10 Alternatives To The Rolex Explorer II
It’s rare for a sequel to become as popular as its predecessor. The Rolex Explorer II managed this feat by creating a new market of interest, which didn’t necessarily overlap with the Explorer I’s demo. Many initially asked what the point of pairing a GMT hand with a fixed bezel is. Today, the distinct, now-iconic combination begets high prices and long waitlists.
Fortunately, the 10 more affordable alternatives to the Rolex Explorer II presented here have far lower barriers to entry. Looking for a budget-friendly timepiece with a solid military aesthetic and a bright GMT hand? Perhaps you still want that premium Swiss heritage, but for less. Either way, a wide range of price points is represented.
PS–the GMT-static-bezel combo allows you to know whether it’s day or night while you’re in a cave. The Explorer II is the spelunking counterpart to the Explorer I’s mountaineering build.
Forget the ridiculous waiting list at your local Rolex authorized dealer. Here are 10 suitable Rolex Explorer II alternatives, at four different price points.
Under $10,000
Grand Seiko SBGM245
Asian luxury’s answer to the Explorer II comes from none other than Grand Seiko, and the fully-automatic GMT SBGM245 is an omnibus of Japanese master techniques. With the dimensional, baton-forward elements on the lustrous blue dial, it’s definitely a sleeker watch. It’s as if Grand Seiko smoothed out the Explorer II’s signature clunkiness, for a more harmonious timepiece. It’s sporty, but you can wear it with a suit more easily.
Everything on the watch, including the indices and hands, are hand-finished in-house, using a technique called Zaratsu. The polished surfaces are basically mirrors, while the brushed parts have a flawless hairline finish.
OMEGA Seamaster Planet Ocean 600M Master Chronometer GMT
Contrast is at the heart of what makes the Explorer II so distinct, and the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean GMT takes that to the next level while maintaining a sophisticated wearability. Unsurprisingly, since this is Omega, innovation is ingrained in even the watch’s visuals, with the black fade-proof ceramic dial, and the bi-ceramic bezel—the world’s first in polished black-and-white. The result is a bold arrangement, partly thanks to Omega’s signature broad arrow hands, tempered by a neutral palette.
On the function front, the specs on this guy are topnotch, from its 600 meters of water resistance to the beautiful Master Chronometer movement. And unlike Rolex, Omega actually gives us an exhibition caseback to peek through.
Under $5,000
Tudor Black Bay Pro
This Black Bay Pro combines popular features from different Explorer IIs throughout time, and does so with notarized legitimacy. If anyone can take on Rolex mannerisms, it’s fellow Hans Wilsdorf brand, Tudor. It has the thin-fonted machined bezel numerals that the vintage McQueen Explorer II does, while keeping the modern Rolex-style mixed indices. Of course, this is topped off with Tudor-specific cues, like the snowflake hands.
The overall design has a harder military look than present-day Explorer IIs, but doesn’t go as far as the vintage versions. Everything you want in a Swiss hard-hitter is there too, including the domed sapphire, the COSC-certified movement, and the five-year guarantee.
Grand Seiko Sport Quartz SBGN003
Sharpness is at the core of the Grand Seiko Sport SBGN003, seen via its immaculately applied indices, perfect Zaratsu finishing, and the daggered points at the end of every hand, including the red GMT. This gives the watch a level of elegance that the Explorer II doesn’t have, and it’s imbued in every single detail.
Even the lugs feature a uniquely close-to-case surface break, allowing the much larger, polished sides of the lugs to highlight the impeccable brushing on the smaller lug surfaces. Meanwhile, the state-of-the-art quartz movement’s accuracy is ±10 seconds per year.
Bremont Supermarine S302
If the Explorer II were a bit more decorative, and also a dive watch, it would be this Bremont Supermarine S302. Specifics like the bow-tipped syringe hands, gold-accented crown, and two pops of color by way of the red lollipop second and yellow GMT, make this timepiece a bit more ornate, without compromising its tool watch status. Even the sweeping lugs soften the silhouette’s edges. Still, the vintage-inspired Supermarine is as functional as it’s attractive.
You’ve got a high-frequency automatic on the inside, and Submariner-like water resistance of 300 meters and a tough DLC-treated case barrel on the outside.
Under $2,000
Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT
The C63 Sealander GMT from Christopher Ward is all about the details, and these details come together cleverly to create that clean kind of busyness that few sport watches pull off. It’s a frenetic line-forward design, even down to the raised sapphire that creates a visual ring just beneath the bezel. More than just sterile geometric shapes though, the CW trident counterweight is present on the second hand, while the orange GMT arrow is tonal with every fifth second marker on the lacquer dial.
The SuperLuminova application is also worth noting, as it boasts an exquisite blue tone and brilliance. Plus, with a case diameter of 39 millimeters and a height at 11.8, this watch wears comfortably on virtually any wrist size.
Sinn 105 ST SA UTC
There’s something about German engineering that, despite its pure focus on performance and efficiency, their gear still comes out looking effortlessly stylish. The Sinn 105 ST SA UTC is a prime example of this. Most of the pieces on the matte dial are rounded, the blunt hands featuring the same exact shape as the indices. It’s a fun yet professional look that also makes the dial legible from every angle—the sapphire’s two-sided AR-coating helps with this too.
The H-link stainless steel bracelet has the same soft edges as the indices, while the handsome leather strap’s contrast stitching matches the accents on the dial. And like the Explorer II, this watch comes in black or white, each with an orange GMT arrow.
Zodiac Super Sea Wolf GMT
Visually, Zodiac’s Super Sea Wolf GMT sits somewhere between classic Rolex sensibilities and the modern Tudor cut-out aesthetic. It has polygonic hands, though they’re much simpler than Tudor snowflake hands. The “lollipop” on the second is a square, while the white-tipped, red GMT looks like a magician’s wand.
The baton indices are perfect squares, though the lines on the surface add a slight gem-like sparkle. Essentially, this Swiss Made automatic is a time-honored, rugged army watch at first glance, but gets cooler the closer you look at it.
Under $1,000
Steinhart One Ocean Vintage GMT Dive Watch
If you love the original, more military-leaning Rolex Explorer II from the ‘70s, the Steinhart One Ocean Vintage is a well-respected homage that sports its sterner bezel and stick-and-square hour markers that make it look like a radar panel. Moreover, you don’t have to deal with the stress of sourcing and maintaining an actual vintage watch.
A combination GMT and dive with 300m of water resistance, this timepiece is also excellently-finished making it look far more expensive than it actually is. For its movement, Steinhart uses the Elaboré version of an ETA SW200, which is adjusted for greater precision.
Rotary Henley GMT Gents Watch
The outrageously charming and durably-built Rotary Henley GMT Gents Watch partners playful sportiness with refined sophistication. The vivid tea dial and lively yellow GMT hand is a much funner combination than black and red or white and red, though the high-level applications and finishing throughout ensure it’s a grown man’s watch and not a toy.
With polished outlines on the indices and hands, the dial not only matches the T-1000 level of glisten on the bracelet and bezel, but makes the face easy to read. And with a sapphire crystal and 100 meters of water resistance, the Henley makes an effective everyday watch.
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