How effective has Rolex been in marketing the Exp II to spelunkers?

[Kobayashi]

While at work yesterday a coworker noticed my Rolex sitting on my desk. I handed it over to him to check it out and he was being delicate when opening the bracelet and then handed it back to me saying he didn't want to break it. I smiled and told him this was designed for spelunking so it can take a few hits. He then asked how many spelunkers actually add a Rolex on their gear checklist of items to purchase. He also asked if I would actually take my watch spelunking. I didn't have a response.

I've read on here how a lot of pilots use a GMT II and how divers use a Submariner. But are spelunkers actually purchasing and using an Explorer II?

On my bucket list is to explore the Mammoth Caves but I'm not sure I would take my watch. Odd, I know :).

So how effective has the marketing been to spelunkers?

[Dob]

I highly doubt that many cave divers/explorers are doing so with an Exp II.

[T.S.Eliot]

Although I have no clue on the subject, what comes to mind is the darkness and inability to see any watch except for those having built in lights when the lume fades.

Interesting choice of name and not going for the obvious Soze. Unless you're a real Kobayashi

[JP Chestnut]

Even if 100% of the spelunkers use an Exp2, that would probably only be < 1,000 watches. It's not exactly a growth segment.

[2ar2c1]

every spelunker I know wears it.

[ecsub44]

Originally Posted by 2ar2c1

every spelunker I know wears it.

And how many spelunkers do you know?

[Ditch]

I rock climb every couple of weeks & have been caving a couple of times and can say, with complete confidence, that while explorer Is & IIs would 'survive' it, within a hundred hours of that type of use they'd look like absolute crap.

I've never seen an explorer in such poor condition, which probably means people aren't regularly using them in that way.

[gwalker]

Well I highly doubt they are the actual target market for the ExpII. If they were Rolex would have a hard time turning a profit selling 250 watches a year. No offense to any cavers on here but it's not exactly the most popular activity out there.

[yakmeister]

Why would you need a GMT complication in a cave?

[Roller07]

Originally Posted by yakmeister

Why would you need a GMT complication in a cave?

So you can tell what time it is in other caves around the world.

[shoota70]

To tell night from day. It would be a 24hr hand not a second time zone.

[Cru Jones]

Originally Posted by yakmeister

Why would you need a GMT complication in a cave?

Check out the handy reference section on this site to learn all you need to know.

[toph]

Originally Posted by shoota70

To tell night from day. It would be a 24hr hand not a second time zone.

That is what the explorer 2 is designed for

[Brushpup]

Yea I seriously doubt it too.

[Psmith]

I am a 'desk spelunker' so naturally the Exp II is a must-have

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Psmith

I am a 'desk spelunker' so naturally the Exp II is a must-have

I would say that 95% of all sports type watches bought today are not used for the purpose they were made for.And with watches like say the Daytona or even the Subs GMTs most have little idea how the calibration bezel works.

[rkm]

I do caving (wet and dry) and wear an SD (16600)...

[77T]

Very effective if you consider spelunkers a branch of adventurers (as I do) along with hikers, mountaineers, climbers, etc.

The Explorer line was not designed for cavers, per se, but for anyone in an adventure sport where shocks and knocks could negatively affect the movement.

[pfg1]

Have you tried exploring any of the lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii yet? I highly recommend it. Seek out the tubes outside of the National and State Park systems and you will be amazed.

As for the need for an EXP II for spelunking, that is a new one on me. The lume is nice to have but a built-in underground GPS would be more useful. I agree that cave/lava tube exploration will beat the stuffing out of any watch due to intense contact with rocks, dust and water........

[TangoTango]

Originally Posted by pfg1

Have you tried exploring any of the lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii yet? I highly recommend it. Seek out the tubes outside of the National and State Park systems and you will be amazed.

As for the need for an EXP II for spelunking, that is a new one on me. The lume is nice to have but a built-in underground GPS would be more useful. I agree that cave/lava tube exploration will beat the stuffing out of any watch due to intense contact with rocks, dust and water........

Never heard of an underground GPS.

I'd love to know how that works.

[subkrawler]

Originally Posted by pfg1

Have you tried exploring any of the lava tubes on the Big Island of Hawaii yet? I highly recommend it. Seek out the tubes outside of the National and State Park systems and you will be amazed.

As for the need for an EXP II for spelunking, that is a new one on me. The lume is nice to have but a built-in underground GPS would be more useful. I agree that cave/lava tube exploration will beat the stuffing out of any watch due to intense contact with rocks, dust and water........

The original intent of the Explorer II, had nothing to do with operation in an environment without light. It was for those operating in envoronments without the rising and setting of the sun, for determining AM and PM. The orange hand was strictly a 24 hr hand, and wasn't adjustable for a second time zone, like modern references.

Spend 4 or 5 days straight, exploring a deep cave system, or at the poles with extended periods of daylight and darkness, and you'll start to understand the utility of the Explorer II.

[capote]

Somebody wrote that the Exp2 should have been marketed as the arctic explorer instead of the spelunker's watch, and I agree with that.

[Psmith]

Originally Posted by capote

Somebody wrote that the Exp2 should have been marketed as the arctic explorer instead of the spelunker's watch, and I agree with that.

That's pretty much what Rolex are doing now... the images on the website, recent media adverts, etc. The booklet that comes with the watch no longer has a photo of a cave explorer. In the latest edition of Perpetual Spirit, the images are mostly of polar exploration and cavers hardly get a mention. Rolex have obviously decided that the former is more glamorous than the latter!

[capote]

Originally Posted by Psmith

That's pretty much what Rolex are doing now... the images on the website, recent media adverts, etc. The booklet that comes with the watch no longer has a photo of a cave explorer. In the latest edition of Perpetual Spirit, the images are mostly of polar exploration and cavers hardly get a mention. Rolex have obviously decided that the former is more glamorous than the latter!

Interesting stuff

[TARDIS]

Originally Posted by capote

Somebody wrote that the Exp2 should have been marketed as the arctic explorer instead of the spelunker's watch, and I agree with that.

So do I.

Erling Kagge (born January 15, 1963) is a Norwegian explorer/adventurer, lawyer, art collector and publisher. Kagge is among Norway's most acclaimed polar explorers and one of the greatest adventurers of our time. He is the first person to accomplish the "three pole challenge" of reaching the North Pole, the South Pole and the summit of Mount Everest. Kagge was also the first to walk to the South Pole alone.

Rolex Explorer II White Dial was worn by him on the Antarctic walk. I think that was one of the reasons the watch became known as the Polar model. Rolex published advertisements about this in NATGEO and other magazines.

I find it difficult to believe Rolex designed this watch solely for Spelunkers.

[eric23]

I am not sure if you want to ware a Rolex in a cave.

[77T]

Originally Posted by TangoTango

Never heard of an underground GPS.

I'd love to know how that works.

Quarks?

[77T]

Originally Posted by eric23

I am not sure if you want to ware a Rolex in a cave.

Unless it was a....
man cave

[jay1988]

Who said the Explorer was designed for caves ? I've never heard about that. I just thought it was designed for hiking and adventuring etc.

I helped a friend choose one a while ago. He has other watches and uses his ExpII for snowboarding and hiking. He also wore it while (trying) to surf on holiday. Wears it in the gym etc.

He actually wanted a luxury watch he could "beat the crap out of" and ended up choosing the ExpII. Yes he is absolutely loaded.

[Singslinger]

There is a review of the new Exp II in the latest issue of Watch Time. There's also a detailed feature on the Explorer II through the years in the same issue, starting with the highly coveted 1655 reference. It's clear from the latter writeup that the watch was originally aimed at cave explorers or spelunkers.

However, although I own the watch, I have confess to never having been in a cave, let alone explore one.

Similarly, although I own 3 Subs and the Deepsea, I can barely swim.