Rolex Explorer

Introduced in the early 1970's, the Rolex Explorer II is in essence a GMT Master with a fixed bezel. It has the same calibre movement as the GMT (1575) and has a forth hand which rotates once every 24 hours. This hand was read using the 24 hour engraved steel fixed bezel

Rolex watches introduced the watch as an essential tool to all 'speleologists' (more commonly known as 'cave explorers' ) Rolex also claimed that the speleologist "soon loses all notion of time: morning, afternoon day or night." For these intrepid souls Rolex developed the watch that could tell them whether the "2" on the dial was 2:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. (14:00). The limited popularity that it had was because of people in the aviation field. The watch had an orange hand for the first 3 years, then a red one up until 1985. The 1655 Rolex Explorer II and the 1019 Rolex Milgauss are the only Rolex Models which use hands that are not used by any other model.

Rolex Explorer

The Explorer II 1655 didn't become popular until 1991, five years after it was re-launched with a sapphire glass and the same movement as the Rolex GMT Master II. This allowed the owner of the watch to set the hour hand backwards or forwards in one hour jumps without disturbing the second or minute hands. It also allowed the owner to change time zones without losing a preset accurate time.

The Rolex Explorer is one of the most easily recognisable of all Rolex watches. Its large black dial, triangular luminous marker at 12 and Arabic numeral quarters give this watch a very distinctive look.

Originally designed for Rolex explorer, it's always had a high visibility dial, an extra strong case, and upon request it could be lubricated with a special oil so it could withstand temperatures between -20C and +40C. The watch was used by both Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay when on in May 1953, they became the first men to reach the summit of Everest The look of the Rolex Explorer is all about the dial, which is a mixture of a number of previously used styles. The large triangle at '12' was first used by the company on the mixed Roman and Arabic dial of the 1940's.

The large Arabic numerals for the quarters and bars for the remainder are seen on many of the very first model cushion Oysters. The first Rolex Explorer used the "big bubbleback 10-1/2" movement. Most of the models that have been studied do not have the classic "skelette" hands. Instead they have the luminous standard parallel hands of that period. Most of the early 6350 dials are also unusual in the fact that they are honeycombed and signed "Officially certified Chronometer". As this model was replaced roughly a year after it was released it is difficult to know just how successful it was as in many ways its predecessor (model 6150) has over shadowed it. The 6150 was 2mm larger than the 6350 and was only available as a precision model. The 6150 was made until 1959 when it was replaced by the 6610 which looks identical but had a flatter back caused by using the new 1030 calibre movement.

The dial of the 6610 is signed " Chronometer" The simplest method of recognising any of the early Rolex Explorer is by looking at the dial for their variations.

During these early years Rolex watches were unaware of the potential of this model. As a result the name was affixed to a number of watches not easily recognisable as Rolex Explorer. There were two main variations. The first was the Rolex Air King Explorer. This was an Rolex Explorer bearing the model ref. 5500 but with an Explorer dial marked "Precision" rather than "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" The second variation are the dress Explorers. These are standard Oyster Perpetuals in steel or gold watches with white or black non-Explorer dials but signed, "Explorer". Seen both with and without date indicators these watches seem to have been sold predominately in the North American Market. In 1963 the Rolex Explorer was given a new 1560 calibre movement - renamed the 1016. It became the longest running explorer from 1963 up to 1989.

The second version of the 1016 was really the second version of the 1560 calibre (now called 1570), because the major recognisable difference is the movement. The hack feature stops the hand when the winding crown is pulled out. By stopping the hand at the "12" position, it is possible to synchronize your time with a known source. At the same time Rolex introduced the New Oyster Bracelet machined out of solid stainless steel as opposed to the previously folded steel sheet links. In this revised form the Explorer continued through to 1989, when to the astonishment of Rolex retailers, it was removed from the Rolex catalogue. Six months later the new heavily revised version of the Rolex Explorer emerged. The new Rolex Explorer bearing the model designation 14270, sported a new case, dial, movement, and glass. The hands and the name are the only thing carried over from the 1016. Thirteen years after Rolex first introduced the Sapphire crystal glass the Explorer was finally fitted with one. Under this new crystal the dial featured white gold skeleton markers with luminous tritium fillings: these replaced the previously painted markers. Under the dial was the very latest fast beat calibre 3000.

These modifications brought the Explorer in line with all the other Rolex models and because the cosmetics of the new watch differed so much from that of the old one, the price in the collectors market for the old one spiralled.

Rolex were unaware of the potential of this model. As a result the name was affixed to a number of watches not easily recognisable as the Rolex Explorer. There were two main variations. The first was the Rolex Air King Explorer. This was a Rolex Explorer bearing the model ref. 5500 but with an Explorer dial marked "Precision" rather than "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" The second variation are the dress Explorers. These are standard Rolex Oyster Perpetuals in steel or gold watches with white or black non-Explorer dials but signed, "Explorer". Seen both with and without date indicators these watches seem to have been sold predominately in the North American Market. In 1963 the Explorer was given a new 1560 calibre movement - renamed the 1016. It became the longest running explorer from 1963 up to 1989.

The second version of the 1016 was really the second version of the 1560 calibre (now called 1570), because the major recognisable difference is the movement. The hack feature stops the hand when the winding crown is pulled out. By stopping the hand at the "12" position, it is possible to synchronize your time with a known source. At the same time Rolex watch introduced the New Oyster Bracelet machined out of solid stainless steel as opposed to the previously folded steel sheet links. In this revised form the Explorer continued through to 1989, when to the astonishment of Rolex watch retailers, it was removed from the Rolex catalogue. Six months later the new heavily revised version of the Explorer emerged. The new Explorer bearing the model designation 14270, sported a new case, dial, movement, and glass. The hands and the name are the only thing carried over from the 1016. Thirteen years after Rolex first introduced the Sapphire crystal glass the Explorer was finally fitted with one. Under this new crystal the dial featured white gold watches skeleton markers with luminous tritium fillings: these replaced the previously painted markers. Under the dial was the very latest fast beat calibre 3000.

These modifications brought the Rolex Explorer in line with all the other Rolex watch models and because the cosmetics of the new watch differed so much from that of the old one, the price in the collectors market for the old one spiralled.