First released back in 1971,the Explorer II is a design classic that is instantly recognisable as one of the jewels in the rolex imitazioni crown.

　　Nicknamed the‘Steve McQueen’after the dashing actor(despite the fact that it seems that he actually wore the very similar in appearance Rolex Submariner model),

this is one of the first examples of the culture of celebrity impacting on the value—both financial and sentimental—of a watch

Desirable

　　One of the most desirable vintage watches in the world,

　　the Explorer II showcases how subtle design features can make a real impact on the timepiece as a whole.

rolex imitazioni Exploration

　　Exploration was a real preoccupation during the 1970s.

　　Mount Everest had not long been conquered,

　　and there was a palpable sense of excitement about discovering more about the natural world.

　　To tap into this,

　　rolex imitazioni initially developed the Explorer II as a handy‘tool’for cave explorers and anyone else required to spend long periods of time in the dark,

　　which explains the extra-bright orange arrow-shaped hand.

　　This allowed disoriented cavers to determine whether it was AM or PM after days underground.

　　The slightly larger than typical font also helped.

　　As befits a watch for adventurous souls,

　　the Explorer II also boasts a notably robust outer case and was designed to withstand extremes of temperature.

Distinguishing Features

　　The‘see in the dark’angle was a main feature of the marketing campaign that pushed the Explorer II at the time.

　　Interestingly,

　　as can be seen from the original catalogues and advertising material,the extra hand was originally deep red in colour.

　　However,today,faded by time,the red hands now present as a yellowy orange,pale yellow and,Infrequently,white.

　　These particularly rare watches have accordingly been dubbed the‘Albino’Explorers.

　　The vibrant,

　　vividly coloured dial is a true distinguishing design feature,

　　and was way ahead of its time.

　　There are a number of dial variations over the series,

　　including the use of various designs of the iconic rolex imitazioni coronet,

　　such as the rare‘Frog Foot’version.

　　These variations increase the price of certain models and bring with them the additional benefit of helping experts to date them accurately.

　　Earlier models also included a straight second hand.

　　Models issued between the years 1971 and 1974 also feature open‘6s’and‘9s’in the date screen,

　　plus a delightful calendar wheel in fine silver.

　　From 1974 onwards,

　　a luminous circle was incorporated into the design to aid readability still further.

Sought After

　　Seen on the wrist,

　　the highly coveted Rolex Explorer II makes a truly spectacular impression.

　　It is small but perfectly formed,

　　and its ever-changing subtleties in design and fascinating history,

　　iconic‘star’presence and increasingly rare appearances on the market make it a highly sought-after piece for many collectors.

Valuable

　　As a long since discontinued piece(in 1985),

　　these wonderful watches are now exceptionally sought after and sell for a good deal more than their modern counterparts—generally between£8,000 and£15,000 and sometimes considerably in excess of this.