Rugged, long-lasting, reliable, and accurate – all these adjectives describe the two most coveted Rolex sport watches. We’re talking about the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Explorer II. When it comes to deciding which Rolex to purchase, you have some thinking to do. Both are signature Rolex watches but display different Rolex trademarked features.
Read on for a breakdown of differences between the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Explorer II. After reading this, we hope you will be able to make an informed choice about your next Rolex purchase.
Basic Differences
To begin with, the names of the two watches show us the first and most important difference. The Submariner is primarily a dive watch and used for underwater activities in general. By contrast, the Explorer II is used for outdoor activities that don’t involve water, such as climbing. This difference determined the choice of features for one watch compared to the other.
Although both are used for outdoor activities, the Submariner is seen by some as more rugged. This model is typically worn with more casual outfits, whereas the Explorer II has a more classic look. The Submariner doesn’t sit as comfortably under a shirt cuff as the Explorer II does, so the Explorer II is more comfortable when worn with a suit.
The Explorer II is made of 904L steel, which is an extremely durable superalloy. Rolex is one of the few watchmakers who use it for their watches. The Submariner is crafted from a variety of metals, including 904L steel, a combination of steel & yellow gold, solid yellow gold, and solid white gold.
Case
Case size is one reason why some people find that the Rolex Submariner appears more rugged than the Explorer II. The Submariner has a super case of 40mm diameter compared to the Explorer II case with a 39mm diameter.
However, the 1mm difference in diameter alone cannot possibly account for the perceived difference in size. It may be the larger bracelet lugs on the Submariner that make it appear much bigger. Larger lugs create the illusion of greater size without affecting the diameter of the watchcase.
Bezel
Another reason the Submariner appears even larger than it is compared to the Explorer II is its more pronounced bezel. The Submariner’s bezel is one of the key features of this watch. Its one-directional rotating bezel with graduations enables divers to time their dives. It only turns one way so that a mistake can’t be made to accidentally shorten the decompression time. The newest model has an insert made of Cerachrom ceramic, which is virtually un-scratchable. What’s more – the bezel doesn’t change color from exposure to UV-rays.
By contrast, the Explorer II has 24-hour graduations carved into the bezel and a 24-hour hand. Because of this, human explorers can differentiate between night and day in extreme conditions. Although stainless steel isn’t as scratch-resistant as ceramic, it’s malleable, so it would bend rather than crack under pressure.
Bracelet and Clasp
The Submariner and Explorer II have the same 20mm wide Oyster bracelet. The Oyster has a satin finish on the outside links and high polish on the inside links. The Submariner has a Rolex Glidelock clasp, which allows for up to 20mm of extension. This feature comes in very handy when divers can quickly adjust the bracelet to fit their watches over their wetsuits.
The Explorer II has an Easylink comfort extension link that allows for 5mm of extra room for gloves, etc. Both models feature the Rolex Oysterlock folding safety clasp, which prevents the clasp from being pulled open accidentally, potentially resulting in loss of the watch in the ocean or down a mountainside.
Movement
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, both watches are extremely precise, owing to their superlative chronometer movements. The official superlative chronometer certification means that the watches have passed hours of stringent tests to prove they live up to Rolex standards of accuracy and dependability.
On both watches, a solid non-see-through case back (typical of Rolex watches) houses the watch mechanism. The Submariner uses a 3135 movement for the Date model and 3130 for the Non-Date. However, the Explorer II has a 3187 movement.
Other Features
As expected, the Rolex Submariner is water-resistant. Owing to the triple-seal Triplock winding crown, it has water-resistance up to 1,000 feet. With the Rolex Explorer II, however, shock-resistance is more important than water-resistance. Because of this, the Rolex Explorer II has newly improved shock-resistant features consisting of a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers.
As for the dial, the Submariner features luminous hour markers and hands crafted from 18k white gold that glow in the dark. A compound called Chromalight has been used on Rolex dials since 2008, and glows blue.
Prior to 2008, a compound called Super Luminova that glowed green was used on Rolex dials. With glowing markers, hour hand and second hand, the wearer can tell time clearly at night or in low-light capacity, such as underwater while diving. The markers can stay lit for as long as 8 hours! The Explorer II also features luminous hour markers and numerals, hour hand, second hand, and 24-hour hand.
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