Anyone who lived through the 1980s can attest that the new Explorer draws from the lineage of Rolex’s two-tone sports watches. Still, when copy Rolex introduced the watch in April 2021, it caused outrage. People couldn’t stand the idea of a pure tool watch like the Explorer being pushed into the two-tone territory. But there is plenty of precedent for this. It’s nothing new; frankly, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. 
Rolex has been making two-tone versions of the GMT-Master and Submariner for over half a century. They are very collectible and are part of the general watch scene. You wouldn’t bat an eye at a two-tone Submariner with an ink blue dial or a killer root beer GMT with a Jubilee bracelet, would you?
And, if we want to go even deeper, do you remember the Deep Sea Special Edition? It’s one of the most instrumental Rolex tool watches, made in 1960 for the submarine Trieste that braved the Marianas Trench’s outer reaches. It’s a vast, rugged dive watch, completely indescribable as a wristwatch. But it is two-tone. You can see the Deepsea Special 1 in all its steel and gold glory with the Reza Ali Rashidian in Dialogue Watchmaking. Please tell me that the bimetallic construction makes this watch less robust or rugged. I’ll wait.
If historical precedent isn’t enough for you, consider what replica Rolex has done with professional watches over the past few years. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Explorer is on the verge of precious metal territory. We’ve seen a rapid increase in the number of gold Daytona models, Submariner makeovers including two-tone, yellow, and white gold variants, and we’ve seen GMT-Masters in everything from white gold with meteorite dials to two-tone configurations in stellar and steel. Rolex wants you to think that their sporty watches are more than just steel tool replica watches, and the Explorer is just the latest to join the ranks. If that’s not acceptable to you, don’t worry, this watch is still available in an all stainless steel configuration.
