The Pilot chrono watch has a large case measured to be 43mm in diameter. The case has a round polished bezel contrasting with the brushed case. The case is thick, up to 15mm. The crown and chronograph buttons are set on the right case side, two chronograph buttons are polished and they work the same way as those buttons of genuine watch. Case back is entirely brushed, while sandblasting finish on the center. There are delicate engravings on case back in correct depth. Although this replica has a full chronograph function, please do not operate the chronograph buttons too often. The replica has a thicker case than genuine, we hope ZF could reduce its thickness by modifying its movement inside.
The earliest movement used in the Rolex Explorer II was the Caliber 1575, but over the years it was replaced with more technically advanced movements to help this watch reach its full adventure potential. The first big upgrade was the Cal. 3085 which allowed the 24-hour hand to be adjusted independently from the 12-hour hand. This meant the Explorer II no longer just indicated day and night hours, but could also be used to track a second time zone – turning it into a GMT watch. Then came the Cal. 3185 which was improved upon more with a Glucydur balance wheel that is not only paramagnetic but was resilient in extreme temperatures. The 3186 came next with a blue Parachrom hairspring that is anti-magnetic and shock resistant for even better durability. Finally, we have the modern-day Cal. 3187 which features all the upgrades this watch has gained over the years – from the GMT functionality to the blue Parachrom hairspring. It’s also notable for its high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, 31 jewels, -2/+2 seconds per day accuracy and 48-hour power reserve.The Submariner has a much longer history, so we’re going to start with the automatic Caliber 3135, which, while upgraded over the years, has been used in all date-displaying Submariner watches since 1988. While the aesthetics of the Submariner can vary, the Cal. 3135 has remained a trusted source of power for this beloved timepiece because of its sheer reliability. Today, the upgraded Cal. 3135 movement is COSC certified, outfitted with the anti-magnetic and ultra shock-resistant blue Parachrom hairspring, and boasts an impressive 48-hour power reserve just like the Explorer II.
While their sister-company, Tudor has garnered a strong following with their vintage-inspired heritage watches, Rolex is notorious for only moving forward with their designs, and never re-creating (or re-releasing) vintage Rolex inspired watches from the past. However, despite not manufacturing any outright heritage watches, Rolex does implement a few subtle, vintage-inspired design traits into the otherwise very modern watches that they manufacture today.Most obvious among the various vintage design elements is the red line of text on the dial of the new Rolex Sea-Dweller reference 126600. An obvious throwback to Rolex’s early Submariner and Sea-Dweller watches which had their respective names printed in red letters on the surfaces of their matte black dials, the red line of text on the dial of the new Sea-Dweller 126600 is an unmistakably vintage-inspired design element, which Rolex has recycled and reintroduced on an otherwise very modern and technologically-advanced, luxury dive watch.
