Rolex Explorer II 216570

If Indiana Jones had a luxury watch, it would be the Rolex Explorer II. This is the luxury watch you need if you've got travel and discovery in your blood and need a timepiece that can go the distance.
Let's get one thing straight: this is a serious luxury watch. When I say serious, I mean that it's popular with some pretty adventurous individuals. Volcanologists, polar explorers, jungle explorers and speleologists (cave scientists) in particular love its ruggedness and ability to survive in unforgiving environments.
The black dial of this 42 mm watch is a classic Rolex feature and superb in terms of visibility. It also provides a sense of balance when coupled with the lustre of the stainless steel bracelet. The sapphire crystal covers a dial with centre hour, minutes and seconds hands. There's a cyclops lens over the date at 3. This magnifies the indicator so you can check the date without breaking stride.
Like any great explorer, this watch has a backstory. In this case, the tale begins with the black base on the hands. These have been cleverly designed and placed in such a way that they appear to levitate above the black dial, giving it an almost magic or mythical character. Very appropriate considering this is the go-to timepiece for those who go to the ends of the Earth in search of answers. Then there's the orange arrow tip on the 24-hour hand. Both pay homage to the 1971 Rolex Explorer , a nod that will raise a knowing smile from any enthusiast. The orange also adds a subtle but really pleasing pop of colour to the sober dial.
The 24-hour graduated bezel is a godsend for the avid explorer. Let's say you're in the Arctic Circle. In places like the Russian town of Murmansk, they have polar days and polar nights. During polar days, the sun doesn't properly set and there's always light in the sky. When polar nights hit in January, you have perpetual darkness. Both are pretty disorienting! Is it day or night? With your trusty Rolex Explorer II you'll be able to tell instantly. It's all thanks to the 24-hour hand and the gradations on the bezel. The hand performs a rotation once every 24 hours and you can tell the time by simply looking at the marker or number to which it is pointing on the bezel. Meanwhile, the 12-hour hand adds the convenience of a second time zone so you can see what time it is at home.
While we're on the subject of darkness, it's worth noting that the Rolex Explorer II has a persistent Chromalight display with a bright blue lume. On this particular watch it's been given the capability to last almost twice as long as usual. Ideal if you're in a dark place such as a cave and need to know how long you've been down there. Or if you're being dazzled by the sharp whiteness of ice sheets that stretch all the way to the horizon.
Dig a little deeper and you'll find a 3187 automatic movement with a Parachrom hairspring, an ingenious mechanism that shields the calibre from damage. If you knock the watch scaling a sheer rock face in Colorado, or while treading a path through the searing heat of a Sri Lanka jungle, the accuracy of the watch will be unaffected. Speaking of sudden changes in environment, it's waterproof to 100 m so if you're crossing any rivers on your travels, don't worry about it. Nor will you need to worry about it slipping around on your wrist or cutting off your circulation. Simply adjust the bracelet using the Easylink extension. As for power reserve, you can expect 48 hours.
If you're on an expedition and need to set the time you need to be able to do so instantaneously without loss of accuracy. The stop-seconds allow you to do that. As does the rapid-setting hour hand on the second time zone.
The Rolex Explorer II is a timeless classic that can adapt and survive. It will take any budding raider of the lost ark all the way from the jungles of South America to the Kingdom of Nepal, the pyramids of Cairo, across the ocean to a small island in the Aegean Sea—and then finally home, to Washington DC, to hang up the hat and leather whip, and enjoy a well-deserved brandy.
You can view our latest Rolex watches for sale as well as the newest additions to our collection of luxury watches currently in stock here .
Image Credit – officialwatches.com vedere di piu rolex svizzeri e Chopard