Description
The Explorer has one of the more straightforward histories when it comes to Rolex sport watches. There are only a handful of references, very few wacky variations, and the design has remained mostly unchanged since the watch debuted in 1953 with the reference 6350. At that point, the watch already had most of its defining characteristics. It used a 36mm stainless steel Oyster case as the foundation and featured a black dial with 3-6-9 numerals, framed by a polished steel bezel. Those characteristics would remain largely unchanged for 57 years, with the reference 1016 itself being produced for nearly half of that span.
What a two-tone Explorer means in concrete terms is that the bezel, crown, hands, applied dial markers, and center bracelet links are made of 18k yellow gold. The case and outer bracelet links are steel. The Oysterlock clasp is mostly steel, with a yellow gold “stripe” running down the center to visually match the bracelet links.
The other big design tweak, and, in my estimation, the more important one, is the return to a 36mm case size for both the reference 124273 you see here and the all-steel ref. 124270. The new proportions are spot-on. Side-by-side with a vintage Explorer – like my own beloved 1016 – the lineage is clear and the watches look completely of-a-kind. The case profile has been tweaked from earlier 36mm Explorer models, and while it’s tough to pinpoint exact changes and their effects, the overall impact is a clean shape that wears well on the wrist.
Today’s example is in Pre-Owned Condition, still intact with Factory Stickers from 2021, complete with box and papers.
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