Rolex Explorer I 39mm – Watch straps by Rubber B

The Rolex Explorer I was a stunning achievement that established its place in horological history when Rolex sent the timepiece with the worlds greatest explorers. This timepiece was engineered to withstand the elements, the pressure and the banging around that explorers of all types including mountain climbers, cave divers and others would undoubtedly punish their timepiece with.

Rolex Explorer I

The Rolex Explorer was built from the ground up to take a hit and still keep great time. This is a new concept in the world of time keeping because before this watches were made to work in more ideal environments such as on the wrist of a man wearing a business suit. Rolex and a few other companies saw that there was a need for watches to evolve and support more rugged adventures and keep time no matter what temperatures or altitudes it faces.

Since then the Rolex Explorer has become the staple timepiece for mountaineers, cave expeditions, scientists and intrepid explorers the world around. This timepiece was built with the strength and waterproofness of the Oyster case. It incorporates the Oyster Bracelet which, like the case, is made from the strongest form of Rolex Oystersteel available.

A redesign of the Rolex Explorer I 39mm took place in 2010, and then again, more recently in 2021. One change was the new Oyster bracelet. The updated bracelet incorporated the same look and function feature on the Rolex Submariner, but without the diver extension.

Instead, Rolex decided to innovate even more for The Explorer I 39mm, by adding the EasyLink extension to its Rolex bracelet. This feature allows to easily adjust the size of the bracelet by as much as 5mm in either direction. In addition, Rolex goes beyond customer expectations, ensuring that The Rolex Explorer I bracelet is securely on the wrist with an additional fliplock feature.

The Rolex Explorer I 39mm is crafted with a solid stainless steel bracelet. Rolex is the only company on the watch industry that uses a high grade of stainless steel ( 904L) in the construction of all new watch models and their bracelets.

In 2021, Rolex added its new in-house caliber, the 3230 to the Explorer I. It has a far more advanced power reserve with up to 70 hours of power with its self-winding perpetual rotor. It is built with highly resistant Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring and High-performance Paraflex shock absorbers to keep the timepiece in fine working order even when in punishing environments.

The new Rolex reference 124270 still has the look of the classic Explorer I with its characteristic 3, 6, 9 numerals and no-date on its dial. However it is fully tested as a and labeled on the dial as a “Superlative Chronometer” and “Officially Certified” by the COSC. As if you didn’t know already, it is also labeled as “Swiss Made” under the 6 hour marker.

The Rolex Explorer I may not get as much love these days as one of the top 4 Rolex timepieces that collectors are clamoring for. This does not mean that the Explorer I is any less a Rolex. It is every bit a superlative Rolex in every way.

This timepiece has exceptional luminescent material emitting a long-lasting blue glow on its hands and hour markers. It has a 36 mm case and a twinlock waterproofness mechanism in is screw down crown. The timepiece supports a depth of 330 feet which is more than enough for most explorers. If they need greater depth, then the Submariner would be the better timepiece.

This timepiece is listed for a mere $7200 on the Rolex site. Yet, even though all Rolex models have increased to astronomical levels, this model can still be purchased for around $11,500 today.

Comparing the Rolex Explorer I Mark I (Ref. 214270) and Explorer Mark II (Ref. 214270)

In 2010, Rolex released the newer model of the Rolex Explorer, which was now 39mm instead of its predecessors at 36mm. In this section of this post, we’ll review the similarities and differences between the Rolex Explorer I Mark I and Rolex Explorer I Rolex Mark II.

Similarities:

Both the Rolex Mark I and Mark II have the same movement (3132) with the same para chrome hairspring and Paraflex shock absorber and 48-hour power reserve. Both watches share the same exact bracelet. Both still feature the solid clasp and easy link extension. Both cases are exactly the same apart from a few small changes that had some Rolex enthusiasts excited and others annoyed.

Rolex Explorer I 39mm - Watch straps by Rubber B

Differences:

One of the biggest differences between these two models is the upgrade on the Mark II, now with larger and lume added to the 3-6-9 numerals. The original Mark I had its Arabic numerals in solid white gold, it had no lume and caused issues for readability in the dark. Another major difference is the handset. On Mark I, the largest hand does not reach the track on the outside all the way, and it’s rumored that Rolex had used the old handset from the 36mm Explorers that they had leftover coining the Mark I’s nickname as the “shorthand” Explorer.

The newer Mark II version was released in 2016, now with larger hands that are slightly fatter and reach the track along the edges, giving it a sportier look.

It is speculated Mark I may become a collectible in the future, horology enthusiasts believe this watch to be a “mistake by Rolex” with its un-lumed dial and shorthands. The first release of the Rolex Explorer 16550, for example, has paint that is slightly off, giving it a yellowish tone; and it’s still going for outrageous prices. People think a similar situation will happen with the Rolex Mark I.

Straps:

Rubber B recently dropped a new series of straps for these watches. No matter which version of these Rolex you have, you can protect your bracelet by switching it for the highest quality vulcanized Rubber strap on the market. For the Rolex Explorer I 39mm, they offer straps from their Classic Series in solid colors, dual-colored VulChromatic®, SwimSkin® Vegan Alligator, Tang-Buckle, Velcro, and the SwimSkin® Twill Cuff Series. the durable band that looks and feels like real Alligator Skin but is 100% rubber, which is fully waterproof and Vegan friendly.

Rubber B offers “The Ultimate Rubber Strap” for the Rolex Explorer I with the highest quality and technology. These watch bands are a universal fit to maximize comfort and satisfaction.