Rolex Explorer II Black Dial 42mm

Launched in 1953 as the ultimate expedition and mountaineering watch, the Explorer draws on decades of experience of Rolex in the Himalayas. It is designed for optimal legibility even in the dark – a crucial feature for explores. The Rolex Explorer II, first released in 1971, is the natural heir to the original Rolex Explorer – yet with a character all of its own. A robust, highly refined tool watch, the Explorer II swiftly became the watch of choice of speleologists, volcanologists and polar and jungle explorers, thanks to its specially designed features.

A scratch resistant sapphire crystal, a clear dial and special luminescent markings allow the rugged Rolex Explorer II to be read even in the most challenging conditions, while its trademark orange 24-hour hand helps polar and underground adventurer differentiate between daytime and night time hours without the reference of the sun.

The Explorer II is equipped with an additional 24-hour display; a dedicated hand circles the dial in 24 hours rather than the usual 12, pointing to a fixed bezel with 24-hour graduations. This function enables the wearer to distinguish the hours of the day from the hours of the night, an essential feature for those who venture into environments where darkness reigns supreme such as in the depths of caves, or where the sun never sets like the polar regions in summer.

The Rolex Explorer benefited from experience gained in the Himalayas, acquiring its clearly distinctive hour and minute hands and its landmark, highly legible black dial with luminescent indices and large Arabic numerals at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. It is designed for optimal legibility even in the dark.

Rolex uses Oystersteel for all its steel watches. This high-performance alloy is mainly used in the high technology, aerospace and chemical industries, where maximum resistance to corrosion is essential. Oystersteel is extremely resistant and highly polishable. It maintains its beauty even in the harshest environments.

MODEL CASE
Oyster, 42 mm, Oystersteel

OYSTER ARCHITECTURE
Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown

DIAMETER
42 mm

MATERIAL
Oystersteel

BEZEL
Fixed, 24-hour graduated

WINDING CROWN
Screw-down, Twinlock double waterproofness system

CRYSTAL
Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date

WATER-RESISTANCE
Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet

MOVEMENT
Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding

CALIBRE
3187, Manufacture Rolex

PRECISION
-2/+2 sec/day, after casing

FUNCTIONS
Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. 24-hour display. Second time zone with independent rapid-setting of the hour hand. Instantaneous date. Stop-seconds for precise time setting

OSCILLATOR
Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring

WINDING
Bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor

POWER RESERVE
Approximately 48 hours

BRACELET
Oyster, flat three-piece links

BRACELET MATERIAL
Oystersteel

CLASP
Folding Oysterlock safety clasp with Easylink 5 mm comfort extension link

DIAL
Black

DETAILS
Highly legible Chromalight display with long-lasting blue luminescence

CERTIFICATION
Superlative Chronometer (COSC + Rolex certification after casing)