Explorer I and Explorer II
- Explorer I 124270 (36mm) and 224270 (40mm): no date, no cyclops, 3-6-9 applied numerals. The purest Rolex design.
- Explorer II 226570: 42mm, fixed 24-hour bezel, orange 24-hour hand, date with cyclops. Available in black and white “Polar” dials.
The Polar white dial is the harder of the two to execute because black printing on white shows every imperfection in the edges.
What to check
- 3-6-9 numerals applied and evenly lumed, sitting flush with the dial.
- Lume plots at the remaining hours, uniform in size and colour.
- Dial finish a genuine matte black with no sheen or texture.
- On the Explorer II, the orange 24-hour hand shade, which cheap builds run too red.
The Rolex Explorer clone references we stock
Explorer I in 36mm and 40mm, Explorer II 226570 in black and Polar white. $1,150. Clean Factory with a cloned 3230 for the Explorer I and 3285 for the Explorer II.
Before it ships
Each Explorer spends 24 to 48 hours on a timegrapher. Because the dial is so plain, we photograph it under direct light where any printing flaw would show rather than under flattering angles.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Explorer super clone?
$1,150.
Is the Explorer a good first replica?
The best one. No date, no bezel, no complication means fewer places for a replica to go wrong, and the result is very convincing.
36mm or 40mm?
36mm is the classic proportion and wears beautifully on most wrists. 40mm suits larger wrists and modern taste. Neither is wrong.
Which is harder to make, black or Polar?
Polar. Black printing on a white dial reveals every edge imperfection.