For as long as I can remember, I've had a penchant for beautiful, functional watches. For me, the brand of the watch has never been the primary factor. Instead, what matters is that I like the watch and that it has a certain level of quality. Ten years ago, I mainly liked diving watches, then moved on to the most important feature for me: the GMT complex feature. I think the appearance of the 24 hour scale and the extra GMT hands makes these watches stand out in the watch world.

I started searching, and before I knew it, I found myself staring at a piece (Want to guess?). A Rolex Greenwich. The Rolex name on the dial was fine for me, but that was it, and to be honest, the model was a little too thick for me at the time. Anyway, I prefer the vintage style of these tool watches. The only problem ten years ago was that they were expensive.

I need something else. That's when I came across the Rolex Explorer II ref. 16570. On closer inspection, I really prefer the GMT-Master II's stainless steel bezel to the color bezel. While the GMT-Master II is close in size without a cigar, the Explorer II's specs are perfect for me: a 40mm stainless steel case, a nice flat profile, and a Rolex 3185 movement. I chose the black dial version.

40mm stainless steel case, flat profile and GMT complex features

In 2014, I was 41 years old and moving forward as a musician. At the end of a long European tour with my band that fall, I gifted myself a Rolex Explorer II, a used 2003 model in good condition that I quickly and easily found on the then-new Chrono24. I put it on and immediately knew it was the best watch for me. I can finally end my search for my dream watch. That is, until... I often wore my 16570 for two years and alternated it with other watches in my collection, which always hovered between five and seven watches. I'm also what the watch world calls a "flipper," so my collection is constantly changing.

In 2016, I got rid of the Explorer II and bought a Tudor Heritage Black Bay and an Omega Seahorse Planet Ocean 600. Now, this was essentially just an itch to look at other watches, which turned out to be a financial mistake. At that point, I still thought that if I started to miss my old model, I could always buy another Explorer II for the same price. However, we all know how this pricing story ended (my Sea Angel fell victim to the same thing, but that's a story for another day).

I was right there, without my Explorer II. Over the next three years, fine watches from brands large and small came and went. I've never really followed the watch market and its price development, so it didn't occur to me to check the performance of the Explorer II. That changed in 2019 when I started working at Chrono24, where my work revolved around exactly how well watches would perform in the market and how much the value of certain watches might increase.

The thrill is back

The other day, I was perusing the Rolex text, researching the Explorer II ref's price-performance ratio. 16570, when my heart stopped. Did I see something? Or is this simple but beautifully looking watch about $5,000 more expensive now than it was six or seven years ago? We all know the answer: The pandemic and the global economy have flooded the luxury watch market with speculators, driving prices for some models through the nose. This is precisely the case with the Explorer II 16570.

The Explorer II 16570 rekindled my horological heart.

Whatever happened, the watch was back on my radar, etched in my mind, unforgettable. Throughout my flipping career, reflecting on its specifications and features, the Rolex 16570 is the best watch I've ever owned. The fire is blazing again.

By early 2022, the search is back on: Googling, ridiculous prices, sending questions to sellers - you know what to do. But there is one question that no one can answer: Is it wise for me to pay nearly three times what I paid for the same watch in 2014? There is no rational explanation for this. Oh, and I subconsciously told myself early on that I would buy the Explorer II 16570 again.

Things are starting to get serious. The website of a well-known German luxury watch dealer based in Berlin showcases some interesting pieces. This time, I'm not going to go the route of "buy and use on watch forums or somewhere on the Internet." For the price range I was facing, I wanted someone to show me the watch and say something cool about it in person.

Swap the oyster strap for a cozy tropical one

I remember it would: Sitting in the dealership's sales room, neatly dressed salespeople placed three newly refurbished Explorer II 16570 models in front of me. I was ecstatic, but I didn't leave this place, without them. I decided to go with the newest and most expensive of the three - a 2003 Explorer II that had been overhauled and was in good condition as new, making me look like the first person to wear it. The dopamine surge may have been a factor here, but in that moment, I didn't even care that the original box was no longer available, even though the files were still available. The dealer provided me with a worn-out looking general-purpose box to store, but I didn't mind because I never believed the "full set" hype anyway. Later, I even took my watch off its original oyster strap and replaced it with a comfortable tropical one.

Since then, I have included the 16570 in my Chrono24 watch collection and paid close attention to its market performance. I know, I know - selling my first Explorer II a long time ago was the wrong move financially. When I hung my head because of the shame of the watch industry, I lost 20%. But hey, when it's love at first sight, why does money matter in the first place?