Rolex Explorer II versus Rolex Submariner

Rolex Explorer II

Cave Dweller v. The Deep Blue Sea. Rolex has three watches in their line-up designed to stand-up to the extreme conditions of outdoor activity. These are the Rolex Explorer, Explorer II and Submariner. Of the three the Explorer II and Submariner have more features. One was designed for use on the expedition up mount Everest, although current Explorer II shares little with that watch. and was supposedly designed for cave explorers. The other, was designed to go deep into the sea.

Rolex Submariner

Quick Comparison

1. Time keeping and bezel. The Explorer II has a fixed bezel, with 24 hour markers, which in conjunction with the second hour hand can be used in keeping track of two timezones. The second hour hand of the Explorer II can also be synchronized with the main hour hand, and be used as a day night indicator. which could be useful in the unlikely event you take the watch to Antarctica or plan to spend a lot of time underground. The Submariner has a rotating bezel that can be used to track period of elapsed time of up to 60 minutes. Useful for keeping track of how much air you have left in a scuba tank, though a dive computer is par for the course these days. It is still very useful in simply measuring how long you have engaged in a particular activity, like how long you have been walking in one direction for outdoor hikes.
   
2. Movement. The newer Explorer II's now use the dual time Caliber 3186 movement, which feature the Parachrome-Blu hairsping. This makes it more resistant to the effects of magnetism and shock. The Submariner used an older 3135 movement, without the Parachrome-Blu hairsping. Other than that both movements feature the date complication and are COSC certified.
3. Profile. The rotating bezel on the Submariner makes the watch a bit taller than Explorer II. The sleeker profile is something you may want to consider depending on your wrist size and daily attire. In my opinion though, while neither watch is designed for Black Tie affairs, the Submariner would be more comfortable there.
   
4. Water Resistance. The Submariner has a 300 m water resistance rating while the Explorer II has a 100 m water resistance. If underwater activity is what you have in mind, the Submariner is the better choice.
   
5. Case and finish. Both the Explorer II and Submariner have a brushed finished suitable for rough use. The rotating bezel of the Submariner is more prone to collecting dirt and grit under it.
   
6. Brand recognition. The Submariner is probably one of the watches most associated with the Rolex brand name.
7. Price. The Explorer II carries a higher manufacturers suggested retail price, but also a larger discount, so both watches sell for about the same price in stainless steel Second hand, the Explorer II can be had cheaper.
8. Bling. There are no bling versions of the Explorer II. Rolex will sell you a Submariner in gold and adorned in jewels if that is what you want.
   
9. History. The historical value of the watch is often important to watch buyers. The Submariner has a rich history, while the Explorer II does not. In brief, the Submariner is a Rolex icon. It was used by the British Special Forces and legendary deep sea diving company COMEX. Hell, even James Bond used it.
   

Which is better? Feature wise the Explorer II has the edge, Given the divers rarely rely on a divers watch these days (except as a back-up to their dive computers), the Explorer II is probably the more practical choice for those looking for a watch for outdoor activity. The Submariners rotating bezel with the 60 minute timer is a very useful feature even if you never dive, and lets face it, when you buy a Rolex, it is nice for it to be recognized as a Rolex. If my mind made the decsion I would go with the Explorer II, but buying watches is a matter of heart, and the Submariner is the one that appeals to that.

About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.