Posts Tagged ‘Explorer’
Tropical 1016 Rolex Explorer
No watch is more fit for purpose than a 1016. That purpose is adventure, it has been from the very start. So when you come across an example whose dial has clearly been used well and hard, well, this may be the reference’s ultimate expression. It’s kind of like seeing a Le Mans winning Porsche…
Read MoreMk1, ‘Frog Foot’ 1016 Rolex Explorer
Have you ever looked down at your vintage Explorer and thought, ‘Yeah this lovely, but I wish the Rolex coronet looked a little more like a frog’s foot’? Me neither. And yet, there are those among us who do. Or at least the market would seem to indicate such, as Mk1 or ‘Frog Foot’ 1016s…
Read MoreTropical Gilt 1016 Rolex Explorer
Despite often speaking about striving to feature a diverse range of interesting wristwatches, here I am presenting another Explorer simply for the fact that I love its patina. Yes, there was a lovely 6150 here just last week. But I’m a simple man, and when a level of perfectly honest patina mixed with harsh UV…
Read More6150 ‘Pre-Explorer’ Rolex Precision
Many will argue that the ref. 6350 is Rolex’s first Explorer. Yet, the DNA which saw what many would consider the core of the Explorer design, that being its 3-6-9 dial, began here in the ref. 6150. That simple change from the previous triangle indices at every hour in 1952 went on to become lore…
Read MoreValue Prop: Tritium Service Dial 1016 Rolex Explorer
I don’t even think it’s contentious for me to admit that I fundamentally distrust people who don’t love the 1016. An Alpinist for the affluent, the 1016’s humble can-do practicality and tritium dial prove irresistible in the long-term for the vast majority of watch collectors. Many Rolex devotees have a preference for fat font dials,…
Read More1960 Greenland Expedition-Issued A404 Smiths Explorer
Greenland is an unrelenting place. Cold, wet, windy, rocky, and unconquered in places even today. We, the horological hardcore, know and love the fact of Smith’s co-ascension on Everest with an early Explorer. These were watches built to purpose, that of weathering all conditions. This ref. A404 is in fact the same reference as that…
Read MoreA Well-Preserved 1016 Explorer I
I don’t even think it’s contentious for me to admit that I fundamentally distrust people who don’t love the 1016. An Alpinist for the affluent, the 1016’s humble can-do practicality and tritium dial prove irresistible in the long-term for the vast majority of watch collectors. Many Rolex devotees have a preference for fat font dials,…
Read MoreExplorer-Dial Rolex 5513
5513s are dime-a-dozen and that’s a good thing. Rolex’s production today is about equal the entirety of the rest of Switzerland, combined. Desire for vintage models is huge and the 5513 is a perfect Submariner to meet that demand. However, one of the best things about the 5513 generation is that there is depth within…
Read MoreCoffee-Dialed Rolex 1016 Explorer
There is nothing I can say about the 1016 Rolex Explorer which has not been said already. It’s one of the most understated yet important references of the Swiss Manufacture’s history. It sports a plethora of famous owners, every day wearability, dress potential, and (most importantly) humility. The 1016 might just be the most tasteful…
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