It has the new Calibre 3285 movement with 70 hour power reserve and ball bearing winding system. That’s the big change, but they’re rolling the movement out one watch per year instead of just applying the new movement to the entire model range like Omega did with the Calibre 8500/9300 and updated versions. So in a couple of more years they’ll have the new movement in all models.
"Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic fields" That's interesting when comparing this movement to Omega's newer movements. Although Rolex doesn't specify how anti-magnetic it is.
I’m going to call it now - there’s another Explorer 2, the anniversary edition, that will be released shortly, giving us three versions of the E2. What we’ve got so far isn’t the end of it.
Same one with a green hand instead of orange? Seems about the level of effort they’d be willing to go to.
Don’t know about disappointing but I couldn’t tell at first new from old. Maybe that’s a good thing. About the new 36mm Explorer I at $6,400 US retail it’s not better or a better value than the AT 38mm. Besides the AT is better looking. The new dials in the Datejust are funky but not better looking than Omega’s AT. Then, I can’t stop but think that Rolex aimed to the stratosphere with the new Meteorite Daytona at over 34k retail which will prove impossible for most to afford or get. Can’t wait to get my hands on Omega’s new Seamaster 300m. Omega wins.
Think Rolex missed a trick by keeping the Explorer 2 at 42mm - would have liked to see it back at 40mm...
...by which time the movement will be old, and they will have a newer movement...and so the cycle continues...
The 3187 was built to fit the case, whereas now they're using the same movement as the rest of the GMT line - 2mm smaller. To me the bezel looks about 1mm thicker, and I'd put money on it that the dial and case are about 1mm smaller. They've done a good job of preserving the overall look, but I'd love to see new and old side by side.
One big (in relative terms) change: Note that the new matte black EII no longer has “floating” hands: Here’s the 216570 with floating hands (matte black paint at base of all but the seconds hand): And here’s the new iteration with black dial, absent the floating hands: Seeing them side-by-side, I realize now a preference for the floating hands aesthetic of the prior model. Otherwise, in the new model there is a crown between “Swiss” and “made”, indicating the use of the “new” (to this model) movement. Also side-by-side I find the new lug shape more attractive, and it appears perhaps they have adjusted the EII’s crown size upwards to better balance the watch?
So anyone who bought the old version in the last 12-18 months is probably breathing a sigh of relief at the minor updates or maybe feeling a little miffed as their version will be less desirable perhaps?