Rolex
Explorer II
16570
The definitive 40 mm Explorer II — two decades of GMT sport utility.
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Overview
The Rolex Explorer II reference 16570 is a 40 mm stainless steel sport watch produced from 1989 to 2011, making it one of the longest-running references in the Explorer II lineage. Powered by either the calibre 3185 or the later calibre 3186, it offered a fixed 24-hour bezel and an independent GMT hand for simultaneous tracking of two time zones. The reference is best known for its two principal dial variants: the high-contrast black and the bright "Polar" white, the latter of which became particularly sought after among collectors.
History
The 16570 succeeded the reference 16550 and carried the Explorer II into a new era, refining the case proportions and movement specification that would define the line for more than two decades. Early production examples left the factory fitted with calibre 3185, while later examples transitioned to the more advanced calibre 3186, which introduced a Parachrom hairspring for improved resistance to shocks and magnetic fields. The "Polar" white dial, introduced partway through the reference's run, quickly distinguished itself as a collector favourite and helped cement the 16570's reputation beyond its original audience of cavers and polar explorers. Production concluded in 2011 when the reference was superseded by the 42 mm reference 216570.
Notable points
- The 40 mm stainless steel case ran in continuous production from 1989 to 2011 — an unusually long lifespan for a single Rolex sport reference.
- Two movement generations were used: the calibre 3185 in earlier examples and the calibre 3186, with its Parachrom hairspring, in later production.
- The fixed 24-hour graduated bezel allows the wearer to distinguish AM from PM on the GMT hand — a practical tool originally conceived for environments without natural daylight cycles.
- The 'Polar' white dial variant, introduced mid-production, became one of the most recognisable and discussed dial options in the modern Explorer II story.
- The reference bridges the transition between Rolex's late-twentieth-century sport watch aesthetic and the design language that carried into the 2010s, making it a natural reference point for collectors studying the evolution of the line.
