As a regular person I say that in terms of the price it's ridiculous to pay so much for a watch - I feel a fool I tell you. As a watch person, I say it's a bloody lovely watch, and it's very cool that I got to experience the status boosting stigma of it all.

The only reason a watch should be this expensive is if the material came to Earth on an asteroid - you’re paying for that interstellar delivery charge + scarcity tax. But I get it, the brand, industry, luxury, capitalism, consumerism, and fixing childhood trauma by buying expensive things - these are real, and they make you feel feelings. Rolex makes you feel feelings that fix those other feelings. As I've mentioned previously, I had it for 10 months, and lost £1000 on it - which is outrageous, shameful and foolish - but £100 a month, around £3.50 / $4.75 a day, hmmm, it's a reasonable price for renting a Rolex.

It was the right kind of Rolex for me, a steel sporty one, I could love a platinum 1908 or a classic gold day-date, but otherwise, it’s a 36mm OP 369 dial (or another 36mm variation) and maybe the 39mm OP rhodium dial. If I get fat again I'd consider the 40mm Submariner, the GMT Pepsi, a 43mm Sea-Dweller red line and a Sky-Dweller green dial, these are the Rolexes for me - that’s a pretty good collection I’d say.

Conclusion

In general I really liked this watch, it suited me and my style. If it still fit me properly I wouldn't have sold it. But I'm not a rich man, so I can't have a watch like that just sit there in the box. Until I somehow make obscene amounts of money (I never will, I'm too lazy), I won't be able to justify any such future purchases, and if I am and do, then maybe I could leave them to sit pretty. Generally though, if I'm going to spend on a watch, I gotta wear the watch.

Would I buy a Rolex again? I hear you ask. I would, but it would have to be one that I really wanted and it would have to be at retail or a great pre-owned deal. Prior to the Explorer II I was hesitant to buy my first Rolex in the pre-owned market, but now I've broken that green seal, I'm open to it. We shall end as we began, with lazy puns - we explored, we watched the world go by, and had a telling time together, but it was time to let it go.

Yours Rolexlessly,

Alvin

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Particulars

MODEL NUMBER

ref 226570

CASE DIAMETER / THICKNESS / MATERIAL

42mm / 12.5mm / 904L Stainless Steel / Sapphire crystal with magnifier/cyclops

LUG WIDTH / LUG TO LUG

20mm / 50.5mm

MOVEMENT

Rolex caliber 3285

Frequency: 28800Hz/Hr

Energy storage: 70 hours

WATER RESISTANCE

10Bar / 100M/ 10ATM