A fake Explorer 16570 is any Rolex Explorer II reference 16570 that Rolex did not build. The reference ran from 1989 to 2011, so the used market holds thousands of genuine watches and a parallel supply of copies, from $80 quartz builds to $600 super clone watches with modified automatic movements. Three checks settle the question fast: the movement inside, the dial printing, and the case and lug finish.
Why the Explorer II 16570 Attracts So Many Fakes
The 16570 has a plain steel case, a fixed 24-hour bezel, and a standard three-hand dial with one extra GMT hand. Nothing on it needs the tooling of a chronograph or the finish of a dive bezel insert, so factories copy it with less risk.
Demand adds to that. Buyers want a two-time-zone Rolex without paying Submariner or Daytona money, and the 16570 is the cheapest path into that. The wait lists that pushed prices up across the brand also pushed more shoppers toward replicas.
Start With the Movement
The movement is the hardest part to fake and the easiest part to verify. A genuine 16570 uses Rolex caliber 3185 (1989 into the 2000s) or caliber 3186 (final years, 2006 to 2011). Both run at 28,800 vibrations per hour, which is 4 Hz.
- Caliber 3185: independent GMT hand, quick-set date tied to the crown, free-sprung balance with a conventional hairspring.
- Caliber 3186: Parachrom blue hairspring and a revised balance bridge. Photos of a genuine 3186 show the blue spring.
- Common fakes: ETA 2836-2 with a GMT module, Hangzhou 6460, DG3804B, and Chinese 3186 clones. Many beat at 21,600 vph (3 Hz), which you can see in the sweep.
Open the caseback or have a watchmaker do it. A sticker-covered Chinese movement under a glass back is a replica, and no debate is needed.
Dial and Hands Tells
Dial printing is where cheap copies fall apart under a loupe, and where good copies still leave clues.
Lume and the Six O'Clock Text
Early 16570 dials use tritium and print "SWISS - T <25" below the date window. Later dials use Luminova or Super-LumiNova and print "SWISS MADE". A dial with tritium-era markers and "SWISS MADE" text is wrong.
Font, Coronet, and Date Wheel
- The crown logo has five points and a defined oval base. Copies tend to flatten the points or widen the base.
- "ROLEX" and "OYSTER PERPETUAL DATE" sit in tight, even rows. Extra spacing or a heavier weight gives it away.
- The date font is thin and open. Copy date wheels look blocky.
- Cyclops magnification is 2.5x on the genuine watch. Many replicas sit near 2x.
GMT Hand
The 24-hour hand on a real 16570 ends in a wide arrow with a matte finish on top. Copies often shape the arrow too narrow or too wide, and polish it.
Case, Lugs, and Crown
The 16570 case has brushed top surfaces and polished sides. Plenty of replicas polish the whole case, or leave the lugs too thick when seen from above. Compare a candidate against photos of a known genuine watch from the same production year.
- Lug holes: early 16570 cases have drilled lug holes for spring bars, later ones do not.
- Crown guards: slim and asymmetric on the genuine watch, often bulbous on copies.
- Bezel: fixed steel 24-hour bezel with engraved numerals filled with black paint. A sticker insert or paint that sits above the surface is a giveaway.
- Caseback: plain steel with reference and serial stamped inside. Copies sometimes arrive with a display back or decorative engraving that Rolex never used.
- Crystal: sapphire with a date cyclops at 3 o'clock. Acrylic, or a sapphire that does not sit flush, is a red flag.
Reference and Serial Engraving
The reference number sits between the lugs at 12 o'clock, and the serial sits between the lugs at 6 o'clock. Genuine stamps vary by year and look uneven under a loupe. Laser-cut numbers that look printed by machine, or a serial that does not match the production era of the dial, point to a fake.
What Do Fake Explorer 16570 Watches Cost?
Prices cluster into three bands. Quartz copies sell for $50 to $150. Mid-tier automatics with a GMT module run $200 to $450. The best 1:1 builds land between $450 and $700 and hide their flaws under a correct caseback. Paying more does not make a replica genuine, and resale value sits near zero in every band.
Should You Buy One?
A replica 16570 gives you the look and the second time zone for a fraction of the price. It does not give you Rolex service, water resistance you can trust in a pool, or a watch that holds value. If you buy one, keep it away from water, expect a service within a few years, and treat any claim of "Swiss made super clone" as marketing.
FAQ
What is the single biggest giveaway on a fake Explorer 16570?
The movement. The genuine watch carries a Rolex 3185 or 3186, and no replica uses one.
Is the Explorer II 16570 still made?
No. Rolex stopped production in 2011 and replaced it with the 216570, a larger 42 mm model.
Can a jeweler spot a fake 16570 without opening it?
Often yes, from the dial print, the cyclops magnification, and the case finish. Opening the case confirms it.
Do fake Explorer 16570 watches keep time?
Decent automatic copies hold a few seconds a day when new. Cheap quartz versions keep time, but the hands and the GMT hand line up with the dial in few of them.