Commit TV Yagi Column What is the "Explorer"? Let's take a look at the reasons for its popularity and past models!

Good evening everyone!

[Rolex][Rolex] Born as the first "sports model," it quickly became a hot topic due to its high durability, high visibility, and the elements necessary for exploration.

Why is Explorer so popular?

① Highly versatile and simple design

As you can see, it has a simple design with only the hour, minute and second hands , and the indexes are well-balanced, with a triangle at the 12 o'clock position, Arabic indexes at 3, 6 and 9, and bar indexes at the rest. The bezel is smooth, which makes the simplicity stand out even more.

The Daytona has three subdials and a tachymeter, while the GMT Master has a two-tone bezel, making it difficult to use in formal situations, but compared to other sports models, the design is more modest, making it suitable for any occasion. This simplicity and versatility is the biggest reason why they are so popular.

In addition, the basic case size is 36mm, which is the perfect fit for Japanese wrists, but it continues to evolve with the times, with the appearance of 39mm, 40mm, and even SS (stainless steel) x 18KYG (yellow gold) combination models.

By the way, Takuya Kimura is widely known as a Rolex enthusiast, and his favorite model is the Explorer. He wore it in a drama, which caused explosive popularity.

②Affordable price range

Reference: https://www.rolex.com/ja/watches/explorer/explorer

The Explorer is currently available in two sizes, 36mm and 40mm, and the prices at authorized stores are 1,036,200 yen (tax included) for the 36mm size and 1,095,600 yen (tax included) for the 40mm size.

Priced at over 1 million yen, it obviously can't be called cheap, but it's probably the most affordable sports model.

It has become difficult to purchase from an authorized store these days, and if you want to buy one on the second hand market, you will need to expect to spend around 1.2 to 1.5 million yen. When purchasing a luxury watch, the "budget" is very important, and I think it is the most important thing to consider when making a purchase.

Representative models of the Explorer

Now, let me introduce you to the different models of the Explorer and the differences between them.

① "Ref.1016"

This model was sold from around 1960 to around 1989, and its highly visible design and stable movement made it a classic Rolex model that was a long-selling success for nearly 30 years.

Currently, it is highly valued as a vintage Rolex and is a particularly popular model among enthusiasts.

By the way, in 1971, the Explorer II, Ref. 1655, a higher-end model of the Explorer, was released, and it has also proven very popular.

② "Ref.14270"

The Ref. 14270 was released from around 1990 to around 2000 and evolved from the Ref. 1016 through a full model change. The windshield (windscreen part) has been changed from plastic to sapphire crystal.

It is generally said that the newer a watch is, the more valuable it is, not just for Rolexes. In the case of this "Ref. 14270," early production models with features such as "blackout," "single buckle," and "all tritium" are attracting particular attention.

By the way, the single buckle is the structure that was used before the currently mainstream double buckle, and tritium is a luminous paint that was used mainly in military watches from the 1960s onwards and was widely used until the late 1990s.

③ "Ref.114270"

The "Ref. 114270" was on sale from around 2000 to 2010.

Although there is no change in the appearance design from "Ref.14270", the movement is new and the model has a "crown mark watermark" at the 6 o'clock position on the crystal to prevent copying. The adoption of the new movement has also improved maintenance and stability.

Among the "Explorer" models, this one is highly refined and has stable asset value, so many enthusiasts choose this one even over the current model.

④ "Ref.214270"

*Early model: Blackout

The "Ref. 214270" was on sale from 2010 to around 2021.

The design itself follows the previous model, but the case size has been enlarged to 39mm. There are early and late models of the "Ref. 214270". The early model has a blackout specification with exposed metal on the [3, 6, 9] index, while the late model has luminous material and larger hands.

*Late model: With luminous effect

This "Ref. 214270" also comes in two models: one with blacked-out indexes and one with edged indexes , and each has its own merits, making them equally popular.

The luminous paint used is Chromalight, and the luminous time has been increased to 8 hours. In addition to the durability, magnetic resistance, heat resistance, and shock resistance inherent to Rolex, the performance has also improved significantly down to the smallest details.

➄ "Ref.124270"

The current Explorer, Ref. 124270, was announced as a new model for 2021.

The case size of the previous model was 39mm, but it has returned to 36mm. Also, as the model number shows, it is "Ref.124270" instead of "Ref.224270", so you can see that it follows "Ref.114270". On the other hand, in terms of functionality, while the previous model used "Cal.3132", this model uses "Cal.3230", achieving an upgrade in specifications.

⑥ "Ref.224270"

The current Explorer, Ref. 224270, was announced as a new model for 2023.

It was added to the collection as the successor to the "Ref. 214270", which was discontinued in 2021, but it is 1mm larger at 40mm than the 39mm case used in the "Ref. 214270".

The movement is the same "Cal.3230" as "Ref.124270". It is equipped with Rolex's patented Chronergy escapement, which combines high energy efficiency and reliability, a silicon hairspring and a high-performance Paraflex shock absorber, and boasts a 70-hour power reserve.

summary

What did you think?

The Explorer has a long history and is very popular. With its versatile and simple design and affordable price range, it is a perfect model for those who are thinking of purchasing a luxury watch for the first time.

If you don't own an Explorer yet, we encourage you to check out the previous models and choose the one that suits you best.

Once again, I hope that by reading this column, even one more person will become interested in luxury watches!

See you later!