Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 ‘Polar’ Dial 1995

The Rolex Explorer II Ref. 16570 occupies a considered position within the broader Explorer family — larger in case diameter than its sibling at 40mm, fitted with a fixed 24-hour bezel, and designed with a specific functional intent: to distinguish day from night in environments where natural light offers no such guidance. It is a tool watch in the fullest sense, and one that has aged into something considerably more than that.

The 'Polar' dial — white, with the correct "Swiss – T< 25" signature at 6 o'clock — is the more refined and increasingly sought-after of the two dial available on the 16570. This 1995 example presents in excellent condition: the case retains its original lines throughout, the tritium lume plots have developed a composed, softly creamed patina consistent with the period, and the bracelet shows minimal stretch despite thirty years of age.