Mercia Watches

Sell Your Explorer II

The natural successor to 1953′s Rolex Explorer, the Explorer II was launched in 1971 to meet the extremes demanded in polar environments.

 

The original Explorer was launched to mark the company’s involvement in mountaineering in the Himalayas, and the slightly larger Explorer II (it comes in a 42mm case as opposed to the original version’s 39mm) is sold as “a reliable guide, a tool and a companion for explorers, speleologists and volcanologists,” Rolex say. No-one can argue with that: In the dark, the lume comes into its own, with some of the brightest, clearest markings we’ve seen on any watch.

 

What’s unusual about the Explorer II is the fact that it has four hands: The hours, minutes and seconds you’d expect from any watch, plus a fourth orange-coloured hand that tells the GMT hour. Totally distinctive, it’s what Rolex call “an invaluable aid to distinguish daytime hours from night around the poles and beneath ground.” The hour hand is in the “Mercedes” style, another of those touches that identifies the Explorer right away.

 

It’s an incredibly accurate and amazingly rugged watch for anybody with an interest in extreme sports and activities. Built for inhospitable climates, the case is steel, with a steel bezel, and the Rolex caliber 3187 COSC Chronometer movement is perpetual and self-winding. It’s a classic Rolex watch for anybody looking for something larger than average, but still bearing the name of the world’s greatest watchmaker.

 

The Explorer II can be found in both new and used examples (we hesitate to use the word ‘antique’ on anything that’s around 40 years old). If you’re looking to buy this superb 42mm timepiece, speak to Mercia Watches online or come along to our physical shop to see our stock. Alternatively, if you’re selling an Explorer II, or any Rolex watch, contact us for an accurate and honest valuation.