Rolex Explorer II Polar Dial Guide: 16550, 16570, 216570 and 226570

The Rolex Explorer II Polar is the white-dial Explorer II, and the nickname has attached to every white-dial version since the 16550 of 1985: the 40 mm 16570, the 42 mm 216570 and the current 42 mm 226570-0001 with the calibre 3285. The white lacquer dial with black-edged markers and the orange 24-hour hand is the Explorer II most people picture, and it is the version that carries a premium over the black dial on the secondary market despite costing the same at retail. This guide covers what makes a Polar a Polar, how the four white-dial generations differ, the cream-dial 16550 and early 216570 examples that collectors chase, how the watch wears, dated 2026 prices and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources the Polar to order; the Explorer II collection lists the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 25, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

What is the Rolex Explorer II Polar?

Polar is a collector nickname, not a Rolex name, for any Explorer II with a white dial. Rolex calls the current one the Explorer II with white dial, reference 226570-0001. The nickname comes from the model's original brief: a watch for cave explorers and polar scientists who could not tell day from night, so the orange 24-hour hand reads against the fixed 24-hour bezel. The white dial arrived in 1985 with the 16550, fourteen years after the black-dial-only 1655, and has been offered alongside a black dial ever since. On every generation the white dial uses black-edged applied markers and black-outlined hands so the lume plots stay legible against the white background, which is why a Polar looks different from every other white-dial Rolex.

Rolex Explorer II Polar references and specifications

Sources: Rolex, Explorer II 226570 white dial for the current watch, and the Rolex Explorer collection page for the models offered alongside it. Older references are described from general reference knowledge; Rolex does not publish archive pages for discontinued models.

Why is the white dial called Polar and why does it cost more?

Both dials of every Explorer II generation have carried the same retail price, so the Polar premium on the secondary market is demand rather than cost. Three things drive it. The white dial is the one that reads as an Explorer II from across a room, because no other Rolex sports watch has a white dial with black-edged markers. The orange hand contrasts more against white than against black, which is the whole point of the design. And the nickname itself does work: buyers search for a Polar, not for a white-dial 226570. The result is that unworn Polars have generally been asked at a small premium over unworn black dials, and pre-owned Polars are the more requested of the two. The gap is modest compared with the GMT-Master II nicknames, which is why the Polar remains one of the more sensible steel Rolex sports watches to buy on the secondary market.

The cream-dial 16550: the accidental Polar collectors chase

The 16550 was a transitional reference made for only about four years. It introduced the sapphire crystal, the calibre 3085 with an independently adjustable 12-hour hand and, for the first time, a white dial. A batch of those white dials was finished with a lacquer that turned cream or ivory over the years, and Rolex replaced many of them at service with the corrected white. Surviving cream-dial 16550s are therefore scarce and command a large premium over a standard white 16550, and an even larger one over a 16570. The same lacquer issue reappeared briefly on early 216570 Polars from 2011 and 2012, where some dials warmed to a faint cream. Neither was intended, and neither is a variant Rolex ever catalogued, but both are documented in the auction record; the Phillips watch department and Sotheby's watches have each sold cream-dial examples with condition notes worth reading before you pay for one.

16570 Polar: the 40 mm Polar

The 16570 is the Polar for anyone who finds the 42 mm case too large. At 40 mm with the thinner red 24-hour hand and slimmer case, it wears like a Submariner without the rotating bezel, and 22 years of production mean examples exist at every price and condition. Tritium dials up to about 1998 read "SWISS - T < 25" and can age gently; later Luminova dials stay white. From about 2007 the 3186 movement replaced the 3185, and the last examples from 2007 to 2011 gained the engraved rehaut. The 16570 also exists with a black dial, but the white is the more sought after and has held value better. A 16570 Polar is still one of the least expensive ways into a steel Rolex sports watch with a real complication.

216570 vs 226570 Polar: which 42 mm Polar?

The 226570 is the better watch to buy new: the 70-hour reserve and slimmer case answer the two complaints about the 216570. The 216570 Polar is the value route to the 42 mm look, and an early example with a cream-tinged dial is the one with a collector following. The Explorer II 226570 guide goes deeper on the current reference and its black-dial sibling.

How does the Explorer II Polar wear?

The 42 mm Polar wears large. With a lug-to-lug of about 50 mm and a fixed steel bezel, it presents a lot of dial, and the white face makes it read even bigger than the black-dial version on the same case. Wrists above about 17 cm (6.7 inches) carry it well; below that, the 40 mm 16570 or the 40 mm Explorer is the better fit. The 2021 case with its slimmer lugs is noticeably more comfortable than the 2011 to 2021 case, and the Easylink extension gives 5 mm without tools. There is no Jubilee and no gold Polar; the Explorer II has only ever been steel, which is part of why the white dial is the model's whole visual identity.

How much is a Rolex Explorer II Polar? Prices in 2026

• Retail. Rolex's US list price for the 226570 sat in the low-to-mid US$10,000s in 2026, the same for the white and black dials; the current figure is on the Rolex product page linked above. The Polar takes longer to obtain at an authorised dealer than the black dial in most markets.
• Secondary market. In 2025 and 2026 unworn full-set 226570 Polars have generally been asked at a modest premium to retail, and pre-owned full sets at or a little above retail. The 216570 Polar has traded below the 226570, and the 16570 Polar below that, with cream-dial 16550s the exception at the top of the range.
• Bizak catalogue asks. On 25 September 2026 our sourced catalogue listed the 226570 Polar at US$14,094 brand new, the black-dial 226570 at US$12,925 brand new and a pre-owned black-dial 226570 at US$11,968, all sourced to order. Older Polars are quoted on request because condition moves the price more than the reference does.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, year and set; our Rolex price guide explains how to compare quotes.

Buying a used Explorer II Polar: what to check

• Dial originality. A cream 16550 or early 216570 dial should show even warmth across the whole dial with matching lume on the hands; a perfectly white dial in an early 16550 is likely a service replacement, which is fine if priced as one.
• Dial text. A 226570 reads "Explorer II" with the Rolex crown at 6; a 216570 lacks the crown; a 16570 reads "Explorer II" with "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" in two lines and tritium dials show "SWISS - T < 25".
• 24-hour function. From the first crown position the 12-hour hand should jump in one-hour steps while the orange or red hand stays put; on the 16550 and later the date should follow the hour hand across midnight.
• Bezel. The fixed steel bezel is brushed on top and polished on the edge; engraved numerals should be crisp and unpainted. Deep scratches are permanent short of a bezel replacement.
• Case. Sharp lug chamfers and even brushing; the 216570's wide lugs show polishing quickly. Drilled lug holes on early 16570s should be crisp.
• Papers and serial. Card serial, rehaut engraving (2007 onward) and case serial should agree. Rolex does not reissue cards, and every 226570 is still inside its five-year warranty until at least 2026.
• Price against the band. A full-set Polar offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch.

Quick answers

What does Polar mean on a Rolex Explorer II?

Polar is the collector nickname for any Explorer II with a white dial, from the 16550 of 1985 to the current 226570-0001. Rolex itself simply calls it the white dial.

How much is a Rolex Explorer II Polar?

Rolex's US list price for the 226570 sat in the low-to-mid US$10,000s in 2026 for either dial. Bizak's sourced catalogue listed the 226570 Polar at US$14,094 brand new on 25 September 2026, sourced to order.

Is the Polar worth more than the black dial?

At retail they cost the same. On the secondary market the Polar has generally carried a modest premium because it is the more requested of the two, and it has held value a little better.

What is the cream-dial Explorer II?

A 16550 from 1985 to 1989, or an early 216570 from 2011 or 2012, whose white lacquer dial aged to cream or ivory. Rolex replaced many at service, so surviving examples are scarce and carry a premium.

Which Explorer II Polar is 40 mm?

The 16570, made from 1989 to 2011, and the 16550 before it. The 216570 of 2011 and the 226570 of 2021 are both 42 mm.

Request an Explorer II Polar sourcing quote

Tell us the reference, preferred year range, condition and whether the warranty card is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, card and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: 226570 Polar white dial, 226570 black dial, pre-owned 226570; browse the Explorer II collection, the 226570 collection, or sell or trade your Explorer II.

Related reading: Explorer II 226570 guide · Explorer 40 224270 guide · Rolex nicknames explained · Rolex waitlist explained.