Rolex Explorer I 39mm – 214270 mk2

The Rolex Explorer I 39mm – is an evolution over time that started with the “Explorer” trademark by Rolex back on January 26th of 1953.  The name was soon attached to the timepiece when true Explorers Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbed Mount Everest.  Rolex equipped these British climbers with large-sized Oyster timepieces in 1952 with the hopes that the Rolex would accompany them to the highest point of the earth.   They were given the Rolex Reference 6098 big bubble back timepieces.  The “Explorer” name was added to the Rolex timepiece reference 6350 after the successful climb.

The point of the Rolex Explorer I was to survive the tremendous effects of cold (supported to -20 degrees Celsius) and also be highly visible and capable of taking a pounding without losing time.

The Rolex Explorer I 39mm

The Rolex Explorer I 39mm was released at the 2010 Baselworld fair.  Rolex essentially supersized the Rolex up from its 36mm case to 39mm – following the trend of men’s watches growing larger and larger in the marketplace.  The new 39mm Explorer I was nearly as big as most other Rolex timepieces which averaged between 40mm and 44mm.

The new reference 214720 featured a caliber 3132.  The 3132 had a power reserve of 48 hours.  It beat at a frequency of 28,800 and was made with 31 jewels.  It was highly reliable and fully tested by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute.  The same reference appeared not only in the Rolex Explorer I 39mm but also in the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 and the Rolex Cellini.

The 39mm Rolex Explorer I removed the luminous material from the 3, 6, and 9 Arabic numeral markers.  It was instead made from white gold.  Unfortunately, that move was not well received, as it removed the visibility of the timepiece, which is something the watch has stood for since its inception.  However, the new blue Chromalight material was added to the hands and hour markers.  Also, the name “Explorer” was moved from the top half of the dial to the bottom half of the dial.  The Explorer I 39mm is currently discontinued and can still be snapped up for around 10,000, which is a bargain compared to the prices of most Rolex timepieces.

Rolex replaced the Rolex Explorer I 39mm with the Rolex Explorer I 36mm which brings it back to its 36mm roots.  It has added luminescence to the 3, 6, and 9 Arabic hour markers and added the new caliber 3230 movements to it.  Now the timepiece supports a power reserve of 70 hours.  The new Rolex Explorer I 36mm comes in 2 options – the Reference 124270 which features the standard look with the steel case and black dial that people have known and loved for almost 70 years, and the Reference 124273 which supports the gold and steel combination – aka Rolesor – which has become popular with many Rolex collectors.

The caliber 3230 is also more resilient to movement as it features high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers which are 10x better than the previous model.  It has a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring making it less sensitive to magnetic fields, and able to handle wide temperature variations.  It is made with 31 jewels and is accurate within 2 seconds per day.

The 3230 is almost identical to the 3235 with the one exception that the 3235 features a date aperture.  The 3230 caliber also appears in the Rolex Submariner and in the Oyster Perpetual timepieces. The Rolex caliber 3230 has several patents that were filed during its creation.  It has several improvements over the previous version, particularly with power reserve, precision, reliability, and resistance to shocks and magnetic fields.  The combined set of features helps make the new Explorer I 36 mm the best Explorer I timepiece ever made.  That said, the 39mm Explorer I is already becoming highly collectible as it is no longer available.

Rolex Explorer 214270 mk2 Fans Pictures

One of the best things about the Explorer I 39mm is the fact that the black dial and white gold hour markers combined with the Oystersteel case give this timepiece a pure palette in order to design the watchband combination of your dreams.  The sky’s the limit with color options offered by Rubber B on our Explorer I 39mm page.

Here you will see that Rubber B has developed an extensive array of colors and styles that you can choose from to complement your mood, tastes, and design preferences.  All these bands are pure vulcanized rubber made in Switzerland.  The Classic Series supports the Original Rolex Deployant Clasp.  The Tang series offers a tang buckle to the already popular rubberized band, which many feel is more comfortable and easier to work with than the original Deployant clasp.

The Velcro Strap Series features an Industrial Strength Velcro® Closure and titanium insert for strength.  The Rubber Cuff Series is a military-grade NATO-style strap available in Black, Blue, and Military Green.  In addition, Rubber B has also developed several new mechanical processes allowing the texture of the bands to appear to be made from fabric such as kevlar or Alligator skin, but are actually 100% made from the strongest and most supple rubber in the industry.

Models Rolex explorer Straps