Rolex
Rolex Explorer II 216570
“Polar (white dial)”
The Rolex Explorer II (reference 216570) is a 42 mm Oystersteel watch. It runs on the automatic caliber 3187 with a 48-hour power reserve and is water resistant to 100 m. It was made from 2011 to 2021.
Specifications
Case
- Reference
- 216570
- Nickname
- Polar (white dial)
- Collection
- Explorer II
- Case size
- 42 mm
- Case material
- Oystersteel
- Case shape
- Round
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Water resistance
- 100 m
- Bracelet / strap
- Oyster, Oystersteel bracelet
Dial and bezel
- Bezel
- Fixed steel 24-hour bezel
Movement
- Movement
- Automatic
- Caliber
- 3187
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
- Frequency
- 28,800 vph
- Jewels
- 31
- Functions
- Date, GMT
Production
- Production
- 2011–2021
Dial versions
This reference was made with these dials and finishes.
216570 Black
216570-0002
Maxi hands; Chromalight
216570 Polar
216570-0001
Polar; Maxi hands; Chromalight · “Polar”
How it compares within the Explorer II family
Side by side with other references in the same collection, from the catalog.
About the Explorer II family
The Explorer II was introduced in 1971 with ref. 1655, a watch for cave explorers and polar researchers that adds a 24-hour hand and a fixed 24-hour bezel so the wearer can tell day from night. The first version had a large orange 24-hour hand.
The ref. 16550 of the mid-1980s made the 24-hour hand independently adjustable, which turned the watch into a practical second time zone, and offered white or black dials. The 16570 carried on until 2011, when the 42 mm ref. 216570 brought back an orange hand. The current ref. 226570 of 2021 uses caliber 3285. White-dial versions, often called Polar, and black-dial versions trade as separate variants, and dealers note the dial colour first.
Quick answers
- What size is the Rolex Explorer II 216570?
- The Rolex Explorer II 216570 has a 42 mm case.
- What movement does the Rolex Explorer II 216570 use?
- It uses the automatic caliber 3187, with a 48-hour power reserve.
- How water resistant is the Rolex Explorer II 216570?
- It is water resistant to 100 metres.
- Is the Rolex Explorer II 216570 still in production?
- No. It was made until 2021.
- When did the Rolex Explorer II 216570 come out?
- It was introduced in 2011 and made until 2021.
- What is the Rolex Explorer II 216570 made of?
- The case is Oystersteel. Bracelet or strap: Oyster, Oystersteel bracelet.
- Which dials was the Rolex Explorer II 216570 made with?
- The catalog lists 2 dials: Black, White.
- What is the Rolex Explorer II 216570 nicknamed?
- Dealers and collectors call it the “Polar (white dial)”.
In the glossary
Catalog facts checked October 2026.