Revolution Watch
Jul 25, 2017 · 4 min read

Perhaps there is no other luxury watch brand that went big on purpose-built watches than Rolex. As watch lovers were busy anticipating the release of the next classic dress watch, the brand went on a different direction and decided to cater to the needs of professionals instead. As a result, the world now enjoys a myriad of tool watches designed for specific use, from diving to aerial navigation.

While the brand is already known for its bevy of purpose-built watches, one timepiece remains a standout amongst its collections — the Rolex Explorer. For industry insiders and watch enthusiasts, this model is the most legendary tool watch from the brand and the timepiece that first comes to mind when facing real-life conditions.

Revolution Watch Magazine reveals why the Explorer remains an icon more than 60 years after it was first introduced.

Traces Its Origins To The Rolex Oyster Perpetual

The Explorer takes pride in coming from a lineage that’s already a legend in the watchmaking industry. In 1926, the brand invented the Oyster, a hermetically sealed case that protected the movement inside watch from water and dust. With this invention, the world’s first water- and dustproof wristwatch was born.

Rolex did not stop there and made its Oyster watches even more innovative. In 1931, the brand developed the Perpetual rotor, which allowed the Oyster watch to be self-winding. This self-winding mechanism now drives every modern automatic watch today.

The combination of the Oyster case and self-winding mechanism with Perpetual rotor gave birth to the Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches, which gave inspiration to early Explorer models.

Early Oyster Perpetual Models Were Tested Under Real-life Conditions

Ever since the Oyster Perpetual watch was introduced, the brand made sure to test the timepiece to ensure its precision, reliability, and robustness.

In 1927, for example, the brand tested the timepiece’s water resistance via English swimmer Mercedes Gleitze. The brand equipped Gleitze with a Rolex Oyster (back then, it wasn’t equipped with the Perpetual rotor yet) as she went on a cross-channel challenge. Her swim on the English Channel lasted for more than 10 hours, with the Oyster remaining in perfect condition.

The Oyster watch was also worn by members of the first expedition who flew over Mount Everest in 1933, as well as by Sir Malcolm Campbell, then touted as one of the fastest drivers in the world, in 1935. The most notable of all, however, was during Sir John Hunt’s Expedition in 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest equipped with Oyster Perpetual watches. This signalled the beginning of the brand’s foray into the world of purpose-built watches.

The First Rolex Explorer Was A Tribute Piece

While the brand has been an avid supporter of explorers even before the Mount Everest conquest of 1953, it wasn’t until during this historic event that the brand really focused on building a portfolio of purpose-built watches. The Oyster Perpetual Explorer was the first amongst these timepieces and was specifically designed to mark man’s successful ascent of Everest.

One Of The Brand’s Pioneering Watches Designed For Professional Use

The birth of the Rolex Explorer in 1953 paved the way for more purpose-built watches under the brand. It was followed by the Submariner diver’s watch, also in 1953, the GMT-Master for airline pilots in 1955, the Milgauss in 1956, which was designed for the scientific community, and the Rolex Deepsea Special for extreme divers in 1960. The Explorer, however, was the most iconic of all purpose-built watches from the brand, being the first to be developed for professional use.

The Most Popular Explorer And an Explorer Sans The Rugged Look

Of all the Explorer watches ever produced, it was Reference 1016 that was dubbed the most famous variation. This model was launched in 1963 and had the longest production period, which ended in 1989. What made it more popular than other Explorer watches is that it was the model that most watch enthusiasts see as the archetype of the true Explorer, with a design and technical specifications that were the closest to older models.

Following Reference 1016 was Reference 14270, which was released in 1989. This model was bereft of the ruggedness that was mostly associated with the Explorer, having possessed a more modern and refined look.

An Explorer That’s More Of A Tool Watch Than Its Predecessor

While the Explorer has always been a purpose-built timepiece, it wasn’t until the launch of the Rolex Explorer II that the line was taken seriously as a pure tool watch.

Launched in 1971, the Explorer II was designed to cater to the needs of speleologists, volcanologists, and polar and jungle explorers. It was built to be more robust and highly refined, with specially designed features that meet the demands of such professionals.

An Explorer II With Distinctive Hands

The Explorer II wasn’t a big hit as its predecessor when it was launched in the 1970s, yet this model was as legendary as the original. It was touted as the original extreme sports watch, a tool watch through and through, thanks to its unique features. First, it is the only timepiece from the brand (along with the Sea-Dweller) that doesn’t incorporate any precious metal. Second, it features protective crown guards, engraved 24-hour bezel, and an extra hand on the dial. More unique features were added in later models, such as the Reference 1655, which had a blaze-orange hand that was nicknamed “Freccione” (or big arrow).

Know more about the Explorer and the Rolex Explorer 2 when you visit Rolex online. Check out the Revolution Watch Magazine website and its digital editions for interesting features and videos about the brand.

Revolution Watch
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