Explorer-II review!!

The Rolex Explorer II was launched in 1971 primarily for the speleologists (cave explorers). This model features a fixed bezel engraved with 24-hour track and a special 24 hour hand (initially orange in color, now red) which together help to distinguish AM from PM. This feature has proved to be a boon fo cave explorers. They spend days together exploring deep caverns where daylight is nil. As a result, keeping track of the time becomes difficult. Rolex GMT-Master II, an improved version over the initial GMT-Master (introduced in 1954), was launched in 1983. This model is meant for the pilots who need to travel through multiple time zones. It features a special 24 hour hand and a bi-directional rotating bezel, designed to display the time of any two time zones simultaneously.

How does the Explorer II Resemble the GMT-Master II?

The 24-hour engraved bezel and the extra 24-hour hand in the Explorer II make it resemble the GMT-Master II. These features between the two enable them to display the time in two different time zones. In both the models, the 24-hour hand points to the 24-hour time represented on the bezel. For instance, if it is 7:00 AM, the 24-hour hand will point to 7 on the bezel. If it is 7:00 PM, it will point to 19 on the bezel. Another feature common to the two models is the "jump hour" feature. This feature allows the 12 hour hand to be set to a different time zone without adjusting the 24-hour hand and bezel. This is done by first unscrewing the winding crown and then slowly turning it clockwise or counterclockwise. This adjustment will result in jumping of the hour hand one hour at a time without stopping the minute and seconds hands. In addition, the independently adjustable 12-hour hand allows the wearer to simultaneously check the time in any two time zones.

The initial Rolex Explorer II model had the same caliber movement as that of the GMT-Master 1575.

Some other common in the two include the following:

* Mercedes hands in place of old, large stick hands

* A slimmer, scratch resistant synthetic sapphire crystal

* Crown guards

* Cyclops lens over the date aperture

* Self-winding and waterproof to 100 meters/330 feet

What is the Difference Between the Two?

The major difference between the Explorer II and the GMT-Master II is that while the Explorer II features a fixed bezel, the GMT-Master II has a bi-directional rotating bezel.

The other areas where the two differ from each other are cosmetic in nature. While the Rolex Explorer II is available only in solid stainless steel, GMT-Master II is available in 18k yellow gold, white gold, stainless steel and in Rolesor (steel and gold). Also, there are many dial options available in the GMT-Master II, unlike the Explorer II, which is available in only black and white dials.

Scott Parham is a famous author who writes about Rolex Explorer II. Melrose Jewelers - One of the UK luxury watch retailer, selling a large range of rolex watches for Men and Ladies. Read more about Rolex. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Jhon_Parham

Submariner versus Sea Dweller

Both Models have a Rolex 3135 Movement. This movement is perfect for what it is supposed to be - a rock-solid, accurate mechanical movement with no complications (apart from date). Case, Crystal and Crown The case design is a classic dive watch look that Rolex invented.

The sapphire crystal appears to be tough and resilient but can get scratches and annoying pin size damage on the edges. Crown is large and extremely easy to use. Dial and Hands have Rolex Look. . Extremely easy to read both in the day and night. Accuracy About plus minus 3 to w sec per day. The oyster bracelet really suits this style of the watches. The bracelet feels solid and heavy - more so than other Rolex watches.

The Submariner is very comfortable, and is an all rounder watch. That is to say it can be worn for any occasion, casual wear , dress wear, or beach wear. A Long history of making divers watches shows in the Submariner which has now become synonymous with diving watches. Inscribed with the now famous "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified." The Cyclops over the date makes for easy reading.

The Sea dweller is also plenty comfortable, but due to it's size and weight one could probably say there are more comfortable watches out there. But after a few hours of wear one gets over the initial shock of its size and you don't think about it much any more.The Rolex Sea-Dweller, with a rotating bezel and black dial, is an attractive looking, easy to read, watch.

Manually winding this automatic watch feels like smooth silk as the movement employs a refined set of rocking bar gears, which mesh easily with the automatic system. The balance bridge is designed like a crossbar, held with two screws, and supported on two adjustable pillars for correction of endshake. In short, this is the kind of movement watchmakers, accustomed to servicing high-grade timepieces, are always proud to see. Waterproof to 4000feet/1220 meters! Sapphire crystal and safety bezel. The most rugged of all Rolex Watches and with much history behind it. This is a must-have Rolex for the sports watch fan.

Caution all Rolex lovers, unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the price difference between the GMT and the Explorer II Orange Hands, by converting the GMT into the Explorer II. Please be careful, check, check then double check.

The new solid end link Rolex Oyster bracelets (above) compared to the old loose end link bracelet (below).

Rear View		Solid End Link
		Loose End Link

Rolex will be introducing the new bracelet on all its Sport watches.

source: http://bjsonline.com/watches/articles/0005.shtml

Source: Used Watch Marketplace

Rolex Vintage Sea Dweller

Rolex Sea-Dweller Review

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Sea-Dweller is a line of diver’s watches manufactured by Rolex, with an underwater diving depth rating of 610 metres (2,000 ft) for the vintage models and up to 3,900 metres (12,800 ft) for the most recent Sea-Dweller model.

During the 1960s, commercial work in the oceans and seas created professional diving organisations that needed tool watches designed for conducting safe diving operations at greater depths – known as saturation diving. This led to the development of the first ‘ultra water resistant’ watches.

The Sea-Dweller’s integrated helium escape valve
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000 (2000 ft = 610 m) that became available in 1967 was developed from the Submariner for the Comex S.A. industrial deep-sea diving company by increasing crystal thickness and was produced in several variations. Most Sea-Dweller watches incorporate a helium escape valve for saturation diving. Early Sea-Dwellers did however not always have the helium escape valve. Another feature setting it apart is the absence of a date magnification bubble, the cyclop, present on most Rolexes. Since 1977 the Rolex Sea-Dweller diving watch range have served as standard issue diving watches for Comex divers.

The Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000 watches have 2 red text lines on the watch dial which led to an unofficial “Double Red” designation under watch collectors for these watches.

The Sea-Dweller Submariner 2000 (2000 ft = 610 m) models were succeeded by the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller 4000 (4000 ft = 1220 m) model with an increased depth rating. The current Comex Sea-Dweller 4000 Rolex reference number is 16600 and this watch has been issued to Comex divers since 1992.
At the BaselWorld watch and jewellery show 2008, Rolex introduced an updated Sea-Dweller model, named the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. Its reference number is 116660. With an official depth rating of 3,900 metres (12,800 ft), the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA represented in its launch year the most water resistant mechanical watch in serial production. For obtaining this official depth rating the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA water resistance is tested to a depth of 4,875 m (16,000 ft) to offer the 25% safety reserve required by the ISO 6425 divers’ watches standard. To test the water resistance of the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA, Rolex uses testing equipment developed for them by Comex.

Normal surface air filled watch cases and crystals designed for extreme depths must be dimensionally large to cope with the encountered water pressure. To obtain its water resistance the Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA watch case has a diameter of 43.0 mm, thickness of 17.7 mm (domed crystal thickness 5.5 mm) and the case and bracelet weigh 220 g.
Diving records

The design and actual availability of diver’s watches certified for more than 1,000 meters (3,281 ft) is not solely explicable by practical diving needs.

The diving depth record for actual off shore diving was achieved in 1988 by a team of professional divers of the Comex S.A. industrial deep-sea diving company performing pipe line connection exercises at a depth of 534 meters (1752 ft) of sea water (MSW) in the Mediterranean Sea. The diver’s watches used were Rolex Sea-Dwellers.
In 1992 Comex diver Theo Mavrostomos achieved a record of 701 MSW (2300 ft) in an on shore hyperbaric chamber. He took 43 days to complete the dive. The watch used during this scientific record dive, where a hydrogen-helium-oxygen (hydreliox) gas mixture was used as breathing gas, was a Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000. Rolex used this achievement in advertising campaigns.

The complexity, medical problems and accompanying high costs of professional saturation diving to extreme depths and the development of deep water atmospheric diving suits and remotely operated underwater vehicles in offshore oilfield drilling and production effectively nixed the need for ever deeper non-atmospheric manned intervention in the ocean.

Source: wikipedia.org

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