Replacement straps for the Rolex Explorer II

The Explorer II is a versatile watch that can be dressed up with leather. It’s a timeless look that will work well in business casual. Brown or tan leather looks especially great on the white dial version. Its GMT complication makes it perfect for business travel.

On the other hand, the Explorer II is first and foremost an adventurer’s watch, having summited Mt. Everest. Throw it on an Everest rubber band and instantly the watch feels ready for action. Our curved end link rubber straps really do look like they were made for the Explorer II and no doubt you’ll be happy jumping into water with this pairing.

Some people prefer the smaller case size (40mm) of older Rolex Explorer II vs the larger cases size (42mm) and maxi dial of the newer version. It really depends on your personal style. Hodinkee writer James Stacey wears a nice Polar Explorer II 16570 in the 40mm size and it suits his love for more discreet watches. The modern Explorer II 216570 works well for larger wrists and the bold orange GMT hand (a nod to the 1655 Explorer iI of the 1970s) really shines.

With the steel bezel, we think this model really shines when paired with a contrasting color strap. This allows for a visual breakup of where the case connects to the strap. The black Everest rubber strap for the Explorer II black dial is one of our favorite combos. There’s something about the way that the black allows the dial details to shine.

Rubber Strap for Rolex Explorer II 

Everest offers only the finest rubber straps for your Explorer II. Our Swiss-made straps are soft and pliable yet feel sturdy and substantive on the wrist. We’ve been told by customers that our straps are very comfortable and that it’s not easy to go back to the weight of the full-metal bracelet setup after trying your Rolex on rubber.

Leather Straps for Rolex Explorer II

Our Italian-tanned leather straps will fit the case of your Explorer II with no gap. If you want to wear your Explorer II with a refined leather strap, we have some great options. Our leather straps require virtually no break-in time and gradually mold to the wearer’s individual wrist shape. What’s cool about premium leather straps is they will show the unique wear marks of the owner.

So here is an opportunity to customize your Rolex Explorer II, one of our favorite watches that aren’t as common as the Submariner or GMT Master II.