My Clean EXPLORER II 226570 Polar with DD3285 came in today

[Tiffin]

My Clean Explorer II 226570 (white dial, DD3285) arrived today from Ryan (USA Delivery). It cleared customs without any issues and took about two weeks to arrive.


Here are my thoughts:

1. There are some dirt spots on the dial, though they're not visible to the naked eye.
2. The biggest red flag for me is the crown. Screwing it in and out feels scratchy, sticky, and it grinds. I own a couple of genuine Rolexes, and the difference is night and day — the gen crowns feel smooth with a firm resistance that I assume comes from the seals. I’m really disappointed with how this crown feels.
3. The crown guards — the part of the case that protects the crown — feel sharp and unfinished. I’d need to compare it directly to a genuine Explorer II to be sure, but it doesn’t feel premium.
4. The crown on the clasp is also sharp. Lifting it to take off the watch feels cheap and unpleasant.

From a distance (say 5 feet), it looks fine. But I’d honestly be embarrassed to hand it to a genuine Rolex owner. I wouldn’t buy this model again.


That said, I’ll use this watch to decide if I want to invest in a genuine Explorer II Polar as my AD can get me one in a couple months.

 

[Bez625]

From experience with a clean GMT 2 - the feel of the crown winding can be massively improved on by a service. The finishing I can't speak to.

Also not sure if you noticed, but your date wheel is pretty high in the window too.

I've been considering getting a rep of this as a fun watch. I also considered Gen, but at the price point I feel there are better options (although the better options will definitely not be a 2 month wait)

 

[Reaps]

500 dollars vs 10,000 dollars.... remeber the price you paid for it.... again people are walking into RWI buying reps with this 1:1 expectation.... to quote Legend... it will be 1:1 when the price is 1:1.

Gritty crown? Get it serviced and the threads cleaned up alongside winding mechanism. Or replace with gen crown tube and crown for $300 total (60% the cost of your rep). Sharp edges? Professional repolishing and bevelling is $400.

It is more fair to compare it to a watch at the same price. So compare it with a $500 Seiko for your expectations....

 

[WatchKnob]

ive been saying it since my first rep well back in like 2009 era... I still cant get over how unbelievably bad all the threads are on these reps. on ALL of them... every single thing ive had has a shitty crown/tube thread interface, horrible bracelet screw bolt threads and of course casebacks are terrible as well... they can spend the money on fancy parts & are using $1m+ machines in some of the processes but they just refuse to cut the threads properly.
Come to think of it, I dont believe ive had any genuine watch, even a shitter, had a bad screw down crown....

every watch, every time I just push inward gently while counter rotating it until I feel it lightly drop off the leading edge of the threads so I know where it starts and wont end up cross threading.


***the AP RO's and panerai radiomirs were actually pretty good reflecting deeper on this topic

 

[Tiffin]

From experience with a clean GMT 2 - the feel of the crown winding can be massively improved on by a service. The finishing I can't speak to.

Also not sure if you noticed, but your date wheel is pretty high in the window too.

I've been considering getting a rep of this as a fun watch. I also considered Gen, but at the price point I feel there are better options (although the better options will definitely not be a 2 month wait)

Here is a shot of it at 12. It looks centered. 12 is what they used for the QC photos and I approved. Looks like some are higher than others. Is this common?

 

[Bez625]

Here is a shot of it at 12. It looks centered. 12 is what they used for the QC photos and I approved. Looks like some are higher than others. Is this common?

I've never noticed personally, but some generic QC advice I've seen is to ask for shots of a few dates just in case.

There are people who will say this is "too much" and if you are looking at this level of detail then "reps aren't for you".

Overall it's about the imperfections you are willing to accept. I always find it a difficult balance. We're urged to use TDs because they are trusted and you get to QC, but when you see people buy the latest "AAA+++ Super Clone" and query imperfections there are usually a bunch of commenters dismissing almost any complaint.

 

[TerryRobot]

The crown threads are always a little gritty on a lot of models , this is most likely past left over from polishing rather than actual swarf.
this can be easily sorted but winding out the crown and using and fine paint brush to brush of any large particals and an air duster blown away from the watch dial.

then get some dry lube on a small detail painting brush and wipe some on the threads and let it run round them then use some tissue, ideally non shedding or MF cloth is better ti wipe excess off, then repeat and it will feel fine after, might take a few goes.

Ideally it would be better to do this by taking the movement and crown out as access will be better but isnt required unless very gritty.

The reality is that these are often mas produced cases but hand finished same as a gen would be but they are done by a work force that work to a Landrover quality of "that'll do" finishing some will be honed in their skills and be much better and others new to the role so its hit n miss. The idea of comparing to a gen often comes up and whilst they are very close in looks and alot of the time feel and accuracy these days you can forget that there is an attention to detail that will not be the same for that kind of money so expecting similar quality is very un-realistic although for lot of the one that have passed through my hands over the years it get ever better and scary close on some! You just need to pick the models where the most attention has been made and research the factories pushing those limits.

The Explorer II is a nice watch in gen and not all that out of reach but it is less popular than many others stalwarts and as such is often rattled out to service a need but often lacks in the fine details, often the bezel is the biggest tell or the lume match on the dial (polar version).

I had a 116610LN gen ages ago and the crown on the clasp like you say on your rep was actually a little more sharp and crisp in comparison to the rep I had at the time. Oddly but I get what you mean.

Handing it over to a gen owner is a different story altogether, as most would never notice the small differences unless they own the exact same model and year, and even then unless they are versed in the small foibles that the reps carry its unlikely they would notice unless its glaringly obvious, I'm taking this form the perspective of an owner rather than a dealer or enthusiast, the latter might pay more attention to detail. Most owner that can afford gens wont even bother looking at the rep market and many will still think the ticking hand is the tell! Some of us like yourself though do dabble in both realms and I use reps for trialing a potential gen model without splashing out, often changing my mind numerous times when gold is thrown into the mix!

QC on the watch is crucial but you really want to do as much homework as you can first up with comparing TD images against genuine models (often Watchfinder or Chrono or even Ebay have much better pictures for comparison than the stock images RO used on their own site as real world pictures in different lighting give a much better view and most of the TD's sites have some pretty good quality images in high res. The images might not always be the latest version of the watch in question where some minor improvements may have been updated on them in between its release (but not a new version as such like GMT's or Subs often have when referring to the certain colored inserts).

For the money its a great watch the movement is very good and most will not of seen one in the wild either.

 

[aHero]

But I’d honestly be embarrassed to hand it to a genuine Rolex owner.

Why would you hand it to a gen owner, anyway?

 

[Robsen]

I have same watch, having handled numerous watches both gen and rep, I think the clean 3285 Explorer 2 is one of the best I’ve had. Yes there are flaws ..
Like every rep - there is good and bad points. As people said why would you hand this over to anyone and 98%of the population don’t even know what an explorer 2 is or even care
Just wear it and enjoy

 

[Tiffin]

Anyone want to buy this? I'm going to buy the gen. I can throw it up in the for sale section.

 

[Tiffin]

Why would you hand it to a gen owne

The crown threads are always a little gritty on a lot of models , this is most likely past left over from polishing rather than actual swarf.
this can be easily sorted but winding out the crown and using and fine paint brush to brush of any large particals and an air duster blown away from the watch dial.

then get some dry lube on a small detail painting brush and wipe some on the threads and let it run round them then use some tissue, ideally non shedding or MF cloth is better ti wipe excess off, then repeat and it will feel fine after, might take a few goes.

Ideally it would be better to do this by taking the movement and crown out as access will be better but isnt required unless very gritty.

The reality is that these are often mas produced cases but hand finished same as a gen would be but they are done by a work force that work to a Landrover quality of "that'll do" finishing some will be honed in their skills and be much better and others new to the role so its hit n miss. The idea of comparing to a gen often comes up and whilst they are very close in looks and alot of the time feel and accuracy these days you can forget that there is an attention to detail that will not be the same for that kind of money so expecting similar quality is very un-realistic although for lot of the one that have passed through my hands over the years it get ever better and scary close on some! You just need to pick the models where the most attention has been made and research the factories pushing those limits.

The Explorer II is a nice watch in gen and not all that out of reach but it is less popular than many others stalwarts and as such is often rattled out to service a need but often lacks in the fine details, often the bezel is the biggest tell or the lume match on the dial (polar version).

I had a 116610LN gen ages ago and the crown on the clasp like you say on your rep was actually a little more sharp and crisp in comparison to the rep I had at the time. Oddly but I get what you mean.

Handing it over to a gen owner is a different story altogether, as most would never notice the small differences unless they own the exact same model and year, and even then unless they are versed in the small foibles that the reps carry its unlikely they would notice unless its glaringly obvious, I'm taking this form the perspective of an owner rather than a dealer or enthusiast, the latter might pay more attention to detail. Most owner that can afford gens wont even bother looking at the rep market and many will still think the ticking hand is the tell! Some of us like yourself though do dabble in both realms and I use reps for trialing a potential gen model without splashing out, often changing my mind numerous times when gold is thrown into the mix!

QC on the watch is crucial but you really want to do as much homework as you can first up with comparing TD images against genuine models (often Watchfinder or Chrono or even Ebay have much better pictures for comparison than the stock images RO used on their own site as real world pictures in different lighting give a much better view and most of the TD's sites have some pretty good quality images in high res. The images might not always be the latest version of the watch in question where some minor improvements may have been updated on them in between its release (but not a new version as such like GMT's or Subs often have when referring to the certain colored inserts).

For the money its a great watch the movement is very good and most will not of seen one in the wild either.

Great response Terry. Thank you!

 

[Maximillian]

I’m no expert on Explorer II, but based on what I’ve got from Clean, like the Explorer I, Subs, Daytona and so on, the movements always feel grindy. The VR ones in the Subs are especially bad. My Clean 116500 felt rough when I got it. I replaced the entire power and winding module, including barrel complete, ratchet wheel, click wheel, winding wheel, winding pinion and sliding pinion. After that, it winds as smooth as a gen. The whole job costs me close to 1k.

This is a rep. Top factories like VS and Clean are already giving us something that’s 90% close to gen. If you want the remaining 10％, if you’re after the best, then you’ve got to invest more and do the mods.

 

[TerryRobot]

One thing Clean dont seem to have solved on the dials is the E and the II text I thought this would have been sorted by now, but the long base on the last E is awful and the lack of the lower line to the last I of the Explorer II text is off too.

I reckon who ever is doing the printing has moved the lower marker form the II and accidentally added it to the end of the E (in the car drawing used to print the text bit like they have not lined up and underscore. E_

Over all I think its ok but not anywhere near as good as the GMT's they do.

 

[flatus15]

Anyone want to buy this? I'm going to buy the gen. I can throw it up in the for sale section.

DM’ed

 

[Reaps]

DM’ed

The guy is not certified to sell, and backdoor sales are potentially bannable offenses for both buyer and seller and the forum will not step in to help if shit goes south. Just letting you know right now.

 

[flatus15]

The guy is not certified to sell, and backdoor sales are potentially bannable offenses for both buyer and seller and the forum will not step in to help if shit goes south. Just letting you know right now.

Thanks for the 411 @Reaps!

 

[Tiffin]

I'll be putting it up in the for sale section.

 

[Reaps]

I'll be putting it up in the for sale section.

I know things were different a few years ago but check out the rules again - you meet none of the requirements to sell, post count, certification, etc, just go through the process, read the rules, etc etc

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