I’ve already battled against Thomas’ Explorer II once and I lost miserably. That time I defended the Tudor Black Bay Pro, which doesn’t seem to be too lucky in these showdowns. But today I’m pretty sure I have a good chance of winning with my recently acquired cheap fake Rolex Explorer reference 114270. If you’d like to know why I chose this reference over the newer 36mm reference (124270), then please read my solo showdown of these two references. Because that’s not what we’re here for, but what I will tell you is that the perfect replica Rolex Explorer has been on my mind for a very long time already. That’s not something I can say of its bigger brother, the Explorer II.
The 36mm luxury fake Rolex Explorer sparks something inside of me. yes, it’s a time-only watch, but to me, it’s a very exciting one. With its bold numerals at three, six, and nine o’clock, and stick markers in between. It has a lot of body for such a small watch. The larger 40mm best copy Rolex Explorer II, on the other hand, comes across as somewhat of a bland watch to me. I totally get why they have changed the color of that GMT hand to orange on more recent references. But I don’t know why they haven’t changed that font on the bezel yet. I didn’t like it before, and I still don’t like it. But apart from its looks, the wearing experience might even be a more defining factor of why I don’t enjoy it on the wrist.
Planking on the wrist
The fact that both references state “Oyster” on the dial doesn’t mean they carry the same exact case. My 36mm Explorer features the classic Oyster case with rounded flanks and lugs that turn down and hug my wrist. Thomas’ 40mm AAA quality replica Rolex Explorer II features the more modern Oyster case with slab sides and lugs that feel like they don’t bend down, not even one bit. It’s like the watch is in the middle of a planking contest while it’s on your wrist. I don’t even mind the crown guards that much, although I prefer the cleaner look on my cheap super clone Rolex Explorer. But it’s really the wearing experience that throws me off here.
And it’s funny because Thomas and I have roughly the same wrist size at around 17cm. I feel like my Swiss made replica Rolex 114270 is tailor-made for my wrist. The lugs don’t even overhang not one bit, the curves on the case perfectly follow the contours of my wrist, and it’s all very well proportioned. I guess everyone’s wrist is different, even though the size seems to be the same. Because I wouldn’t feel comfortable with such a plank on my wrist all day. And then there’s something else I wouldn’t feel comfortable with.
Do the Rolex wobble
As Thomas explained in his buyer’s guide for the 16570, all Explorer IIs fitted with the 3185 movement cope with a wobbly GMT hand. Now that’s something you don’t expect on a Swiss movement fake Rolex! To me, the brand stands for immaculate quality, which means I wouldn’t want to play around with a wobbly GMT hand. I know it doesn’t damage the movement in any way. But in that case, I’d rather have a watch with fewer functions but with a rock-solid movement. Or I’d go for an aaa fake Rolex Explorer II with the newer 3186 movement on which the wobble has been fixed. But that’s not the case with Thomas’ 16570 from 2004.
And as I rarely travel between different time zones, I rarely need a GMT function. I must admit it looks damn cool. But it looks even cooler when it comes with a two-tone bezel. And that’s not something the 16570 can offer. instead, there’s a plain, brushed stainless steel bezel that doesn’t even turn. It almost takes all the fun out of owning a GMT watch. Especially when you also have to deal with that wobbly GMT hand. No, it’s clear that the 16570 is not the watch for me and that I’m very glad to have my top quality replica Rolex 114270 around my wrist.