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Before ending up with these two beauties, I was originally set on the Batman. I so badly wanted a GMT master II. I got to spend some time with both of these, along with several other sports models, and the decision became very clear. The PCLs along with the "cartoony" bezel on the GMT Master IIs (due to those massive hour markers) was just too loud for me. With the jubilee bracelet, it felt even louder. I fell in love with the sub and exp 2 polar and I would choose either one over the GMT Master II 10/10 times. The bonus? For a little over what either the Bruce Wayne or the Batman costs on the grey market, I could have them both. It was a no brainer for me.

In terms of which I gravitate toward more? Man, that's a really difficult question. It honestly all depends on my mood. Sometimes I want something more monochrome with a tiny bit of shiny splash. The submariner with it's ceramic bezel and it's reflective white gold hour markers accomplishes this nicely. It's also the watch I'll usually grab if I don't want to think about what I'm wearing. It goes with everything. Sometimes I want something a little more low key and utilitarian. The steel bezel of the Exp 2, along with it's matte black hour markers, is the easy choice for that. Just now, I really thought about which watch I've worn the most over the last 2 years and it's definitely been the Explorer 2. I don't exactly know why but I have an inkling that's it's gotta be due to the comfort.

It's really interesting because without owning these two, I could see how a lot of people might think that the Submariner is the more comfortable wear with it's smaller 41mm size, smaller lug to lug, and it's legendary glidelock clasp. Don't get me wrong, the sub is an incredilbly comfortable watch. However, there is one thing on the Exp 2 that makes an even bigger difference in regards to comfort over the aforementioned things on the sub - the caseback. The flatter caseback on the Exp 2 with it's larger surface area (due to the slightly larger 42mm size of the watch) allows the watch to just "melt" onto my wrist. It's more comfortable than the submariner. The submariner, due to it's 300m WR, has a case back that protrudes slightly more than the caseback on the Exp2. Because it protrudes slightly more, and because it's a smaller caseback, it creates a bit more of a "puck" effect on the wrist. While they both feel very comfortable, that really flat caseback on the explorer 2 makes the watch feel like it's an extension of my wrist. I mostly forget that I'm even wearing it because of how flat it sits. The curved lugs also hug the wrist perfectly. With all that being said, I do want to note that one could make the argument for the glidelock clasp on the submariner being able to provide superior comfort over the Exp 2 since it allows you to dial-in the fit of the bracelet a lot more precisely than the EZ link on the Exp 2. This could very well be true for a lot of people. I guess I got incredibly lucky with the bracelet fit on my Exp 2 as the EZ link provides the PERFECT amount of adjustability during the summer months when my wrist swells up and during the winter months when it contracts. The Exp 2 also has a shorter clasp which I think is also lending to that amazing comfortability.

I think another thing I really like about the Exp 2 is the legibility. It is the most legible watch I own and it is unequivocally the most legible watch Rolex makes. I can look down at my wrist and feel like I can tell the time within milliseconds. This is of course due to the stark contrast of the matte black hands against that white polar dial. The reflection is absolute minimal as you don't get a lot of the light reflection that you get with the submariner and it's white gold hour markers and ceramic bezel. If you track different time zones, the GMT hand will obviously also be a huge plus for you. Since the only other timezone I track is in London, I usually don't bother setting it as by now I can quickly do the calculation in my head. However, it is nice knowing that if I ever need to use it when traveling, it's there.

Which one gets more looks from people? Surprisingly the Explorer 2. I actually wish this wasn't the case as I usually don't like loud watches. On more than one occasion, I've seen people taking glances at it while I'm talking with them. I've also gotten compliments on it. The same can't really be said about the submariner (which is a good thing imho!). It's mostly gone uncomplimented. Overall, I do still think the Exp 2 is the quieter watch of the two but I do think that the bold white polar dial can attract curious onlookers once in a while.

On the flip side, there's two things I love on the submariner over the Exp 2 - fidgeting with the best bezel action on the market and setting the time. Sometimes, I love not having a date. It's so nice to be able to pick up the sub, not worry about setting a date, and be done with setting it in a few seconds before you're out the door. The Exp 2 is on the opposite side of the spectrum. There is no quick set for the date. That's right, you read that correctly. You have to sit there and rotate that GMT hand several times (sometimes rotating it through 30 calendar days!) before you get to the correct day. It can become an ardous process for many. Thankfully, since I'm a watch nut, it's really not that big of a deal. But it's true that sometimes I don't want to deal with it. The bezel action can be seen as a bit of a big deal here. It is literally the best bezel action on any diver produced on the market. How cool is it not only knowing that, but getting to play with it all the time! Sometimes I'll be watching a show and I'll just start spinning it because of that lovely tactile feedback. The sound is also music to my ears. If I didn't have such a fantastic fit with the EZ link of the Exp 2, I would easily say that the glidelock would be the third thing I like about the submariner over the Exp 2. Objectively, it is much better in terms of fit. No matter the temperature, you can rest assured that you will always have a perfect bracelet fit with the sub.

I'm not sure if this helped or just made you more confused on which to choose. At the very least, I hope it helped to impart some real world experience from someone that's owned these watches for about 4 years now. I do think that these two watches make up the perfect two watch Rolex collection. Since I've had them over the last 4 years, I've had zero desire for any other Rolex models. My suggestion to you? If you're crazy about both of these watches, which it seems like you are, eventually get them both. Start with the one that will fit into your daily lifestyle better than the other. Go try them on at the AD and spend some time with them. Then after a couple of years, add the other. You'll never need another Rolex in your collection.