Rolex
Rolex Explorer II 226570
“Polar (white dial)”
The Rolex Explorer II (reference 226570) is a 42 mm Oystersteel watch. It runs on the automatic caliber 3285 with a 70-hour power reserve and is water resistant to 100 m. It was introduced in 2021 and is still in production.
Specifications
Case
- Reference
- 226570
- 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
- 3285
- Power reserve
- 70 hours
- Frequency
- 28,800 vph
- Jewels
- 31
- Functions
- Date, GMT
Production
- Production
- 2021 – today (current)
Dial versions
This reference was made with these dials and finishes.
226570 Black
226570-0002
Chromalight
226570 Polar
226570-0001
Polar; 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 226570?
- The Rolex Explorer II 226570 has a 42 mm case.
- What movement does the Rolex Explorer II 226570 use?
- It uses the automatic caliber 3285, with a 70-hour power reserve.
- How water resistant is the Rolex Explorer II 226570?
- It is water resistant to 100 metres.
- Is the Rolex Explorer II 226570 still in production?
- Yes, it is a current reference.
- When did the Rolex Explorer II 226570 come out?
- It was introduced in 2021.
- What is the Rolex Explorer II 226570 made of?
- The case is Oystersteel. Bracelet or strap: Oyster, Oystersteel bracelet.
- Which dials was the Rolex Explorer II 226570 made with?
- The catalog lists 2 dials: Black, White.
- What is the Rolex Explorer II 226570 nicknamed?
- Dealers and collectors call it the “Polar (white dial)”.
In the glossary
Catalog facts checked October 2026.