Leave it up to those folks at Rolex to continuously improve their watches. They came
out with a new for 2021 model of the Explorer II. When you look at them, they look the same, not a
big change, but we'll go over what the differences are exactly between the 216570 and the 226570
Before the 2021 launch of the new model of the Rolex Explorer II. There were lots of rumors out
there. Lots of people speculating that they would increase the lot size from 42 millimeter to 44
or 43. They did not, or that they would add a black ceramic bezel kind of like the Daytona.
They did not or that they would somehow make the bezel turning, which would turn it into a
GMT Master II. They did not. But they did make some changes and they came out with
what they considered a new model. It wasn't so much an improvement of the
previous model as it was that they changed the the reference number from 216570 to 226570.
And when you just look at them with a glance, if I held that one and then held up the other,
you might not even think that there was a difference between the two, but we'll go over.
There' a few differences. And if you add them all up, they're probably pretty significant when
they're all added together. So first the previous model is this one on your right,
the 216570. It was made from 2011 through 2021. So for 10 years it had run. And then here's the
new model for 2021, the 226570. The biggest difference between them two, that the two of
them that you can't see is the movement. On the older model, it's the 3187 movement, which did
feature the pair of Chrome blue hairspring. But in the new model as the 3285 movement, now the 3285,
it came out in 2018 and the GMT Master II. So we've already seen it before, but it does add to
the previous model, the Paraflex shock absorbers. It has the Chronergy escapement, which is 15%
more efficient and adds a 70 hour power reserve and an accuracy of plus to minus two seconds.
So I don't know if you would really notice any of those things on the wrist.
Not sure that would be a deciding factor for me to go for the 2021 model versus the previous one,
but those are some differences that are there. Now, when we look at the cases of them,
the lugs on the newer model are a little bit thinned out. And if you look at the transition
from watch to bracelet on the older model, it's a little bit less elegant of a transition because
it's a little wider on the lug and skinnier on the bracelet. On the new model, you can
see the lugs are thinned out and the bracelets, a millimeter wide overall. It's a nicer transition,
similar to what they did on the Submariner when they went from 40 millimeters to 41,
it's just a nicer look switching from watch to bracelet.
The crown guards are also a little bit thin down. I don't know if you can see it from the angle
of the camera. We can maybe do a side shot, but they're a little thinner, a little less angular.
And then on the on the dial of the watch that's where there's really some fairly significant
changes on the older model. You can see the center of the hands were coated black. And
so they appear to just float over the dial where on the new model, you can see the hands all the
way to the center pinion. And so it's probably a nicer look. I'm not sure on the dial itself
between Swiss and Made on the new model this is the easy way to visually verify which one you're
looking at. There is a Rolex Coronet, and that's pretty much on any of the watches that have the
updated movements that have the chronology escapement and the 70 hour power reserve.
The much less subtle change is that on the inside of the crystal,
there is an anti-reflective coating. And even on the Cyclops, the underside has an
anti-reflective coating. So it's probably a little bit easier to read in certain light situations
in low light, the criminal light that they used for the loom on the dial is what they're calling
enhanced Chromalight. It's brighter. It also lasts longer. And that's really the only differences. So
when you glance at these two watches and you think to yourself. There's a certain cost difference
between them at retail that wasn't that much on the secondary market. The newer one of course is
commanding a premium as of right now, but you have to look at it for yourself and see what you think
as far as the difference, whether it's worth it or not. For day to day where you might not notice it,
but all those little things kind of add up. And so if they're going to add up to be something that
knowing that you have the previous generation and that it was improved in almost every way
for the new one you might decide that it's worth it. So give us a call here at SwissWatchExpo see
which ones we still have in stock. And we'll be happy to set you up with one on your own wrist.
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