At its heart, this GMT Sport model 216570 is a no-nonsense GMT Sport watch that importantly helped update the previous 16570 series and bring the Explorer II series into the modern era. With its sturdy 42mm stainless steel case, matching three-link Oyster bracelet, and fixed 24-hour bezel, the replica watch is instantly recognizable as an Explorer II, though it’s more robust than any of its previous iterations. On the dial, Rolex’s modernization efforts are even more evident with a “Maxi” dial featuring some of the boldest features ever seen in the collection, including enlarged hands and hour markers and subtle use of contrasts in color and texture.
Powering the model is Rolex’s caliber 3187, an automatic movement capable of running automatically for 48 hours and protected by Rolex’s signature sturdy caseback. Remarkably, when reference 216570 was discontinued in 2021 in favor of the current reference 226570, only the Explorer II movement received the most significant update at first glance, with the 70-hour power reserve 3285 movements further illustrating the success of the original 216570 des
ign. Naturally, the 226570 has become a hard watch to find – but good quality 21670s still exist, as do the full set of examples we now have.
The Rolex Milgauss, as a model series, dates back to 1956 with the introduction of Ref. 6541. At that time, it was one of the first copy watches capable of accurate timekeeping in strong magnetic fields. In its development and initial production, the Rolex Milgauss served a niche market of scientists who needed a watch capable of withstanding high levels of electromagnetic force. From the very beginning, the Milgauss remained in the Rolex catalog and was updated with new designs for three decades before finally being discontinued in 1988. Fast forward to 2007 and fake Rolex relaunched the collection with the original model. 116400, which we see here.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, Ref. 116400 is a colorful and slightly playful combination of white, orange, and black, with the collection’s signature lightning bolt seconds hand accompanied by a pair of baton-style hour and minute hands and the brand’s signature applied crown emblem at 12 o’clock. Significantly, the 116400 is the last of the Milgauss collection not to include what would become another signature of the line, the specially developed green sapphire crystal, also known in French as the glace Verte, or simply “GV”. Will Rolex update the Milgauss collection this year? We will have to wait and see. In the meantime, now is a good time to grab the first modern Milgauss, the 116400 models, we will see more details next time.
