The Explorer is said to have been inspired after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's successfully conquered Mount Everest in 1953 but Rolex officials have been quoted saying the watch was in development long before this time. However Sir Edmund Hillary was wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual when he reached the summit of Everest and this can be seen at The Beyer Museum in Zurich, Switzerland. This specific model watch was from 1952 using the A296 movement were the first prototypes of the Explorer used by climbers and explorers which featured leaf shaped hands on a white dial without the presence of the word 'Explorer'.
In 1953, the watch was released with a number of changes, being that the dials now featured the word 'Explorer' and also the introduction of the Arabic dial containing the numbers 3, 6, and 9 and a large triangle at 12 which became typical of the Rolex Explorer. The famous Mercedes hands were later added to the watch.
The Explorer was made to be especially strong and withstand temperatures ranging from -20°C to 40°C without a drop in performance therefore it would meet the demands of a climber. A new model was introduced to the market in 1963 which had a higher water resistancy and a new movement. This specific model was in production for 26 years until 1989 when Rolex discontinued the Explorer and produced the Explorer II.
2001 saw the 1989 14270 model replaced with the new 114270 model with an upgraded movement and this watch is still in production to this day.
Many high profile celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Tom Hanks and Matt Damon are regularly seen wearing a Rolex Explorer.
Here at Market Cross Jewellers we have a 7 day hassle free return policy so if for any reason you are not happy with your purchase then you can return the watch to us within seven days of receiving it. Your Rolex watch comes with an authenticity certificate and a 12 month warranty that will cover the inner-workings and timekeeping of your watch in the near future. We also offer the ability to sell your watch back to us or use it as a part-exchange for a more expensive model.
If you require any more information regarding any of our Rolex watches then please do not hesitate to email us at enquiries@marketcrossjewellers.com or if you to prefer to speak to us by phone; call us on 01642 253939.
Can't find what you're looking for? Please check all other Rolex models we have in stock here at Market Cross Jewellers.
