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Exploring Evergreens: The Black-Dial Cheap Rolex Explorer II 16570 Fake Watches

In our series Exploring Evergreens, we have a look at watches that have been around for some time.  These are perfect replica Rolex watches that have stood the test of time to become archetypes, sometimes even icons. Today, I am covering the Rolex Explorer ref. 16570 in the black-dial execution. This is the most worn watch in my collection, so I think I can write a word or two on how it aged over the decades.

The 16570 generation lasted from 1989 until 2011, making this a true neo-vintage watch today. It is also one of the beloved five-digit Rolex references, combining more subdued styling with relatively modern, solid construction and sapphire crystals. Let’s explore (see what I did there?) how it stacks up well over a decade after its discontinuation.

As you imagine from AAA+ clone Rolex watches that ware been around for two decades, there were a few iterations. Besides this, there was the white-dial “Polar” alongside the black-dial version you see here. The Polar is often touted as “the one to get.” This is due to it being more distinct and atypical of a Rolex sports watch. This has been reflected in prices on the used market, where white dials tend to be a bit more expensive.

For me, though, the Polar is a bit too white, flat, and clinical. In photos, I tend to lean towards the Polar. However, I have had the Polar and the black dial side by side many times, and I always preferred the black in real life. To me, it lends the watch a little more character and depth, contrasting the steel bezel. This is, obviously, just a matter of taste. Clearly, the market disagrees with me.

In terms of in-reference updates, I have written a comprehensive buyer’s guide describing all the nuances before. In broad strokes, you see tritium, drilled lug holes, and folded end links on early versions. They were replaced with (Super-)LumiNova, non-drilled cases, and solid end links in different steps. In 2007, the movement also got an update with a Parachrom hairspring. In short, early ones have a bit more of a vintage vibe, especially if the lume has yellowed. The lighter folded end links and drilled lug holes contribute to this vintage feel. More recent ones creep much closer to modern-day Rolex in that regard. Mine, which you see in the pictures, is from 2004.

What initially drew me to the Explorer II ref. 16570 was its proportions. It has a 40mm diameter, 47mm lug-to-lug, and 12.2mm thickness. That is perfection to me for a sports watch like this. You see it on my 17cm wrist here. The next generation (ref. 216570) grew to 42mm, and everything got much bolder, including bigger indices, heavier hands, bolder numerals on the bezel, and orange accents. To me, it lost some of the sophistication of the earlier ref. 16570. That sophistication, I am happy to report, still holds up today.

Overall, this generation of the Explorer II feels quite contemporary to me. The dials look refined and modern with their applied white gold indices (which are painted black on the Polar). The flat sapphire crystal draws a clear line between earlier “true vintage” copy Rolex watches for sale and this neo-vintage generation.

As a design, the 16570 could be introduced today, and I doubt that anyone would call it “dated.” That said, it is different in spirit from what Rolex is doing today. I often feel that modern perfect fake Rolex watches are designed to be quite noticeable from a distance. The 16570 isn’t like that at all. I have never been asked about mine by a non-watch enthusiast while wearing it. It just doesn’t look all that fancy from a distance. It is just a super-capable watch that doesn’t make a fuss. I think this is why many people appreciate the five-digit generation in general. And in this sense, this Explorer II fits that generation to a tee.

The Explorer II has always been a bit of an odd duck in the Rolex catalog, not least of all because of its intended niche. I mean, who sets out to make a watch specifically for spelunking? Aesthetically, it is perhaps also a bit more of an acquired taste than the Submariner and GMT-Master. This all means it has been trailing market-value-wise in comparison to those hot-shot siblings.

Since the spring 2022 peak, the Explorer II has come back down in price. It is significantly more affordable than the Subs and GMT-Master (II) cheap fake Rolex watches of the same age. The 16570, in particular, is the most affordable of the Explorer IIs. I would argue, though, that it is the best. Unless you like the more in-your-face proportions and styling of the later ones, that is. You get that tasteful subtlety of a five-digit sports Rolex with none of the vintage premiums or compromise in build.

The thing is, compared to its predecessors (the 1655 “Freccione” and 16550), the 16570 was produced for much longer and in much greater numbers. There are simply more of them, making them a little less collectible. And that keeps them on the more “affordable” end of the spectrum. They also seem to fly under the radar of the broader watch-buying public, keeping them in enthusiast’s circles. All in all, they make for a pretty compelling buy in comparison to the alternatives from the same brand.

My black 16570 is my most worn watch for several reasons. It suits my style to a tee, it is highly versatile, and it is solidly built. It represents a sweet spot in the Rolex universe to me, as described above. This is everything I admire about Rolex and none of the things I dislike about the brand. Did you notice how I didn’t have to write about wait lists, puzzle dials, AD shenanigans, muggers, and status symbolism in this article? That’s because the 16570 lives on the other end of the Rollieverse. You should come and check it out; life is better here!

Jokes aside, I feel the Explorer II ref. 16570 is an absolute evergreen. It is a watch that took some time to grow on me, but it has become my favorite within my small collection. It isn’t a publicly prominent icon like a Nautilus or Daytona. This one operates behind the scenes and won’t have your friends gather around you at a birthday party. But it will serve you reliably and in style, and that is what it is all about for me.

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Why These Top Rolex Yacht-Master Fake Watches Is Worth A Closer Look

So long the province of the Submariner, Sea Dweller and Deep Sea, Rolex’s sea-faring fraternity of go-anywhere sports rolex replica watches includes one high-performing watch dedicated to yachties. And now the latest version is receiving rave reviews, it might just be time to invest in a classic Nineties example…

Of all the new launches at the annual Baselworld watch show, it’s those from Rolex that are among the most eagerly anticipated – and this year, the AAA+ clone Rolex watches causing some of the loudest murmurs around the exhibition hall was a new, 42mm white gold Yacht-Master.

And, with the spotlight temporarily on the sea-faring strand of Rolex’s universe, it’s probably a good time to keep a weather eye on the auction houses for what might just be one of the most under-rated of its sports perfect fake rolex watches – the Yacht-Master Reference 16622 Rolesium.

The mighty Crown registered the ‘Yacht-Master’ trademark way back in the Sixties while experimenting with a new chronograph watch similar to the Cosmograph but with a larger, 40mm case. That watch was never put into production and the Yacht-Master name remained dormant until 1992, when the first production watch – a simple, time-only effort – was released in yellow gold and bi-metal.

Deesigned to appeal to yachties, the watch was initially intended as a more luxurious version of the celebrated Submariner dive watch. However, it proved to be considerably less successful than its inspiration, despite the introduction of various mid-sized and women’s replica watches.

In 1999, however, Rolex unveiled the superb ‘Rolesium’ Reference 16622 which combined a steel case with a distinctive platinum bezel and a solid platinum dial that came alive with an almost frosted quality when caught by the light.

Nevertheless, the watch didn’t achieve anything like the success of more celebrated sports watches (the aforementioned Submariner, the Sea Dweller and the Cosmograph) and was gradually phased-out with the launch at Baselworld 2012 of a new steel Yacht-Master with a blue ‘sunray’ dial.

But the Rolesium 16622 remains truly special, both because of its subtle use of platinum and the fact that it is relatively rare. Examples do appear at auction, often sporting knocks and scrapes caused by a life spent on deck as much-loved tool copy Rolex watches for sale.

With patina becoming increasingly acceptable (and often sought-after), such wear and tear shouldn’t prevent you from buying – assuming the mechanical integrity of the watch isn’t compromised. What is important, however, is to look for a Yacht-Master with box, papers, original bracelet and so on.

A couple of years ago, a £4,000 bid would probably have been sufficient to secure a good one at auction. Now you’ll need nearer £6,000 – but rest assured that Yacht-Master 16622 values are far more likely to remain buoyant than to sink without trace.

I had a hunch more titanium was coming, but I also figured we were years away from such a thing. I did not expect a second titanium Rolex mere months after the Deepsea Challenge, and I fully did not expect that cheap fake Rolex watches to be a Yacht-Master. Now that it’s here, though, I should have – considering the prototype was known to have existed.

To be honest, the draw here for me is Rolex’s decision to put this on a titanium bracelet. It would have been all too easy to throw this on Oysterflex and call it a day. But the choice of a fully-brushed titanium bracelet puts the Yacht-Master firmly in the tool-watch category and makes me more excited about the model than I ever have been before.

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Everything You Need To Know About The Best Rolex Submariner Fake Watches

Born in the early 1950s, the Sub remains the prototypical tool perfect replica Rolex watches.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the proliferation of the Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) system allowed the masses access to the wondrous undersea world for the first time in history. With a tank of air, a pair of fins, a mask, and a regulator, a regular Joe could experience the sea in all its glory.

However, a few extra bits of kit made the experience that much safer: Namely, a good knife and an accurate, water-resistant wristwatch. With the exception of a few specialist tools made for special operations personnel during the War, however, not much existed in the way of the latter. In the early 1950s, several watch companies simultaneously developed the first crop of modern, commercially available SCUBA diving AAA+ clone Rolex watches—one of these in particular would become so popular so quickly that its aesthetics would influence countless makes and watches that followed in its wake.

To catalog every minute tweak to the Submariner reference is well beyond the scope of this piece. However, in examining some of the most important references and sub-references from each decade—beginning in the 1950s and carrying through to 2025—we’re able to parse through the Submariner story to understand the big picture. Keep in mind that pricing estimates are just that—estimates—and that the market for these wildly cool top replica Rolex Submariner watches are ever fluctuating.

As a design object, the Submariner belongs to a list of products—the Porsche 911, the Fender Stratocaster, the Eames chair—so iconic that a layman could recognize them. All remain in production decades after their release. Indeed, there’s little doubt that the “Sub” is among the most important copy Rolex watches for sale ever made, and will remain so as long as Rolex sees fit to produce it.

Rolex Submariner ref. 6204

The perfect fake Rolex watches featured a 37 mm stainless steel case, a smaller 5.3 mm crown, pencil-style hands, and a bezel without individual minute hash marks. The dial exhibited the typical Submariner design language: Circular, rectangular, and triangular indices with luminous fill. 

Rolex Submariner ref. 6205

Though this reference isn’t functionally very different from the 6204 seen above, later examples were the first to feature the famous “Mercedes” hands. (On the ref. 6205 these hands were notably quite long–longer than on modern best replica Rolex watches) There’s still no red triangle on the bezel insert—which would become a signature of early Rolex sport cheap fake Rolex watches—or any minute hashmarks.