The Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570 is the stripped-down, no-frills sports watch that Rolex really just doesn’t make anymore. The Rolex Explorer II has all the modern reliability of a watch from the 1990s and 2000s but is sized at a more classic 40mm in an Oyster case that’s much more 1970s than it is 2000s in its proportions. This is a good thing, arguably a great thing; as a result, it’s considered one of the last Rolex sport watches that’s comfortably sized for nearly all wrist sizes.

Outside of its great size, the 16570 is a classic example of the collection, complete with a fixed 24-hour outer bezel, familiar dial configuration, and signature GMT hand, and of course a small “Explorer II” script just below a printed Rolex logo towards the 12 o’clock. Powering the model is Rolex’s caliber 3185, an automatic caliber capable of 50-hour power and protected via a Rolex signature solid case back.

Notably, as it was offered from 1989 to 2011, the ref. 16570 Explorer II spans the switch at the Crown from tritium luminous material to LumiNova. Earlier examples will patina as though they are a vintage watch while later, after roughly 1997, the numerals, hour markers, and hands will remain stark white.