Both watches have the same orange GMT hand and orange font. The dial is protected by a scratch resistant sapphire crystal with the standard cyclops magnifying lens over the date at 3:00. It’s finally here. The timepiece we’ve all been waiting for since Baselworld 2011. The Rolex Explorer II Replica Watch has finally hit stores in the United States and it is as amazing as it looked behind the display case in Basel.
The next big update, and also the first visible difference, is the new orange GMT hand. Other than the size, this is probably the biggest “wow factor” in this new version. We have not tested this, but it does seem to last longer than the 16570’s green lume which glows much brighter at first.
The arrow on the 216570 is larger and the tip has a point which extends out to the minute markers, whereas the red hand on the 16570 was longer and smaller. Another reason why the new 24-hour hand is so appealing is that the entire hand is colored orange, but the older model only featured a red shaft with a black point. The orange color is an homage to the original Explorer II which was launched in 1971.
The updated Explorer II still has a fixed stainless steel bezel with 24 hour markers. The rehault has “RolexRolex” etched on the inside with a serial number at 6:00 and the Rolex crown logo at 12:00.
Unlike the newer Rolex Explorer Replica (116710) which was bumped up to a Triplock crown, the new Explorer II still keeps water and dust out with the protection of the Twinlock screw-down crown and carries a water resistance of 100m or 330ft.
The big change with this new version of the classic Rolex Replica offering is in the size. This time around, the Explorer II has been modernized with a slightly larger 904L stainless steel case. Now stretched out to a 42mm diameter (45mm including the crown), the 216570 rests comfortably on the wrist without weighing your arm down. The thickness or height of the case is 12mm. And although it has been beefed up to an XL, the design still maintains the traditional satin brushed lugs and polished sides. The new bracelet is a heavy duty stainless steel Oysterlock featuring the 5mm Easylink extension.