Remaining faithful to the historic aesthetic, the new generation of the Explorer II features a redesigned case and bracelet, a white lacquered dial with black PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coated hour, minute and seconds hands with a matt black lacquer finish. The 24-hour hand retains its emblematic orange colour which, since 2011, is also the colour of the 'Explorer II' inscription. The dial, however, benefits from the optimised Chromalight display: in the dark, the blue glow emitted by the hour markers and hands retains its intensity for longer, thanks to the luminescent substance exclusive to Rolex. In daylight, the white colour of these elements is more vivid. Calibre 3186 is now replaced by 3285, which already equips the GMT-Master II.
As with last year's Submariner, it is difficult to understand the differences without directly comparing the 2021 model with its predecessor, Ref. 216570 launched in 2011. Again, as on the Submariner, it is the lugs that have been retouched, thinned even though the 42 mm diameter remains unchanged. The attachment of the Oyster bracelet, on the other hand, has widened by 1 mm, as has the clasp. The bezel is more inclined, worked with a more evident soleil satin finish than on Ref. 216570, just as the 24-hour numerals appear slightly more pronounced. Another new feature is the anti-reflective treatment of the crystal. On the black dial, finally, the difference between this new Ref. 226570 and the 216570 is more noticeable, thanks to the second time zone hand, which is now completely orange, even near the centre of the dial, whereas on the previous model, half of the shaft of the characteristic arrow hand is black. Likewise, the hour and minute hands are now entirely silver.
