Rolex

Rolex Explorer II 226570-0001 Oystersteel White Dial 42mm Men’s Watch

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Reference at a glance

Brand: Rolex
Collection: Explorer
Model: Rolex Explorer II 226570-0001 Oystersteel White Dial 42mm Men’s Watch
Reference number: 226570-0001
Year / era: 2001 · 2000s — modern production
Complication: Time only
Movement: Automatic manufacture calibre
Case material: Stainless steel
Dial type: Blue sunburst dial
Strap / bracelet: Velcro strap
Water resistance: Water resistant to 100 m
Limited-edition status: Regular production, not a limited edition

Case, dial & bracelet

Case dimensions: 42 mm diameter
Case thickness: 10.2 mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Bezel: Gem-set bezel
Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Dial: Blue sunburst dial
Hands: Skeletonised sword hands, white luminescent
Indexes: Diamond-set hour markers
Bracelet / strap: Velcro strap
Clasp / buckle: Pin buckle in matching case metal
Water resistance: Water resistant to 100 m

Movement

Movement / calibre: Calibre 68F — Automatic manufacture calibre
Movement type: Automatic with micro-rotor
Frequency: 25,200 vph (3.5 Hz)
Power reserve: 72 hours
Number of jewels: 37 jewels
Complications: Time only
Functions: Chronograph, hours, minutes, date
Watchmaker: The calibre is built in-house and adjusted in five positions before delivery.

Production & market

Production period: 2001 – 2017
Limited-edition quantity: Not applicable
Current market information: Values have stabilised after the 2022 correction; condition and box-and-papers drive the premium.

Designer

Marc Newson

Marc Newson is an Australian industrial designer whose work spans Qantas cabins, Apple hardware and Jaeger-LeCoultre's Atmos clocks; his watch design reduces the object to pure geometry and legibility.

Historical significance

Rolex Explorer II 226570-0001 Oystersteel White Dial 42mm Men’s Watch sits within Rolex's Explorer line, introduced in 2001. It carries the house codes established since 1905 — stainless steel case, blue sunburst dial dial and automatic manufacture calibre — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.

Interesting facts

The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
The case is finished by hand, alternating polished and satin-brushed surfaces in a single pass so the edges stay razor sharp.

The House

Rolex

Brand facts

Founding year: 1905
Founder: Hans Wilsdorf
Headquarters: Switzerland
Major collections: Submariner, Daytona, GMT-Master II, Datejust, Day-Date, Yacht-Master
Signature technologies: Proprietary case-hardening and polishing; Composite and ceramic case materials
Famous movements: In-house automatic, chronometer certified, In-house automatic chronograph, In-house automatic, Superlative Chronometer, In-house manual-winding
Notable watches: Rolex Submariner 44 mm Skeletonised Platinum (1978), Rolex Submariner 36 mm Ice 18k (1981), Rolex Submariner 42 mm Meteorite Quartz (1982), Rolex Submariner 38 mm Silvered 18k (1989)

Brand history

Rolex has spent more than 121 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Submariner, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.

Hans Wilsdorf established Rolex in 1905, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Rolex calibre produced today.

Historical milestones

1905
Hans Wilsdorf founds Rolex in Switzerland.
1969
The quartz era forces Rolex to redefine mechanical watchmaking.
1990
Rolex enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.
2024
Rolex continues to produce Submariner, Daytona, GMT-Master II and other icons in limited numbers.

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