5 Affordable Tool Watches with Rolex Explorer II Vibes

If Rolex makes a steel sports watch, said watch will be highly sought after, if not downright iconic. The Explorer II is both.

Designed for cave explorers in 1971, the sequel to the mountaineering Explorer had unique features that set it apart — most notably, a fixed 24-hour bezel and a luminous 24-hour hand that allowed its wearers to keep tabs on daytime and nighttime hours while exploring areas devoid of sunlight.

That original version, now colloquially called the “Steve McQueen” despite a lack of evidence that the late actor ever wore one, was retired in 1985 and gave way to the general design language that’s still present in the Explorer II of today in both its original black and popular white “Polar” dial guises.

Photo by Allen Farmelo for Gear Patrol

As an iconic Rolex steel sports watch, the Explorer II is understandably pricey at $9,650. Also, as an iconic Rolex steel sports watch, you’re very unlikely to get one at retail price without spending time on a lengthy waiting list, as the current market rate for the watch is more than $1,000 above SRP.

But all is not lost if you’re looking to get a watch with Explorer II vibes without spending a fortune. Below, I’ve selected five alternative watches to the Rolex Explorer II that offer similar styling and functionality for a lot less money.

Let’s go exploring.

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Timex Expedition GMT Titanium Automatic

Timex

Timex Expedition GMT Titanium Automatic

Specs

Case Size	41mm
Movement	Seiko Cal. NH34 automatic GMT
Water Resistance	200m

• $549 at Timex

Timex upended the affordable GMT market with this new 2024 release, a watch that ticks a whole lot of boxes while costing not a whole lot of money.

The Expedition GMT Titanium Automatic boasts a lightweight titanium case, a Seiko-made automatic GMT movement, Super-LumiNova illumination, 200m of water resistance, an exhibition caseback and styling that’s very reminiscent of the original “Steve McQueen” Explorer II. All that for 550 bucks is pretty wild, but pretty much what I’d expect out of Timex in 2024.

Christopher Ward Sealander GMT

Christopher Ward

Christopher Ward C63 Sealander GMT

Specs

Case Size	39mm, 36mm
Movement	Sellita SW330-2 automatic GMT
Water Resistance	150m

• $1,275 at Christopher Ward

The CW’s design is obviously inspired by the Explorer II — the brand admits as much — but it’s a bit more refined with its applied indices, “Light-catcher” case and smaller case sizes.

It’s highly functional thanks to a Swiss-made GMT movement from Sellita, killer Super-LumiNova lume and 150m of water resistance. And best of all, the price almost looks like a misprint, coming in well under $1,500 on a bracelet. It also comes in some additional colors beyond the requisite black and white, with the Dragonfly Blue variant being especially fetching.

Seiko 5 Sports Field GMT

Seiko

Seiko 5 Sports Field GMT SSK023

Specs

Case Size	39.4mm
Movement	Seiko Cal. 4R34 automatic GMT
Water Resistance	100m

• $399 at Amazon

For the absolute bargain pick, as is often the case, we’re going with Seiko. The field watch version of Seiko’s game-changing “5KX” GMT, the 5 Sports Field GMT is powered by the same Cal. 4R34 automatic movement but is smaller at 39mm and features more rugged styling. It’s a bit busy compared to the Explorer II, but its overall vibe and toughness are certainly in the same ballpark.

Ball Engineer III Outlier

Reeds Jewelers

Ball Engineer III Outlier

Specs

Case Size	40mm
Movement	Ball Cal. RRM7337-C automatic GMT
Water Resistance	200m

• $2,897 at Exquisite Timepieces
  $3,449 (16% off)

Ball makes some of the toughest watches in the world, full-stop. A newer model for the brand, the Engineer III Outlier is powered by an in-house movement featuring a traveler’s GMT function with an independently adjustable hour hand — just like you’ll find on the Rolex. It’s also crafted from ultra-hard 904L stainless steel … again, like on the Rolex.

You know what isn’t like the Rolex, though? It’s 200m water resistance and 1,000 gauss magnetic field resistance — both of which are higher than what you’ll get with the Explorer II. Then there’s Ball’s trademark tritium gas tube lume, which is always on, requires no charging and lasts up to 25 years. Now, just point me to the nearest cave.

Tudor Black Bay Pro

Tudor

Tudor Black Bay Pro

Specs

Case Size	39mm
Movement	Tudor Cal. MT5652 automatic GMT
Water Resistance	200m

Read our full review of the Tudor Black Bay Pro

• $4,225 at Reeds Jewelers

Tudor made some big waves when it unveiled this GMT watch at Watches & Wonders 2022, as it came in at a 39mm size that enthusiasts had been hoping for ever since Tudor released the original 41mm Black Bay GMT in 2018. But what took everyone by surprise was the BB Pro’s styling, as it eschewed the Black Bay GMT’s Pepsi look and was a dead ringer for the classic “Steve McQueen” Explorer II that hadn’t been seen in Rolex’s catalog since the ’80s.

If it’s that vintage Explorer II vibe you’re after, the Black Bay Pro is the best watch you can get. And since it’s made by Rolex’s sister brand, it’s also the closest thing to an actual Explorer II in this guide. As such, it’s also the most expensive at over four grand, which is admittedly stretching the idea of “affordable” for most people. (It’s still less than half the cost of an Explorer II, for what it’s worth.)

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