The Explorer II was designed in 1971 for cave explorers and polar researchers — people who lose track of whether it is day or night. It has a fixed 24-hour bezel and an extra hand, and it has spent fifty years being the sports Rolex that enthusiasts recommend and the general public overlooks. We hold 68 of them from £6,350.
The 1655 "Freccione"
The first Explorer II, produced 1971–1985, with an orange arrow-tipped 24-hour hand that gave it the Italian nickname Freccione — big arrow. Steve McQueen never wore one, despite forty years of dealers claiming he did.
It is a proper collector's watch now, and prices reflect that. Buy on dial originality and hand originality; replaced 24-hour hands are common and costly.
16550 and 16570: the long generation
The 16550 (1985–1989) introduced the white "Polar" dial and a sapphire crystal, and it is famous for its cream-toned dials — early white dials that have aged to ivory because of an unstable paint formulation. Those command significant premiums.
The 16570 replaced it and ran until 2011, an extraordinary 22-year production span. It is the value pick of the Explorer II family: 40mm, tough, and available in black or Polar white.
216570: bigger, with the orange hand back
In 2011 Rolex enlarged the Explorer II to 42mm for its fortieth anniversary and brought back the orange 24-hour hand as a nod to the 1655. It is a substantially larger watch — the case and the lugs both grew — and it wears every bit of it.
The Polar dial version is the one people remember. Against a white dial the orange hand is unmistakable.
226570: the current one
The 2021 update kept the 42mm case, moved to the calibre 3285 with its 70-hour reserve and Chronergy escapement, and slimmed the lugs slightly. It is the best Explorer II made and it is priced as such.
Polar or black?
The Polar dial is the Explorer II's signature and the reason to buy one. It is the only white-dialled steel sports Rolex, it is dramatically more legible than any black dial, and it photographs beautifully.
The black dial is more conventional and generally slightly cheaper. If you want a stealthy watch, it is the better choice. If you want the watch that is unmistakably an Explorer II, buy Polar.
The 24-hour hand in practice
On the 16570 and earlier the 24-hour hand is fixed to the main hour hand — it tells you AM or PM, not a second time zone. From the 216570 onward the local hour hand is independently adjustable, which makes the modern Explorer II a genuine GMT watch.
That is a significant functional difference and it is not obvious from the specification sheet. If you want a travel watch, you want a 216570 or later, or a GMT-Master II.
Browse the collection
Browse pre-owned Rolex Explorer II models — 68 from £6,350, or the simpler Explorer from £5,600.
Frequently Asked Questions
From the 216570 onward, yes. Before that the 24-hour hand only shows AM/PM.
Modern ones do not. The 16550's cream dials are a specific 1980s paint issue and are prized.
It is a large 42mm. Try the 40mm 16570 if you want the same watch in a smaller case.
