42mm Explorer

Buying Advice

About the 42mm Rolex Explorer

Forty-two millimetres is the largest the Explorer has ever been and the only size in the family that belongs entirely to the Explorer II. Two references share it, the 216570 and the current 226570, and they cover the whole modern era of the model. If you are shopping this size you have already narrowed the decision considerably, because there is no time-only option here and no vintage one. Every 42mm example we list is checked by our watchmakers and carries the WatchGuys 2 Year Warranty. For the model itself, see our Rolex Explorer II collection.

Forty-Two Millimetres Is Explorer II Only

No Explorer I has ever been made at this size and there is no sign that will change. The Explorer I has lived at 36mm for almost its entire history, spent eleven years at 39mm, and added 40mm in 2023, and 42mm has never entered the conversation. That makes this the cleanest size filter in the family: everything here has a date, a Cyclops, a fixed 24-hour bezel engraved into the steel, and an independently adjustable GMT hand. Anyone arriving expecting the stripped-back 3, 6, and 9 field watch is in the wrong place, and our 36mm Explorer and 40mm Explorer collections cover those sizes.

The Largest Explorer Rolex Has Made

And it does not hide it. The Explorer II at 42mm carries a wide bezel, a substantial case, and a four-hand dial, which together give it considerably more visual weight than the diameter alone suggests. That is a departure from the rest of the family, where restraint is the design premise. It also puts the watch in genuine competition with the GMT-Master II and the Submariner in a way the smaller Explorers never are, and at a lower price than either. For buyers who want a Rolex sports watch with presence but not the queue that follows the more famous models, this size is the answer.

The 216570 and the Broad-Lug Era

The 216570 introduced 42mm in 2011, and it did so with the wide-lug case architecture Rolex used across the sports range in that period. It is the most assertive Explorer ever produced, and opinion on it has always been split between people who wanted the presence and people who found it heavy-handed next to the model's history. It also brought back the orange 24-hour hand, a direct reference to the original 1655, which is one of the reasons it retains a following despite the case criticism. It ran for ten years and is now discontinued, which is where its commercial interest lies.

What the 226570 Changed

Rolex kept the 42mm diameter in 2021 and changed almost everything around it. The most consequential update is the movement: the current reference runs the latest generation caliber with roughly a 70-hour power reserve against about 48 on its predecessor. That is the difference between a watch that has stopped by Monday morning and one still running, and on a watch with a GMT hand and date to reset it is a genuine convenience rather than a specification point. The case and bracelet were reworked at the same time, and our Explorer II page covers how the two generations compare physically. Between them, the movement is the change that alters daily ownership most.

Polar and Black at 42mm

Both references are offered in white and black, and at this size the choice matters more than it does on a smaller watch. The Polar dial on a 42mm case is a large expanse of white with black-outlined markers, which is the highest-contrast configuration Rolex makes and reads as considerably bolder than the same dial at 40mm. Black is the more discreet route into a watch that is already the largest in the family, and for buyers who want the size without the visual statement it is the sensible pairing. Our white Explorer and black Explorer collections cover both dials across the model.

42mm Explorer Price

The two references sit closer together than their generational gap suggests. The current 226570 carries a retail figure around $9,750 and trades modestly above it, which is unusual restraint for a current steel Rolex sports model and reflects the Explorer II's lower demand pressure. The discontinued 216570 generally sits below that, and is the value position at this size for a buyer willing to accept the shorter power reserve. Polar examples carry a premium on both references. Compared with a GMT-Master II offering similar function, both 42mm Explorers represent a substantial saving. Both references fall inside our Rolex watches under $20,000 range.

Which One to Buy

If you will wear it daily and take it off at weekends, the 226570 and its 70-hour reserve is worth the difference on practical grounds alone. If you prefer the broader case, want the orange hand in its original context, or simply want the lower price, the 216570 is a genuinely good watch that has been overshadowed rather than outclassed. Neither is a compromise, and the gap between them is smaller in use than the specification sheet implies. What both offer is GMT function in a Rolex sports case at a price the more famous models do not approach.

Trusted Dealer

Why Buy a 42mm Explorer From WatchGuys

Two references at the same diameter, ten years apart, sharing a dial layout and a bezel and differing mainly in a movement you cannot see. Listings that lead with the size tell you very little here, and on a Polar dial the condition assessment matters as much as the reference does.

Common Questions

42mm Rolex Explorer FAQ

• Which Rolex Explorer References Are 42mm?

  Two, both Explorer II. The 216570 introduced the size in 2011 and ran until 2021, bringing back the orange 24-hour hand. The 226570 replaced it and remains in production, keeping the 42mm diameter while reworking the case and moving to the current generation movement. Both carry a date with Cyclops, a fixed engraved 24-hour bezel, and an independently adjustable GMT hand, in black or white Polar dials.

• Has the Explorer I Ever Been 42mm?

  No, and there is no indication it will be. The Explorer I has lived at 36mm for almost its entire history, spent eleven years at 39mm from 2010, and added 40mm in 2023. Forty-two millimetres belongs entirely to the Explorer II, which makes this the cleanest size filter in the family: everything at this diameter has a date, a 24-hour bezel, and a GMT hand.

• Is 42mm Too Big for an Explorer?

  It depends what you want from the name. If the Explorer appeals to you because it is the Rolex that does not announce itself, then yes, 42mm works against that. If you want GMT function in a Rolex sports case with real presence and without the waitlist that follows a GMT-Master II, it is exactly right. The Explorer II has always been the louder half of the family, and at 42mm it is unmistakably so.

• How Much Is a 42mm Rolex Explorer?

  The current 226570 carries a retail figure around $9,750 and trades modestly above it, which is restrained for a current steel Rolex sports model and reflects the Explorer II's lower demand pressure. The discontinued 216570 generally sits below that and is the value position at this size. Polar examples carry a premium on both. Against a GMT-Master II offering similar function, both represent a substantial saving.

• Is the 216570 Worth Buying Over the 226570?

  For the right buyer, yes. It costs less, it has the broader case some people specifically prefer, and it brought back the orange 24-hour hand in its original spirit. What you give up is power reserve, roughly 48 hours against about 70, which matters if you rotate watches and dislike resetting a GMT hand and date. It has been overshadowed by its successor rather than outclassed by it.

• Does the 42mm Come in Polar and Black?

  Both references are offered in both dials. At this size the choice carries more weight than on a smaller watch: a Polar dial across a 42mm case is a large expanse of white with black-outlined markers and reads considerably bolder than the same dial at 40mm. Black is the more discreet pairing for a watch that is already the largest in the family, and it is the sensible choice for buyers who want the size without the statement.

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