Sell Your Rolex Explorer II in Boston
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Customers across Greater Boston rate LBC Pawn 4.9 out of 5 across 1,022 Google reviews — for fair offers, straight answers, and loan costs printed in plain numbers before anyone signs anything.
The Explorer II — the cavers' and polar explorers' watch, with its fixed 24-hour bezel and orange hand — has gone from the overlooked Rolex to a collector favorite. LBC Pawn Cash 4 Gold 3% Loans* buys Explorer IIs in Boston in both dial colors and every generation, including the vintage 1655 that collectors call the Steve McQueen.
Sell for cash, or borrow on it at 3% per month*. Text photos to 857-867-6468.
The Explorer IIs we buy
- Explorer II 226570 — white “polar” dial
- Explorer II 226570 — black dial
- Explorer II 216570 (42mm, both dials)
- Explorer II 16570 (40mm, polar & black)
- Explorer II 16550 — incl. cream “rail” dial
- Vintage Explorer II 1655 — “Steve McQueen” / Freccione
Polar leads the modern cars; cream leads the classics. The 16550's ivory-cream dial — a factory paint quirk — is one of the great sleeper rarities, and we pay for it properly.
Dial color is money on an Explorer II
White polar dials out-price black on the modern 42mm cars. On the five-digit 16550, the cream dial is the prize — but only if it is the original factory dial, which is exactly what our in-house inspection checks. The 1655 is priced like the vintage icon it is: correct orange hand, correct bezel, original dial, no polishing.
Explorer IIs live hard lives — they were bought to be used — so honest wear is expected and priced fairly. Deep case damage and replaced dials are what hurt; scratches do not scare us.
Box & papers — they pay more, but they are not required
A full set — inner and outer box, warranty card, booklets, hang tags and links — adds real money to a Explorer II offer, because the next buyer pays for completeness. No box, no papers? We buy it anyway. Our staff authenticate and inspect the watch in-house: the movement, the reference and serial engravings, the dial, hands and bracelet are all checked at the counter, and we price what is in front of us.
Bringing more than the watch? The more you bring in, the more you get — a second watch, the gold chain you never wear, the coins in the drawer. Bundles are priced piece by piece in front of you, and the total is almost always stronger than selling each item separately somewhere else.
Bring a valid photo ID. Sellers and borrowers are 18+ with ID; serial numbers are checked and every transaction is recorded and reported exactly as Massachusetts law requires.
How it works
1. Text photos first. Photos of your Explorer II — dial, case back, clasp, plus the box and papers if you have them — to 857-867-6468. Get a realistic range before you travel.
2. Bring it in. 1107 Commonwealth Ave, Boston — Mon–Fri 11–6:30, Sat 11–4:30. Bring a valid photo ID (18+). Rolex deals are handled in our private VIP room, and we inspect and price the watch at the counter, in front of you.
3. Get paid the same visit. Cash on the spot if you sell — or a pawn loan at 3% per month* if you would rather borrow against it and keep it yours.
Why sell your Explorer II here?
Online listings for Explorer IIs sit for weeks because buyers cannot verify the cream dial or the 1655's handset remotely. In person, we verify and pay the same day.
Online marketplaces mean weeks of messages, shipping a five-figure watch to a stranger, and real fraud risk on the payment.
At LBC Pawn the watch is inspected at the counter in front of you, the offer is the offer, and you leave with cash the same visit — or with a loan ticket and the watch still yours.
Skip the drive-first guesswork. Text photos of the watch — dial, case back, and the box and papers if you have them — to 857-867-6468 and get a ballpark before you come. Prefer to talk? Call the same number during shop hours.
What a loan costs — in plain numbers
| If you borrow | After month 1 | After month 2 | After month 3 | After month 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $111 | $114 | $117 | $120 |
That first month includes the one-time 8% charge; after that it is a flat 3% per month. No hidden fees, no surprises — the full cost is printed on your ticket.
*Pawn loans: 3% per month interest plus a one-time 8% charge in the first month only. Example: a $100 loan costs $111 after month 1, $114 after month 2, $117 after month 3 and $120 after month 4. Loans run up to 4 months and may be renewed by paying the interest due. Borrowers must be 18 or older with valid photo ID. Items not redeemed by the end of the loan term may be sold as allowed by Massachusetts law.
More Rolex models we buy
Questions we hear
- Is the white or black Explorer II worth more?
- On current 226570 and 216570 references, the white polar dial generally leads. On five-digit cars the rare cream 16550 dial out-prices both standard colors by a wide margin.
- Do you buy the vintage 1655 Steve McQueen?
- Yes — it is one of the most desirable vintage Rolex references we handle. Bring it untouched; correct hands, dial and bezel are where the money is.
- My Explorer II has been worn hard for years. Still interested?
- Yes. These were tool watches; honest wear is normal and priced in. Working movement and original dial matter far more than scratches.
- Can I take a loan on an Explorer II?
- Yes — 3% per month plus the one-time 8% first-month charge, up to 4 months, renewable.