How much is explorer ii

Certificates are issued by WatchCSA, the industry's leading independent authority on watch authentication. First released in , the Explorer II is a sleek and rugged sports watch that offers additional functionality over the original model. Shop all models for sale by visiting our used Rolex watches page. Shop All Rolex Watches. In , Rolex unveiled the Oyster Perpetual Explorer watch to honor the achievement of Sir Edmond Hillary and Tenzig Norgay, when they became the first humans to successfully reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Designed as a tough timepiece for adventurers and built to be highly resistant to extreme conditions, the original Explorer featured a durable exterior fashioned from stainless steel, a highly legible dial with luminous details, and a shock-resistant self-winding mechanical movement. Building upon the success of the original Explorer watch, Rolex introduced the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II in as a bigger, bolder, and more complex timepiece than its predecessor.

Whether for polar, mountaineering, or caving expeditions - or as an everyday luxury watch with fantastic durability and a highly useful set of features, the Rolex Explorer II is one of the most adventure-worthy Rolex models within the Oyster collection.

Far from the simple design of the original Explorer, the Explorer II featured 24 lume plots on its dial for optimal legibility of its hour scale in the dark. Many buyers criticized the first Explorer's dial, citing that it was difficult to read; however in reality, the dial of the ref. Due to the distinct shape of its defining hour hand, the Explorer II ref. McQueen famously wore a Submariner in his personal life, and a number of other watches in various films; however no photo exists of Steve McQueen wearing an Explorer II watch.

The actor's image was being used in Rolex marketing materials around the time of the Explorer II's release, and so the nickname came about; however it is believed that McQueen never once actually wore a Rolex Explorer II. In the mids, Rolex replaced the reference with the Explorer II ref. With an overall design that more closely resembled a GMT-Master II with a stainless steel bezel, the reference featured a dial layout with Mercedes-style hands and geometric-shaped hour markers similar to most Rolex Professional Oyster watches , and a red hour hand with a luminous arrow tip.

Additionally, the new Calibre movement allowed the hour hand to be set independently of the hour hand, turning the Rolex Explorer II into a dual time watch.

By the end of the s, Rolex released Explorer II ref. From this point forward, the Rolex Explorer II collection possessed the same core functionality of a GMT watch, despite not having a rotating bezel.

Additionally, the reference also marked the return of the bright orange hour hand from the previous model, and also added a small additional splash of orange in the "Explorer II" name on the surface of the dial.

Despite its vintage inspiration, the dials style remained similar to the previous generation of Explorer II watches - now with larger hands, bigger hour markers, and a splash of orange text on the dial - along with the choice of either black or white "polar" dials.

Additionally vintage Rolex Explorer II watches are rare and highly sought-after by collectors. Nearly all examples of the original reference sell for more than a brand new Explorer II and some can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Part of the appeal of the Rolex Explorer II is its high degree of functionality that it provides while still adhering to a relatively accessible price point compared to other Rolex Oyster Professional watches.

With a rock-solid build, a date complication, and dual time functionality, the Explorer II offers a lot of practicality yet remains one of the more modestly-priced sports watches in the Rolex catalog. Generally speaking, due to its larger size and more advanced functionality, the Explorer II is priced higher than the standard Rolex Explorer. However, the exception to this is the rare and collectible vintage Rolex Explorer references from the s and s, which can easily be worth tens of thousands of dollars, and are fiercely sought-after by vintage collectors.

However, if we're talking about vintage ref. From the very first Rolex Explorer models of the s to the 42mm dual time Explorer II watches of today, exploration has been a part of Rolex's story for well over 80 years.

Throughout its production period, the Rolex Explorer II has grown from 39mm to 42mm in size, and has existed in a number of different references. Much like the original Explorer, as a tool watch developed specifically to withstand the toughest conditions, Rolex has only ever made Explorer II in stainless steel.

Unlike many of Rolex's other professional watch collections, there have never been any two-tone or solid gold versions of the Rolex Explorer II. If you see an error message in the graph, please refresh this page to make it work. If search volume is not sufficiently high for showing a geographic chart, we use a higher-level category name or brand name in this chart.

Since end of the trend turned from negative to neutral moving sideways. Other countries do not show a sufficiently high volume for being included here. Rolex beats as caliber in the Explorer II. This movement has been developed and manufactured by Rolex. It comes with a power reserve of 2 days. The number of jewels amounts to The amount of jewels serves as indicator for the complexity and the finishing of a movement.

Market average: 31 Jewels Self-winding movements 21 Jewels Manual winding movements. The power reserve provides an insight into the performance of movements. Market average: 45 hours Self-winding movements 50 hours Manual winding movements. The growth of the Rolex Explorer II accounts to the upper half of all price developments in our market portfolio from to The resale value is clearly positive.

Overall, the trend is negative but it shows a tendency of turning to positive. If you work in a field that can take you deep within caves and oceans, or on top of the highest mountains, you will need an incredibly robust and accurate watch on your wrist. Even if you just love to go spelunking and other adventures of the extreme, the Rolex Explorer II is certainly worth it.

With that said, the prices for older models of the Explorer II are on the rise. Thus, they make a safe investment piece.

The original Explorer collection is a no-nonsense classic Rolex watch you can take with you during expeditions or at the office. It offers wearers a timeless watch with a minimalist aesthetic with its slim, simple, and clean design. While being durable and legible during extreme conditions. Meanwhile, the Explorer II takes everything great about the original Explorer and amplifies it to new extremes.

It features a sportier look with more advanced capacities. With that in mind, it also narrows its target market down. The Explorer II is the one for those who really need a sports watch with extra bells and whistles like a date display and dual time zone capability. But why is that, though? Why is it the preferred Rolex watch of people working in extreme environments? We can attribute this to its design.

The large bright orange hand of the Explorer II is a staple in its design. It makes it easily distinguishable from other Rolex watches. However, have you ever wondered how this design feature came to be? The original intention of the signature orange arrow was to aid cave explorers or other individuals working in complete darkness. The orange arrow pointing at the hour markings on the fixed bezel serves as an indicator between night and day.

Thanks to this feature, the likes of speleologists, volcanologists or even polar explorers can easily differentiate daytime from nighttime. We have spotted the British royal family with Rolex watches on their wrists for years. Prince Harry , Duke of Sussex, is certainly no exception. In , we saw the Rolex Explorer II with a white dial on his wrist.

Most celebrities opt for flashier Rolex models. But then again, while serving in the military, you would want a watch suited for extreme weather and conditions.

The English actor has also worn the Rolex Explorer II on his wrist during a press conference for his film Legend. Comedian Ellen DeGeneres is not only a fan of the latest Rolex watches but also vintage ones. Released in , this vintage Explorer II watch did not receive much love from the public during its initial release. However, now we are seeing more and more notable people wanting to get their hands on the v intage Rolex Explorer II watches. This top-ranked golfer is a Rolex brand ambassador.

From royalty, celebrities, to athletes, it seems like just about everyone has an Explorer II on their wrist. However, now we move on to those who actually inspired the creation of the Explorer II collection. Ed Viesturs is a world-class high-altitude mountaineer, with various records under his belt. And when climbing great heights, you need a sturdy and reliable watch as your companion.

Throughout its history, the Rolex Explorer II collection has seen numerous changes in its design and features. However, there are also several features that remain the same. Rolex Explorer II Watches Since the early s, sports watch connoisseurs have recognized the Rolex Explorer II collection as one of the best luxury sports watches in the world.

Rolex Watch Collections Oyster Perpetual. Cosmograph Daytona. Day Date. Explorer II. Lady Datejust. Sea Dweller.