# SBGE211 vs Rolex Explorer 1 (214270)



## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

I find myself really liking the GS SBGE211. I currently own an Exp1 full lume. When I look at pics, I feel like there is a similar vibe to them. I tried on a Snowflake and Peacock a while ago and want to say the Exp1 and GS has quite different wrist presence, and not just because the GS is larger.

Anyone happen to own both? Familiar with both? Or just have a opinion?

Thanks!


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## T1meout (Sep 27, 2013)

The similarity between the explorer and the GS stops with both being wrist watches. They are nothing alike. The explorer fits magnificently, whereas the GS is finished exquisitely. Both are excellent timekeepers. Get whatever appeals to you the most.


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## mpalmer (Dec 30, 2011)

I think the watches are different enough, especially when considering the movement, to justify owning both.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

mpalmer said:


> I think the watches are different enough, especially when considering the movement, to justify owning both.


STOP SAYING STUFF LIKE THAT. DO YOU WANT ME TO GET DIVORCED?

Sheesh.


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## Indyboot (Jan 1, 2018)

T1meout said:


> The similarity between the explorer and the GS stops with both being wrist watches. They are nothing alike. The explorer fits magnificently, whereas the GS is finished exquisitely. Both are excellent timekeepers. Get whatever appeals to you the most.


The GS easily gets the nod in timekeeping to the point it is as superior in this regard as its finishing.

Explorer may be more robust?... but nobody really seems to have any stories of GS SDs failing from wear and rigorous use.


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## wzm4114 (Sep 30, 2016)

I have had the Explorer for a bit and just recently acquired the Peacock. The watches are fairly different, but similar in that they are sports watches that dress up very well. I love them both. The GS has a more refined dial and the head overall is more finely finished. The overall construction of the Rolex seems a step up with how the bracelet fits to the watch - it strikes me as a more cohesive and well balanced overall. GS is all about the dial and polish, and the bracelet is honestly not really on par with the head of the watch. I mean the bracelet looks great, but doesn't have the tight tolerances that Rolex's have and since it's lighter the watch wears a bit top heavy. Small price to pay for what's otherwise might be the most gorgeous dial I've personally come across.


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## ahonobaka (Jan 27, 2017)

^GS doesn't aim for tight tolerances between links by design, unless I'm misunderstanding where you're referencing? (looser with gaps for breathability, comfort and no hair pinching)

Overall I do like the Explorer better between the two but you really have to try them on in person I think. The GS is just a hair too thick for me, but of course it's beautiful!


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

Thanks for the replies. From a size perspective, I'm comfortable with the GS at 41x13 which is actually the upper limit of my preference. I really wanted to like the Snowflake. I was so tempted to buy it when I tried it on. My buddy a fellow WUS'er is very connected with his, but I'm experiencing issues connecting with my current light/white dial watch. Honestly, another + for the GS in my case is I choose not to wear Rolexes to work, but it would be so easy to say "it's just a Seiko I thought looked cool."


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## wzm4114 (Sep 30, 2016)

I'm talking about the tolerances between the 5 links, not the horizontal ones between each link set, if that makes sense... when you hold the bracelet up against light you can see very slight gaps between each of the five links. They're small enough that it wouldn't be a factor for breathability; in fact the GS bracelet is about the same level of quality as my Seiko Brightz SDGM001 as far as I can tell. Actually the clasp on the SDGM is probably better designed. The Rolex bracelet is objectively on a different level, no two ways about it. 

And you're spot on about the thickness, but it doesn't bother me too much as the bottom half of the watch sinks into the wrist, so it doesn't look obscene when wearing. But it does impact comfort slightly. The Explorer is definitely more sleek and better balanced on wrist. They are both exceptional watches, and IMO about the very best one can do for around $6k US. I feel very lucky to have them both in my collection.

Cheers,

Dan


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## ahonobaka (Jan 27, 2017)

Hamstur said:


> ...but it would be so easy to say "it's just a Seiko I thought looked cool."


I can't wait till someone tries this line on me in real life!


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## Hoppyjr (Aug 11, 2006)

The Explorer wins, but the Seiko is nice and would be a good stablemate.

Yes, I'm biased. Deal with it.


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## Dorfmeister (Dec 17, 2016)

As someone said before, I think these two watches are quite different as they have a different character. My choice would go to the Explorer as it's more versatile and is one of the few watches that can be used from beach to boardroom. The GMT looks more like a watch that is used in an office environment. For the comparison regarding quality I would say Rolex has the advantage in movement (but this one uses Spring Drive, so...) and bracelet, the GS is better in finishing of the case and dial (textures). This is based on my experience of owning a Submariner, SBGR083 and SBGA011 (Snowflake).


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

Hoppyjr said:


> The Explorer wins, but the Seiko is nice and would be a good stablemate.


Thanks all for being a sounding board! This is the same conclusion I ended up with, so pulled the trigger on a the SBGE211 as a stablemate for the Explorer.


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## kotake12 (Jan 16, 2016)

'gs' seems to have a strong feeling.
On the other hand, in case of explorer, sports feeling is strong.
'gs' time only products are more attractive.
I think explorer is a bit dominant.


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## matthew P (Aug 1, 2013)

Hoppyjr said:


> The Explorer wins, but the Seiko is nice and would be a good stablemate.
> 
> Yes, I'm biased. Deal with it.


I don't own one of these but somehow I feel like it could replace all my watches - ultimate GADA..... not that I'd do that of course, that would be crazy.
I do think that squeezing one into my collection will be a sacrifice that I need to make.........and if it dominates wrist time, I'll deal with it


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

Got it in! Yep -- wears NOTHING like the Explorer.


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## warsh (May 22, 2017)

Hamstur said:


> Got it in! Yep -- wears NOTHING like the Explorer.


Hope you will say more once you've had a few days with it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## T1meout (Sep 27, 2013)

Hamstur said:


> Got it in! Yep -- wears NOTHING like the Explorer.


I told you so.
Congratulations. Enjoy it in the best of health.


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## vincentle7914 (Jun 27, 2017)

save money don't buy anything is good ))


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## zuiko (May 17, 2016)

vincentle7914 said:


> save money don't buy anything is good ))


Money is replaceable.

Save your time and don't post, that's even better. Time is irreplaceable )))))))))))))


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## Tonhao (Dec 23, 2017)

The harmony of the oyster case and bracelet is apparent to anyone who’s handled a Rolex; it may be impossible to beat them at their own game. However from a horological standpoint it is much more interesting to me to own a Japanese-designed, built, and finished movement that’s visible through the glass, not to mention the GMT. 

The GS dials are often great company to business wear but I still wonder how “business” they are considering the 13mm thickness. Perhaps Japan is willing to give more room for what constitutes a business watch? In any case, I think you made a great choice in the end.


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## ahonobaka (Jan 27, 2017)

I think we're going to see height reductions over the next few years; movement/case height is actually a seemingly common complaint in Japan as well for GS which I think "durability" has been used as a scapegoat for for too long, though valid. Refinement is a good thing though, and likely to come given the new Presage debutante this year at Basel


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## Tonhao (Dec 23, 2017)

ahonobaka said:


> I think we're going to see height reductions over the next few years; movement/case height is actually a seemingly common complaint in Japan as well for GS which I think "durability" has been used as a scapegoat for for too long, though valid. Refinement is a good thing though, and likely to come given the new Presage debutante this year at Basel


I don't read a word of Japanese but would love to hear what the home ground thinks about it, especially since the first GS models were 10-11mm. GS did reinforce some stress spots and increased the power reserve by a lot, but it's about time they addressed the height.

I recall reading an interview with a GS watchmaker where he talks about how his clients would never service their watch until it stopped or broke, so he developed this strong dedication to durability, preferring to overbuild for a few more years of wear. Maybe this philosophy held over wearability in the company, that's my one guess. As you mentioned, the new thinner Presage we saw in Basel might herald something...


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## zuiko (May 17, 2016)

Although thickness had never been a criteria for my buying decisions in the past the latest quartz SBGX293 has thrown a new revelatory light on the matter for me. 

At 10.7mm it's still not the thinnest watch out there but it doesn't have the ‘false bottom’ (ie. high cut case side with narrower diameter backwards extending caseback) that other watches, even Swiss use to give a false impression of watch height. 

I really like this genuine look.


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## bgator (Jan 12, 2015)

They’re both nice.

I think of the Explorer as a sport watch that works well as a dress watch too. The GS is very nicely finished and seems like a dress watch that might also pull sport watch duty as needed but will never be a true sport watch.

If I had an open spot in my collection for a sport watch, I’d get the Rolex. If I wanted to add another dress watch but one that might pull double duty I’d be looking at the GS.


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## WatchEnthusiast (Aug 29, 2010)

Both are nice watches that look similar, and yet are quite different. It could be a tough choice between the two (depending on what you are looking for), which you ultimately decided not to make. Enjoy your new Grand Seiko!


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## Boomerdw (Jan 30, 2017)

Drawback for me is the cluttered dial on the GS Spring Drive.

I could do without the Drive indicator.

BTW I am not a Rolex fan, but they do have nice looking pieces.


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## danstillwood (Jul 16, 2017)

Really couldn't get into the SBGE211..much preferred the Explorer.


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## jdmvette (Oct 10, 2008)

I wouldn't kick either out of bed


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## scarrz (Jun 13, 2012)

+1 - Explorer.


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

After a couple of weeks with the GS, I almost want to say it's everything I wish the Tudor Black Bay had been. From a box dimension perspective of the case, they are about the same size (GS = 41x13.8mm, BB = 41x14.7mm) but the heavily contoured case, curved wrist-hugging lugs, lug width, and bracelet design means the GS wears much smaller.

The interesting comparison is the GS is a dress watch (imo looks too formal for jeans/shorts an tee) but wears like a sport watch due to size, while the Explorer 1 is a sport/tool watch that wears like a dress watch. They are both quirky oddities and polar opposites in that way.

With my workplace rotation pieces sitting between the GS, IWC Mk18 LPP, Nomos and a Tudor North Flag, I find myself grabbing the GS a lot. Based on pictures and approaching it empirically, I could argue the IWC and Nomos are better daily choices if I could only keep one piece but there's is something emotional about the GS that is tough to explain. There are nuances to GS that make me stare at and as "is that for real?" Like the must-see-to-believe second hand sweep of the Spring Drive, the markers that actually reflect light in a prismatic way, and I swear the sapphire crystal is the clearest I've ever seen especially against the piano gloss black dial.

If I count in the Explorer 1 which is my cheapest weekender piece -- if I could only keep one watch, it would still be the winner.


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## chenpofu (Feb 21, 2015)

Rolex will wear better on its bracelet. The SBGE is a much more interesting watch both in terms of case, marker, hands etc and of course the technology in the movement.


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## scarrz (Jun 13, 2012)

Both great looking watches.


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## matthew P (Aug 1, 2013)

funny re-reading this thread and seeing my earlier post..... I ended up buying the explorer and being extremely happy with it.
Fantastic daily wear watch that has indeed up-ended my collection.

Funnily enough, I don't see the explorer as being that dressy, its rather utilitarian with its flat brushed surfaces and single dimension polished bits.
Lume, bracelet, tolerances and time keeping are all outstanding..... i almost feel like it wears bigger at 39mm than the GS high beat at 40mm.










I love the size and under the radar matte appeal of the explorer but I still happily keep reaching for the high beat on weekends ....and the daily diver 029 still brings it as a diver.










I do feel like the Highbeat makes for an awesome jeans and t-shirt watch but I know what you mean with the "business casual" feel of the GS GMT's.

I thought that the explorer would push the highbeat out of my collection but the case work and polish on watch head, dial , handset and bracelet really helps it stand out as different to the explorer and give it a very different wrist sparkle and on wrist feel, i suspect they will happily co-exist for a good long while.


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

So after 2.5 months of owning the GS, the novelty wore off and it's gone. The case shape grew to feel kind of goofy, the markers grew to feel bulky and uninteresting, the GMT hour markers grew to feel unelegant ... but the hands especially the red GMT hand and sweeping spring drive seconds were always awesome. Just came that I never grabbed it over the Explorer 1, GMT LN or Hulk.

It was expected to be an underdog and it's a really nice watch, just not my flavor.


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## DustinS (Nov 3, 2013)

man, I admit I'm a bit anti rolex, but I do appreciate some of their watches. The OP and new air kings are both really cool, just not something I'd buy due to my need for a date, and their dated watches well, they rolex them till I wouldn't own one. Anyway the Explorer remains the least appealing watch I've ever seen. It is ugly beyond words for me, everything about it is wrong.

Given the price and look I know Paneri is a thing, the explorer is hand down the worst watch for price I've ever seen, I wouldn't own one for 50 dollars. Well I wouldn't wear it. I'll take one for 50 bucks and sell it in a second lol.


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## BarracksSi (Feb 13, 2013)

Hamstur said:


> So after 2.5 months of owning the GS, the novelty wore off and it's gone. The case shape grew to feel kind of goofy, the markers grew to feel bulky and uninteresting, the GMT hour markers grew to feel unelegant ... but the hands especially the red GMT hand and sweeping spring drive seconds were always awesome. Just came that I never grabbed it over the Explorer 1, GMT LN or Hulk.
> 
> It was expected to be an underdog and it's a really nice watch, just not my flavor.


At least you have it a good, honest go.

That's what worries me about the idea of getting more nice watches and then later capping off the collection with an "ideal" watch. What would I do with the leftovers? Shouldn't I have spent the money on something else instead?


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## DustinS (Nov 3, 2013)

BarracksSi said:


> At least you have it a good, honest go.
> 
> That's what worries me about the idea of getting more nice watches and then later capping off the collection with an "ideal" watch. What would I do with the leftovers? Shouldn't I have spent the money on something else instead?


The question I'd ask is, is there an ideal watch?

For me I've yet to find any watch even over a 70 out of 100 in terms of ideal and that's ignoring if a watch could be worn anywhere. Odds are even a Lange which is a brand that makes watches that for me keep me up at night dreaming of, if you factor in practicality, their best is a 50 out of 100 in my mind.

Now if you see a watch and legit think it is over an 80 for you, then christ just buy it and be done! But I honestly don't think there is a watch that for anyone should be over a 60 unless you think the same watch you boat in SHOULD also go with a suit. And I'll just say most GS's are bad at BOTH those things.


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## Hamstur (Nov 6, 2017)

I'm not giving up on GS. I probably should have given the Snowflake a spin but I'm just not a white dial guy and already had an IWC Ingenieur 3239 white (although more machined metal color). That piece didn't ended up growing on me and I got rid of it too.

A little more in depth to my comments as this is the GS section and it's all about 'this piece' not the brand...

Re: goofy case shape, feel like the style needs to be a little thinner but GMT movement made it too thick (again, Snowflake addresses that).

GMT markings like in the high beat are nicer.

I can see how the trapezoid markers work great on the Snowflake as well but against the piano black dial of this one, maybe the double-hash 12 and single hash style would have looked more elegant, and maybe polished or gently brushed vs groove machined.

Again what drew me to it was the contrast of that gloss black dial and I still love that GMT red hand ... but everything else considered, the design of this piece didn't gel and just felt awkwardly mish-mashed.

Maybe the other thing that affected me is I'm finally in solid recovery from rotator cuff injury, so my wrist is back at 7.5 (vs 7-1/8 to 7-1/4 during injury). I got lazy having quick adjustments with Rolex expanding link, glidelock, and IWC quick adjust on my LPP, but felt lazy to deal with the double screws on each GS link.

Still need to find a white watch. Can't convince myself on a white Nomos, Polar 2 is ugly, new OP39 isn't white enough, etc ... found myself eyeballing the Omega CK2998 ... but the Snowflake is still at the top of my list, and I have tried one on and took it into the sun and it's great.

If anything, it's a reminder to others to follow your gut instinct!


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## matthew P (Aug 1, 2013)

I too prefer the look of the high eat GMT’s but I found them too thick on the wrist.


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## eastbounddown9000 (Jul 15, 2017)

Agreed, the Peacock may be my favorite watch aesthetically, but damn it is thick which is why I would pick the Rolex


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