A spelunking watch? That’s right. The boldly luminescent 24-hour GMT hand was included to help those living in caves keep track of day and night. While spelunking isn’t exactly a popular sport, the cheap fake Rolex Explorer II CA became a rather popular watch among those who love a cool design and GMT functionality.
Offered today with either a black or white (“polar”) dial, the perfect replica Rolex Explorer II came out in 1971 in order to “perpetuate the privileged relationship Rolex shares with exploration,” according to current marketing materials. However, the spelunking history is largely forgotten as the super clone watch increasingly serves as a tool for adventurers of all kinds. (The more recent editions — unlike the original — feature fully functional GMT movements, so the watches can be used for tracking second time zones.)
Though the CA 1:1 replica Rolex Explorer II went from a tasty 40mm case up to a 42mm Super case in 2011, the reference 216570 was intended to celebrate the original design of 1971, which amounts to an orange GMT hand in the “correct” arrow shape. Those two extra millimeters don’t feel significant on the wrist, however, and only seem significant when compared directly with a 40mm model.