Is the 24hr bezel really needed on ExploreII

[Zsprings]

Back in December 2007, I wrote to Rolex SA Geneva, including my mock up drawing of an ExplorerII with 12 hour adjustable hand, but wihout the 24 hour bezel. Instead, with a rotateable graduated bezel as found on Submariner 16610. My point being, there are just 12 time zones and a traveller might only set the different time (either GMT or local time) in one of 12 different hours and will know if it night or day where they are presently standing. The addition of the rotateable Submariner bezel would help those sailing at night, exploring around coastal waters, to identify flashing light bouys and hopefully not go aground! This feature is not found on any YachtMaster.
I got a very nice letter back January 10th 2008 from Rolex SA , double signed, and noting my suggestions had "....been studied with great interest....." I was ready to buy, but it didn't happen : crying:

[Lunaen]

The original point of the 24 hour bezel is so that people can know if it’s night or day where they are presently located without the aid of the Sun. This was useful for caving where it’s dark 24/7 or exploration near the poles where it can be dark for 30 days on a row.


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[dannyp]

It’s not about time zones, it’s about taking time. A watch with a 24hr hand requires 24 hr markings to tell the time. Now, it could in theory be on the dial instead of the bezel, but it has to be there.

My guess is that it was designed as it was because the dial would have been unnecessarily busy at its original size with two hour scales (might be better today, but still cluttered).

Rolex also wasn’t one to “mix purposes” when designing Professional watches. In other words, the Explorer II was designed for cave divers, and a 60min timing bezel isn’t applicable.

[Guybrush]

There's nothing a non-rotating 24hr bezel can accomplish that a dial featuring a secondary 24hr track of indices cannot---indeed, there are many GMT watches that don't have such a bezel. (For example.)

I would find a dive bezel on a GMT watch (as you propose) very useful--yet another feature with numerous potential uses. And, again, something that's been done.

But that ain't Rolex's style.

For my part, I'd love to see the Exp2 in 37-39mm with a rotating bezel. ...But they aren't going to do that either. But lots of other brands out there with interesting GMT options that you can purchase immediately!

[rmwill]

The microbrands have you covered.

[Tools]

The Sub bezel is a 60 minute marker with no relationship to an hour hand.

The 24 hr hand has no relationship to anything except a 24 hr bezel.

[Rebel]

Yes.

[travisb]

Originally Posted by Lunaen

The original point of the 24 hour bezel is so that people can know if it’s night or day where they are presently located without the aid of the Sun. This was useful for caving where it’s dark 24/7 or exploration near the poles where it can be dark for 30 days on a row.


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This.

[douglasf13]

The durability of a solid bezel that doesn’t easily pop off when banging into rocks is the point of the Explorer line. The Explorer II was released as a spelunker’s watch that needed a 24 hour indicator for night/day.

I’ve also seen requests for a ceramic bezel Exp II, which doesn’t makes sense, as ceramic is more prone to cracking vs steel.

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by Guybrush

There's nothing a non-rotating 24hr bezel can accomplish that a dial featuring a secondary 24hr track of indices cannot---indeed, there are many GMT watches that don't have such a bezel. (For example.)

I would find a dive bezel on a GMT watch (as you propose) very useful--yet another feature with numerous potential uses. And, again, something that's [
For my part, I'd love to see the Exp2 in 37-39mm with a rotating bezel. ...But they aren't going to do that either. But lots of other brands out there with interesting GMT options that you can purchase immediately!

For goodnes sake! I would like a Skydweller that didn't have that old fashion fluted bezel, instead a flat metal bezel with tiny 'gog' edge like the GMT edge.....but they aren't going to do that either!

[Zsprings]

double posted

[nikhsub1]

After reading the OP's post a few times I still can't figure out how a sub bezel on an explorer 2 would help with sailing at night and bouys.

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Zsprings

.. would help those sailing at night, exploring around coastal waters, to identify flashing light bouys and hopefully not go aground!

I think most are sleeping at night
Lying on the beach with a belly exploring "objects of interest "
..and the flashing light would be from a bar .

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by Tools

The Sub bezel is a 60 minute marker with no relationship to an hour hand.

The 24 hr hand has no relationship to anything except a 24 hr bezel.

I did post a rotateable 12hr hand! Perhaps those posting about going cave exploring are fewer in numbers than those of us sailing at night around the coast

[Stan Cooper]

I'm really confused; there are 24 primary time zones globally, with many more half-hour time zones.

There are a number of watches on the market that have both 12 hour and 24 hour graduations on the dial as well as a 24 hour hand, and typically one or the other (12 hour or 24 hour hand) is adjustable independently of the other.

The Sinn 857 UTC VFR model is one such watch that includes a rotating "dive" bezel. The 24 hour hand and dial graduations are colored orange for easy reference to the second time zone.

[Tim Plains]

It seems the whole purpose of this watch flew over your head.

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by nikhsub1

After reading the OP's post a few times I still can't figure out how a sub bezel on an explorer 2 would help with sailing at night and bouys.

Here in good old UK, we are surrounded by water and when sailing at night around the coast, it requires a good lookout for marker bouys (we also have fog) A bouy has a pattern of lights (or occlusions) and there could be more than one in the sea area into which one is sailing. Those distinct first seconds marked on the Submariners bezel would be most helpful (especially when using a torch) to identify the frequency of the bouy 'lights' marked on a chart. Oh, and I did write in to Rolex in 2007, long before the new Submariner or new ExporerII came out!

[Zsprings]

Rolex also wasn’t one to “mix purposes” when designing Professional watches. In other words, the Explorer II was designed for cave divers, and a 60min timing bezel isn’t applicable.[/QUOTE]

Designed for cave divers?? I thought Rolex watches were designed to be cherished today and hardly worn....cave diving? Oh no! might get scratched on those nasty rocks!

[csaltphoto]

Earlier iterations of the Explorer II did have luminous tritium markings on the dial making it possible to determine both the 24 hour time and the 12 hour time in the dark. As others have pointed out though, if you are deep in a cave with no working illumination you have much bigger problems than wondering what time it is...

[G3Z]

The 24hr hand also helps find North.

[Stan Cooper]

Originally Posted by Tim Plains

It seems the whole purpose of this watch flew over your head.

Perhaps, but my confusion was over the OP's repeated assertion that there are "just 12 time zones." There are 12 primary time zones east of the Prime Meridian (Greenwich) and 12 west of the Prime Meridian. That adds up to twenty-four unless there's some new math I'm not aware of.

Originally Posted by Zsprings

My point being, there are just 12 time zones and a traveller might only set the different time (either GMT or local time) in one of 12 different hours and will know if it night or day where they are presently standing.

[faimag]

Originally Posted by Zsprings

I did post a rotateable 12hr hand! Perhaps those posting about going cave exploring are fewer in numbers than those of us sailing at night around the coast

those of you sailing at night around the coast need a full featured gps on your boat rather than a Rolex on your hand

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by faimag

those of you sailing at night around the coast need a full featured gps on your boat rather than a Rolex on your hand

Belts and Braces....! Yes we have all watched TV programmes where using gps they '...drain the ocean..' revealing sunken WW2 wrecks lying on the seabed! But sandbanks drift, and an electronic chart cannot always be up-to-date, that's why there are lightships that can be repositioned. Also, my drawing submitted to Rolex SA was of a wristwatch, not a pocket watch, on the wrist!
What else can we post, that doesn't get adverse replies and the 'dumb' animation? Only recently I read a post by a well known member of many years, who complained fedup about reading threads and posts about the prices and values of Rolex watchs. I agree, some of us bought rolex to wear and use!

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Tim Plains

It seems the whole purpose of this watch flew over your head.

Or burrowed right under our feet. See that? See what I did there?

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Zsprings

Belts and braces

Interesting. Never met anyone actually familiar with the term “braces” who’d ever consider wearing along with a belt

[Harry-57]

Yes.

Or at least it is on my Explorer II. I can't speak for anyone else but it's a moot point really.

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by dannyp

Interesting. Never met anyone actually familiar with the term “braces” who’d ever consider wearing along with a belt

Could be a dental brace for a grinning fool.

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

Yes.

Or at least it is on my Explorer II. I can't speak for anyone else but it's a moot point really.

Glad for you that you managed to get one (hopefully a 226570 at AD price?)

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Lunaen

The original point of the 24 hour bezel is so that people can know if it’s night or day where they are presently located without the aid of the Sun. This was useful for caving where it’s dark 24/7 or exploration near the poles where it can be dark for 30 days on a row.


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This ^^^

[Zsprings]

Originally Posted by csaltphoto

Earlier iterations of the Explorer II did have luminous tritium markings on the dial making it possible to determine both the 24 hour time and the 12 hour time in the dark. As others have pointed out though, if you are deep in a cave with no working illumination you have much bigger problems than wondering what time it is...

Great shot of an interesting Explorer I have never seen before! Just the short of ineresting reply I was hoping to get! Thanks