Omega Polar vs Polar Explorer pick one

[Fleetlord]

Rolex

[klenboy]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

Rolex

Nuff said.

[vanwedphotog]

I owned SMP white but sold it and bought Exp recently.
Didn’t like the waves on the dial, small date window, bezel was hard to use when wet ( too slippery)

Explorer looks cleaner, no pointless valve, fits and feels better due to lower profile and not top heavy.
Design is more timeless.
100m is enough for regular water activities and GMT is a nice bonus.

[dtwer]

This is comparing apples to oranges. The Omega is called Seamaster Diver 300M, not polar.

[BigFig]

Originally Posted by dtwer

This is comparing apples to oranges. The Omega is called Seamaster Diver 300M, not polar.

And Rolex refers to the white dial on the 226570 as White not Polar.

[Cassian739]

I own both - Exp2 all day / every day, and it's not even a close decision.

[Carguy87]

Originally Posted by Cassian739

I own both - Exp2 all day / every day, and it's not even a close decision.

If you were going to take the EXP 2 off the bracelet and exclusively wear it on a rubber strap vs. the Omega on rubber as a beach / pool watch which would you pick?

(I know the Explorer isn’t marketed as a beach watch but 100m of WR, a screw down crown, and a fixed bezel that can’t get sand underneath, plus a GMT function for when visiting a beach in a different time zone make it a stand out option in my book).

[John Doyle]

Explorer 2 for me

[Scottyboy]

It really depends if I needed a white dial Diver or a Spelunking watch which for some reason is shown on a really awful orange NATO?

[agriculture&watches]

Explorer II polar for sure

[fishingbear]

Rolex

[travisb]

Polar Exp II is probably my favorite white dial watch. So there you go.

[Jackie Daytona]

Explorer II by a significant margin. Dual time zones. Cooler case design. The pop of orange is nice. Just a cool watch.

[krounchou]

Explorer Polar for sure. And a 16570 !

[rolexjackson]

Two completely different watches. One is a dive watch the other is an exploring watch. I think there is room for both pieces in your collection. A better comparison would be the white sky dweller to the polar expII


Life is short, buy the watch.

[Dave455]

As others have suggested, the watches are really totally different, which makes comparisons difficult.

Quality wise, the Seamasters are good. Perhaps the best they have ever been. But they're not in the same league as the Explorer II, so from a quality perspective, it's the Explorer.

Style wise, both watches are nicely proportioned, and neither are disappointingly thick like the Planet Ocean. Both have black hands, essential on a white dial. (Note please Breitling). But, speaking as a Seamaster owner, the skeleton hands are awful. Not highly visible in low light, and turn the watch from a tool watch into a divers "style" watch. The escape valve is hideous too.

The Explorer II is just superb. A subtly different watch from the GMT or the Submariner, but is perfect for it's role. The bold black hands, the lume, everything, are perfect. The orange 24 hour hand looks great on the white face, especially with the orange script.

There's no doubt, the Explorer wins it every way.

Incidentally, the original reason for the white faces on tool watches was for use in sunny conditions. Black faces allow the movement to get hotter, reducing accuracy.

I own one watch with a white face (an OP 34 mm) which I use as a dedicated tool for sunny conditions. I also own an Explorer II, but in black.

[1William]

I have owned both and still have the Explorer II in both black and white. Believe it or not the black dial gets more wear than the Polar. The Explorer II for fit, finish and overall looks.

[KatGirl]

Is this a serious question? There is no contest here. Apples and oranges. Polar Explorer by a country mile!

Kat


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[B2 Stealth]

Polar ExplorerII is the best "tool" watch Rolex makes. My everyday. A special reference.

[cdmorenot]

Very tough choice ! I own a variation of both. I don't think I would be able to choose.

[PeteNYC13]

Originally Posted by deeman54

Which would you choose and why? I they they both are amazing time pieces.





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Posted on "Rolex Forums", gee, which way will the opinions go?!

Talk about an echo chamber. That being said, 100% Explorer, that's why I am on the Rolex Forums and not the Omega Forums

[gamingdoctor]

polar explorer, but the 16570! The seamaster is too big and garish.

[belutak]

Originally Posted by gamingdoctor

polar explorer, but the 16570! The seamaster is too big and garish.

Seamaster is more comfortable to wear and is technically a superior watch


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[londondude]

Explorer II

[173rdabn]

Explorer II hands down. I'm wearing mine right now.

[luk4s83]

From technical standpoint Omega is a better watch - it has better, nicely decorated movement with display case back, ceramic laser etched dial, clasp with quick adjustment and more refined watch case. Rolex is pretty plain but Rolex is Rolex so obviously I'd pick the Explorer II.
That being said it's better to have Omega on a wrist than wait forever for a Rolex.
I had fantastic buying experience getting my SMP300m from Omega AD few years back and it's still one of my favorite watches in my collection. So far Rolex is thousands miles away from that.

[Carguy87]

I go back and forth on this as I would like to add one of these as a summer beach/pool watch. Not really a fair fight since the EXPII is twice the price but that’s the direction I’ve been leaning.

[2thdock]

Originally Posted by Carguy87

I go back and forth on this as I would like to add one of these as a ]summer beach/pool watch[/B][/COLOR]. Not really a fair fight since the EXPII is twice the price but that’s the direction I’ve been leaning.

My blue SMP300 has a blue rubber strap and has become my go to summer daytime pool, Waverunner, poolbar watch. The white dial looks best with a black rubber strap, and I love it too. . I am looking at Polars as a kick around , Vermont, daily "beater". My point is you need both. Get the Omega pre-owned because it's a good (great) value used. Get on the AD list for a new Polar at MSRP!

[White Collar Boy]

Unpopular opinion here, but I prefer the SMP.

[Navin Johnson]

Explorer ii for me. I’m actually still waiting for one with my AD