Explorer II homages — the affordable Rolex Explorer II alternatives
6 spec-checked homages of the Rolex Explorer II (24h fixed bezel, orange gmt hand, steve mcqueen, tool gmt), ranked by how closely they follow the original by our published rubric — with prices, movements and honest notes so you can get the look without the $9,350 entry price.
The Rolex Explorer II (ref 226570) is a 42mm gmt watch, 100m water resistant, running a Automatic GMT (Rolex 3285). At about $9,350 it is one of the most homaged designs in the hobby — here is the honest field, closest first.
The 6 best Explorer II homages, ranked by fidelity
| Homage | Brand | Fidelity | Price | Movement | Size | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD16570 V2 Pioneer named straight after the 16570 reference and the closest dial in the field — enamel polar-white with the orange GMT hand, fixed 24h steel bezel and sapphire; it wears a compact 37mm against the original's 42mm, which is the one big honest gap. Sold out new on Watchdives' own store when we re-checked on 18 Aug 2026 — only used listings remain, which we do not count as stock; the 38mm WD16570B is the live sibling at about $169 · often cheaper direct | Watchdives | 81 | $229 · watchdives.com 2026-08-13 / 100m | Automatic GMT (Seiko NH34) | 37mm | Shop › |
| PD-1693 the freccione orange 24-hour hand and fixed bezel at a fraction of the money, with sapphire and a real 200m rating; it wears 42mm, a size up on the modern original and two on the vintage one it echoes; every variant was sold out on Pagani's own store when we re-checked on 18 Aug 2026 | Pagani Design | 77 | $148 · paganidesign.com 2026-08-13 / 200m | Automatic GMT (Seiko NH34) | 42mm | Shop › |
| TW2W53000 (Expedition Pioneer Titanium GMT) titanium case, a real Seiko GMT movement and a sapphire crystal, from a mainstream brand with a warranty network; Timex has retired the Expedition North name for this piece but the reference carries across, and it is one of the few watches here actually in stock | Timex | 76 | $629 · timex.com 2026-08-13 / 200m | Automatic GMT (Seiko NH34) | 41mm | Shop › |
| SN0054-G-C2 the watch the community means by a San Martin Explorer II — honestly a hybrid: fixed steel bezel, matte white or black dial and a true NH34 GMT, but Tudor-style snowflake hands and 39mm where the original is 42mm · often cheaper direct | San Martin | 75 | from $309 · sanmartinwatches.com 2026-08-13 / 100m | Automatic GMT (Seiko NH34) | 39mm | Shop › |
| S6073AB Baltany's only fixed-bezel GMT — the orange-hand tool-GMT look in a vintage-leaning 39mm case; periodically sells out direct, so check both stores · often cheaper direct | Baltany | 73 | $283 · baltany.com 2026-08-13 / 200m | Automatic GMT (Seiko NH34) | 39mm | Shop › |
| SSK023 (Seiko 5 Field GMT) not a copy — the spiritual fixed-24h-bezel alternative from a real watchmaking house, with an in-house GMT caliber and its own red-hand dial identity; the polar-dial SSK059 sibling is a limited release that comes and goes | Seiko | 64 | $450 · seikowatches.com 2026-08-13 / 100m | Automatic GMT (Seiko 4R34) | 39.4mm | Shop › |
Prices are approximate and drift — check the listing before you buy. Where a price shows a source and date it was read from that seller on that day; “from” means the seller quotes a range across configurations and this is the base one. Amazon pricing for these brands often differs from the brand’s own store, in both directions.
How we scored these
Fidelity is a design-closeness score, not a quality score — dial and handset, bezel, case shape and proportions, movement class, and spec parity, per the published rubric. Open the homage finder to filter every watch by budget, case size, movement and original side by side.
FAQ
What is the best Explorer II homage?
By our rubric the closest is the WD16570 V2 Pioneer from Watchdives (fidelity 81). On a budget, the PD-1693 at about $148 gets you most of the look for the least money.
Are Explorer II homages legal?
Yes. An homage borrows design language — proportions, dial layout, bezel style — without carrying another brand's name or logo. That is legal and openly traded; Timex, Bulova and Steinhart all sell homages. We list only homages here, never counterfeits.
How much can you save versus a Rolex Explorer II?
The original is about $9,350. Homages here run from roughly $148 up, so you keep the design cues and lose most of the price.
Further reading: The best Rolex GMT homage, ranked · The best Explorer II homage, ranked · Are San Martin watches any good? · Pagani Design, model by model · Baltany watches review