For a number of years, modern consumer trends have been favoring larger watches. As a result of this, Rolex’s 34mm references have become somewhat forgotten in all the excitement and shuffle that surrounds their larger, sport/professional watchlines. However, recently it seems that smaller-sized watches are starting to make a comeback, and Rolex’s once-overlooked, 34mm watches now represent some of the best values for the money among all Rolex timepieces, both vintage and contemporary.When it comes to Rolex sports watches, the Submariner and Explorer II are amongst the most beloved. And despite the fact that they are both tough, purpose-built timepieces, they’re just about as different as it gets in nearly all respects.But if you’re not very familiar with either watch, comparing these two industry titans can seem daunting. So here, I’m breaking down everything you need to know – and compare – about the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Explorer II.True sports watches, both the Submariner and Explorer II were built by Rolex with specific jobs in mind – and the hint lies in their names. Unsurprisingly, the Submariner is a divers watch, built to time out scuba dives and withstand the unrelenting pressure of 300-meter (1,000 foot) depths. In fact, this watch has been one of the world’s top diving watches since it was first released back in 1953.The Explorer II, on the other hand, was originally introduced in 1971 for speleologists who work in deep underground caverns. But like the original Rolex Explorer – the watch that provided its foundation – the Explorer II appeals to adventurers and explorers of all kinds, especially since its popular 40th anniversary remodel.
The green-tinted sapphire crystal fitted to the reference 116400GV Milgauss has quickly become one of the defining characteristics of Rolex’s anti-magnetic line of watches. The Rolex Milgauss was first introduced in 1956; however, it was not until 2007 that it received its now-signature, green sapphire crystal – an exclusive feature that was originally introduced as a way for Rolex to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their Milgauss line.No other watch in Rolex’s current catalog is fitted with a green-tinted (or any other color) sapphire crystal. However, at the present time, all Milgauss watches that are currently in production leave the factory with green sapphire crystals. Rather than simply being a layer or coating, the light green tint is present throughout the entire material of the crystal, and will not fade or discolor after prolonged wear and use.Rolex claims that it took them many years of research and development to master and perfect the secret procedure of manufacturing their green-tinted sapphire crystals and that the actual process of producing the crystals takes multiple weeks. What is most interesting is that despite a usual eagerness to patent their various in-house technologies, Rolex claims that the green sapphire crystal in the Milgauss is “not patented, as it is so difficult to make that no one else would even venture to try.”Rolex will never reveal their exact formulas and secrets about how they manufacture the green-tinted sapphire crystals fitted to the Milgauss; however, we do know some general information about green-colored synthetic sapphire and the production of sapphire watch crystals as a whole.There are a number of different ways to produce synthetic sapphire, all of which fall into the following general methods of production: melt growth, solution growth, and high-temperature/high-pressure growth. It is hypothesized that Rolex uses a hydrothermal method of production for its synthetic sapphire crystals, which is slow, expensive, and uses heat and pressure to imitate the conditions present deep inside the earth that is responsible for the production of naturally-occurring crystalline gemstones.
The movement is a clone IWC 52850. Look at the auto rotor, it is in golden and the prince is standing on his planet, and the planet will rotate as long as you shake your hand. The movement is decorated beautifully, base movement plate has polished Geneve Stripes. Each plate is cut well and molded carefully by watch master, so they could maintain the stability and accuracy of the movement. By the way, the replica IWC Le Petit Prince is fitted with a brown leather strap.IWC Pilot always attracts me by their military watch outlook. And among all Pilots watches, Mark series is the most popular. On our market, there are two main factories that are replicating IWC Mark watches, they are MK and V6. Maybe you have bought good quality ones from other small factories, but I have to say they are not in top quality, the best Mark series replicas must come from MK and V6. Actually one friend of mine introduced the Mark XVI replica made by MK factory before on his website at Susanwatches.ru. And now the watch has become a best seller once being introduced on his site. Besides Mark XVI, there are other models that are also perfectly cloned, including Mark XVIII and XVII. Today, I went to our watch market again, and found a new art work on the storefront of MK factory, it is IWC Mark XI, firstly I was attracted by its green nylon band. I love watches with nylon strap. When I checked it carefully, I found its dial design is distinctive, Mark XI has an unique dial that is different from other Mark models. And the green nylon band and unique dial design make Mark XI so special among those watches in MK factory store. So I borrowed this replica watch from the factory and took some photos to share with you guys.
Let’s come to have a look at the function next. This replica IWC Top Gun is operated by a decorated Asian automatic movement, 25J, 21600bph. Functions is including date indicator at 6:00 position and no recess date. IWC Big Pilot has become a very classical and unique watch accessory for man. This 1:1 full ceramic replication can be a new toy option for you.Military watches are always welcomed in watch market, especially the Pilot watch from IWC. This Top Gun Miramar belongs to IWC Pilot series, it is the latest model of Mark XVIII that was published in 2016 SIHH. The watch inherits the original features of previous Top Gun Miramar – highly readable dial design and nylon strap. Genuine watch is equipped with a better movement that has a reinforced power reserve. Now, the replica here will be discussed is just made according to a genuine Mark XVII watch by MK factory. It consinues the high quality feature of former IWC Mark series replica watches made by this factory.
As the old saying, someone who can keep the time, is the real hero. Nowadays, wrist watch is not just a timing tool, also not just a decoration only, it is more like a medium to reveal their own style and a symbol of the past time. Especially for someone who are so important for you, if they give you a wrist watch as gift, it may has special meaning, it not only memories the time, but also in memory of your love. Today I am going to introduce a kind of meaningful watch, it is a replica IWC Portuguese Chronograph, which is in a low-key but luxurious style, I am sure that you will be attracted by it deeply.
No, I’m not talking about the Submariner and Explorer II’s famously good looks – we’ll get there in a minute. Both timepieces have a pretty long history with Rolex, and over the years, they have been worn and beloved by many famous faces.The Submariner is famous for its James Bond appearances, author Ian Flemming writing, “He could not just wear a watch. It had to be a Rolex.” Over the years, Sean Connery’s 007 wore a Submariner ref. 6538 and Roger Moore sported a ref. 5513. And as one of the most popular Rolex models ever, we often see the Submariner sported today on the wrists of celebrities and dignitaries alike – whether they’re scuba divers or not.The Rolex Explorer II has graced its fair share of celebrities and famous explorers too. Hollywood actor, Jason Statham can frequently be spotted at red carpet events sporting a vintage ref. 1655 – the very first Explorer II reference. Meanwhile, Prince Harry prefers the modern version of the watch, and owns the 42mm Explorer II ref. 216570 with a white “Polar” dial.This is where the differences between the Submariner and the Explorer II become very apparent. First up, the Submariner has a colored unidirectional timing bezel that today is available in black, blue or green. And before Rolex started using modern, scratch-resistant Cerachrom (aka ceramic) bezels on the Submariner in 2007, it featured an aluminum bezel. The bezel is really one of the main selling points of this watch, as its color really adds some great personality to the wrist, and is one of the defining characteristics of the Rolex Submariner collection.The waterproof Oyster case on the Submariner clocks in at 40mm, and along with the bracelet, can be either constructed from Oystersteel (904L stainless steel), solid 18k yellow gold, or Rolesor (two-tone steel and gold). This is another big selling point for a lot of collectors, as the combinations of alloys and bezels really allow for a lot of style and creativity. And before I forget: the Submariner has always featured an Oyster bracelet, but in recent years was updated with the improved Glidelock clasp, which allows for tool-free adjustment for a perfect fit.
