Rolex Explorer II
The explorers’ watch
The Oyster Perpetual Explorer II is the watch of choice for those who venture to the far corners of the globe, often in extreme environments. It features a 24-hour display, enabling the wearer to distinguish daytime hours from nighttime hours.
Environments such as high mountains, oceans, volcanoes and polar regions have always been experimental terrain for Rolex.
After accompanying many Himalayan expeditions – including the one in which Sir Edmund Hillary and Tensing Norgay Sherpa took part, the two mountaineers who, on 29 May 1953, were to become the first to reach the summit of Everest – Oyster Perpetual watches have been worn by explorers to the ends of the earth, whether in deserts, at the poles or in the bowels of the earth. In these often inhospitable and little-known environments, telling day from night is difficult, sometimes even impossible. For speleologists who spend whole days in darkness and polar expeditions confronted with the midnight sun or continuous night, the Explorer II, with its 24-hour display, is an essential part of their equipment.
Designed to explore
The Explorer II, launched in 1971, continues the privileged relationship that Rolex has had with exploration, in the same spirit as the Explorer. Thanks to its 24-hour display, consisting of an additional orange hand and an engraved bezel, the Explorer II makes it possible to unambiguously distinguish daytime hours from nighttime hours – a particularly useful feature in areas where the alternation between day and night is no longer clearly established, such as underground or in polar regions at certain times of the year – or to display the time in a second time zone.
Oyster bracelet
The Explorer II comes in Oystersteel and is fitted with a three-piece link Oyster bracelet. The bracelet is equipped with an Oysterlock safety clasp, designed by Rolex, which prevents accidental opening. It also features the Easylink rapid extension link developed by the brand, allowing its length to be easily adjusted by approximately 5 mm for added comfort in any circumstance.
Chromalight display
The Explorer II offers exceptional legibility in any circumstance. Even in the dark, its uncluttered, high-contrast dial remains perfectly legible thanks to the Chromalight display: the hour markers and hands are filled or coated with a long-lasting luminescent material (blue emission colour).
Calibre 3285
The Explorer II is equipped with calibre 3285, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. A concentrate of technology, this movement is the subject of several patents. It delivers superlative performance in terms of precision, power reserve, convenience and reliability.
Superlative Chronometer certification
The Explorer is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification. Awarded to every watch leaving the Rolex workshops, this exclusive designation testifies to its outstanding performance on the wrist. This in-house certification is rigorously controlled by independent Swiss bodies that are recognised internationally. The Superlative Chronometer status is symbolised by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.
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