A few thoughts on the upcoming (?) new Explorer II - a suggestion

[springbar]

Originally Posted by Jolu

How many do you think use their Daytonas timing race cars?

Not many, to be sure, but anybody can use a Daytona to time something. A chronograph is a useful feature.

A 24-hour hand with a fixed bezel and without a jump-hour movement doesn't do anything but perform multiplication by two, which isn't particularly compelling. It's only use is as an elaborate AM/PM indicator. But with the GMT-II movement, it can be so much more useful.

[jmsrolls]

There is only one improvement I would make to the current EXPII and I have made it:



Fr. John†

[petespendthrift]

Originally Posted by Jolu

Speak for yourself

How many do you think use their Daytonas timing race cars? Even fewer. How many use the gas escape valve, or even the rotating bezel (nervous fiddle and boiling eggs aside), on their SeaDwellers? Except for one or two on this forum, probably nobody.

The Explorer booklet use a cave explorer on the front page, and advertise using well-known polar heroes. Still, people that never have entered a cave or left a footprint in the snow are buying. It is not so much about useful functions as the feelings the model awakes in the potential buyer.
I take back my "may decrease sales" comment above - I actually think it would increase the coolness factor and boost the ExplorerII's popularity. But I can see I'm with the minority in this thread...

The current movement performs the original function and a far more appealing additional role (that is useful to expeditions - many use GMT for communication purposes). People buy chronographs because they like the sporty look and because they can be used to time anything. They also bought the Seadweller because they liked the look and because it was a hardcore divers watch - not because it has an HEV. You are proposing a change where the only difference is a reduction in usability - the current movement already does everything in the original marketing and more.

[Jolu]

Originally Posted by petespendthrift

You are proposing a change where the only difference is a reduction in usability - the current movement already does everything in the original marketing and more.

Yes I am. You have the GMT-Master for that purpose, if you really need it. You could probably add a chronograph module, a helium valve, a triplock and a compass on the bracelet to make it even more useful and the ultimate expedition watch, but I prefer it as simple as possible. I kind of like the "cave-dweller" approach, but I can certainly understand it if most of you don't.

[Cru Jones]

I think that definitely works for the black dial, but I'm not convinced for the white dial, unless, maybe, the date window was circled in black, like the other markers?

Originally Posted by jmsrolls

There is only one improvement I would make to the current EXPII and I have made it:



Fr. John†

[jmsrolls]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

I think that definitely works for the black dial, but I'm not convinced for the white dial, unless, maybe, the date window was circled in black, like the other markers?

I agree, the white without the Cyclops is rather bland.

Fr. John†