Relojes Rolex Explorer

Rolex has always looked to the outside world to test the performance of its watches in real-life conditions. For example, Rolex equipped the 1953 British Mount Everest expedition with Oyster Perpetual watches as the crew attempted to climb the highest point on earth. On May 29, 1953, the expedition succeeded when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

To celebrate the milestone achievement, Rolex introduced the Explorer later that year, built as a robust stainless steel watch to withstand punishing environments. The black dial was furnished with large Arabic numerals at 3, 6 and 9, accompanied by an inverted triangle at 12 and batons for the rest of the hours. The hands and hour markers were coated in luminous material for optimal legibility in the dark. This particular dial-style with the trio of numerals is now referred to as the Explorer-style” dial, regardless of what Rolex model it is found on.

Early Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer references include the 6150, 6350 and 6610, all made in the 1950s. The Rolex Explorer 1016 made its debut towards the end of that decade and went on to become the longest-running reference in Rolex Explorer history.

The launch of the Explorer 14270 in 1989 ushered in the modern era of the collection. The follow-up model came in 2001 in the form of the almost identical-looking Explorer 114270.

2010 marked a major design shift for the Rolex Explorer with the introduction of the ref. 214270. Unlike all the other 36mm Explorer models that came before it, Rolex equipped the Explorer 214270 with a larger 39mm case.

The Explorer 1 is one of Rolex's most recognizable designs because it has remained remarkably consistent over almost seven decades. Regardless if it's a Rolex Explorer 36mm or 39mm, all standard models have the following features:

Rolex recommends that its watches be serviced at least every 10 years. However, a watch may require more frequent maintenance if worn daily in harsh conditions.

Like all Rolex watches, the Explorer's winding crown must be screwed into the case before taking it underwater. However, due to age, vintage watches are no longer considered water-resistant and therefore should never be exposed to water.