My watchmaking passion began in 2021 with the purchase of a Datejust II, fluted bezel and oyster bracelet. I found it magnificent, but after a year and after after-sales service, it seemed too big on my 17 cm wrist. It's a dress watch in my opinion and the proportions are too generous. I sold it, bought other watches (which are/will be presented on Dialicious) but my enthusiasm for this brand remained intact. In 2024, I began to take an interest in a reference that I didn't like at all before (yes, tastes evolve in watchmaking): it was of course the Explo II (ref 16570) and its steel bezel. Youtube videos where their owners rave about this watch finally convinced me: I need this tool watch. The quest and research begins, and will take a good 3 months: indeed this reference was produced between 1991 and 2011 (approximately), and there have been many developments. My choice falls on the latest model produced in 2011 which for me is the right one: the most recent, a lively and shiny steel and not tarnished as can be the case with old refs, case and bracelet never polished, caliber 3135, ROLEX flange... in short, a good deal on Chrono 24 later and here I am the owner. On the wrist, it is magnificent. Sometimes, on the photos or videos, we have the impression that the bezel is dull, but in reality, it is splendid. What can be said about the black color of the dial, which is like lacquered and reflects a maximum of light. The GMT hand brings a color and a little something extra. I find this reference (compared to the modern 42mm) more balanced, and perfect for small-medium wrists. It is thin but ensures a beautiful presence. The only problem for me was the lack of micro-adjustment of the old generation oyster bracelet: I found the solution by buying an Easylink adapted to this reference on the steel reef site that I highly recommend. I think I am the first to reference this black dial version on Dialicious, Enjoy!

Here’s my Rolex Explorer II Polar, in pristine condition. Yeah, I’m pretty picky when it comes to my watches, but this one gets plenty of wrist time—whatever the occasion. It’s not my only Rolex, but it’s easily my favorite. Its unconventional look—cyclops lens aside—makes it one of those underappreciated Rolex models, almost like a hidden gem for brand insiders and adventure lovers alike. One of my little joys? Hitting the trails at San Jacinto Park, not far from home. Sure, a Garmin or Suunto would get the job done, but let’s be real—it’s just not the same vibe! Next time I’m up there, I promise to snap some killer shots with the desert backdrop from the Spitler Peak Trail. But today? Just grinding at work in my green hoodie. There’s something special about a beautiful watch, and this one? Absolutely stunning.

already the owner of several Rolexes, I started looking for a model (Rolex) that met the following specifications: pro + discreet + original. It was natural that I came across the 226570 black dial. Its brushed steel bezel makes it much more discreet than models with a ceramic bezel. The same goes for the fully brushed bracelet (unlike my GMT whose central link is polished). The originality lies in the orange GMT hand with the orange reminder of the "Explorer II" on the dial. I chose the black dial which I find much more discreet and elegant than the white one. It is one of the first Rolex models with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side of the sapphire and it makes a huge difference! Rolex was smart enough not to put this treatment on the outer side because this type of treatment is fragile and does not resist impacts/scratches over time. Its thin and elegant design despite a diameter of 42mm makes it completely compatible with a small wrist (17cm for me)

I am the happy owner of this Rolex Explorer 2 black dial. I bought it decades ago and it is my only Rolex. Even then I was interested in the brand's products, looking for a watch with punch but not known or identifiable anymore. I chose this little-known Rolex, little used in the brand's communication. Bought new in a Rolex boutique in the Paris region, it has many qualities, robustness, readability of the dial and a non-flashy style than the current Rolexes which shine a little too much for my taste. I would like to treat myself - if I could afford it - to a Rolex Daytona, but the mirror-polished Oyster bracelet very different from that of my Explorer makes it prohibitive. And then, the evolution of the market, the success of Rolex, the impossibility of buying a new one, made me turn away from the brand in favor of more discreet or unknown brands... all in all the continuation of what made me come to this Explorer 2 Thanks for reading me 👍

Bought new (AD Rolex) in July 2023, I immediately preferred this model with a black dial to the one with a white dial, because at 42 mm in diameter, the black dial makes it visually smaller than with the "Polar" dial (white). I hesitated with the GMT-Master II Pepsi (€900 difference at the time) and tried both models at my AD. No hesitation about wearing it on the wrist: the 42 mm is visually much prettier than the 40 mm. I have a wrist of almost 19 cm and the 42 mm is more appropriate and fits better. In addition, with its grayer dial and larger hands, I read the time better ... presbyopia requires it! I will add that it supports fabric or rubber bracelets extremely well (and very nicely): for the summer, I find it much more pleasant than the steel Oyster, certainly comfortable but which leaves slight black marks on the wrist which sweats.

My first Rolex and I must admit that I am not disappointed, I hesitated with the Polar dial, but the hesitation was short when I was in the presence of this magnificent Explorer 2, this fixed bezel is a marvel, what can I say about the GMT function or rather a day/night marker, I do not know what it conquered but it certainly conquered me, I am crazy about it, I alternate quite often with my other trinkets, as soon as I open my pelicase, my heart beats wildly and this exploII winks at me "me, me, me, me" the 42mm diameter may seem large but it is not, a real daily pleasure. Little known and perhaps unloved, for my part I love it

You should never say Fontaine je ne boirai pas de ton eau… I am not a speleologist but rather claustrophobic, rather 40mm than 42 at Rolex and yet… it made me fall in love with its bright white dial and its black-circled indexes, hyper contrasted and hyper readable. And this orange 24-hour hand, I love it, a nod to the 1655 Steve McQueen that he never wore. Freccione for the Italians. As eyesight declines with the forties, it arrives at just the right time. Launched in 2011 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Explorer II, it is powered by the 3187 caliber. With its 31 jewels, its Parachrom hairspring and its Paraflex shock absorbers, it is a modern variation of the 3186 caliber, which was used in the GMT Master II models. A surprisingly fresh watch!

Owner of the previous 216570 ("ghost" hands), resold in 2021, I realized that I missed this model a lot! I turned at the beginning of this year to its descendant, the aesthetically similar 226570. Always sober (brushing of the bezel, part of the case and the bracelet), its readability (42mm, wide hands, a date under cyclops, a second time on a 24H basis and its water resistance to 100M make this watch truly versatile. Comfortable to wear, equipped with the easylink allowing you to gain 5mm on the length of the bracelet in the blink of an eye, precise with an average of plus or minus 1 second / day, a 3-day autonomy which has become an automatic standard today and a weight of 158gr, this Explorer 2 is in tune with the times and all the outings, very happy not to see it equipped with a ceramic bezel. I would prefer it in 40mm to make it even more sober but it still fits well on my 17.5cm wrist. A safe bet still little known.

This is one of my watch grails from the historic Rolex range. The first Rolex Explorer II was launched in 1971 and was designed specifically for speleologists and explorers who spend long periods of time in extreme environments where natural light is limited. The watch was therefore equipped with an additional 24-hour hand, which makes it easy to distinguish day from night. But it is as a real GMT that I have been using it daily since 2021, the date of this Explorer II which reached 70 hours of RDM for the 50th anniversary of the model. Its brushed bezel, its oyster case, its orange GMT hand and the mention Explorer II energize this wonderful white dial. It is both elegant and robust without forgetting magnificent precision. It is certainly my favorite GMT.

In 1971, the Rolex Explorer II ref 1655 appeared: a professional watch designed for caving, with a 24-hour hand allowing explorers spending several days in the dark to differentiate between AM and PM. In 1984, Rolex replaced its model with the reference 16550, the 3085 movement that equipped it allowing independent adjustment of the 24-hour hand. The speleologists' watch now made it possible to track a second time zone and became a traveler's watch. I see a connection with Plato's Allegory of the Cave: with its GMT complication, the Explorer II is an invitation to come out of your cave and discover a dazzling world; as dazzling as the new light dial with which it is adorned. I decided to acquire the following reference, the 16570 called "Polar" in its latest iteration with the engraved flange and the 3186 movement. I was seduced by the alliance between its design very close to the historic 16550 and the overall comfort of a modern watch. Professional but unconventional Rolex, light and discreet but sporty and radical; its paradoxes make it a special piece, perfectly superfluous and therefore absolutely necessary in my collection.