The Rolex Explorer
One of the Best Known Rolex Watches Because of Explorer Hilary's Climb to the Summit of Mount Everest

Next to the beautiful two-tone Rolex Datejust, the Rolex Explorer is one of the most elegant and recognizable Rolex watches available. Its elegance lies in the simplicity of the design. With the black dial, large luminous triangle marker at the 12 position and the Arabic numbers at the quarters, the Explorer is a great example of a dress watch that’s just as at home on the tennis court.

While the true origin of the watch is in dispute, the accepted story is that it was made in honor of Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay who were the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest and who wore Rolex watches during their climb.

The little known fact, however, is that only one of the two climbers actually wore a Rolex watch. Both Rolex and the English watch company Smith’s sponsored the duos climb and Edmund Hilary chose to wear a Smith’s watch during the climb. But Rolex, if nothing else, is a successful marketing machine and they managed to spin the story in their favor.

The real origin is that the Explorer was simply a watch designed for Explorers. Rolex chose to use a high-visibility dial and a more durable case that could be lubricated with a special oil so that the watch could sustain temperatures between –20°C and + 40°C. The truth is that the watch was taken on many expeditions prior to the famed Everest climb.

One thing that immediately set the Explorer apart from other Rolex watches was the dial. Rather than using one basic style, Rolex chose a few previously used styles and mixed them together. The triangle at the12 position was first used by Rolex in the 1940s and the Arabic numbers on the quarters were used on some of Rolex’s first models.

At first Rolex seemed unsure of the watch’s potential and so two distinct variations of the Explorer model were created that targeted two different markets. The first was known as the Air King Explorer and the second variation was known as the “dress Explorer.” The dress Explorer is a standard Oyster Perpetual in either steel, gold with white or black dials with gold markers and hands.

In 1959 Rolex released the model 6610, which is generally the look sported by the Explorer today. Inside, however, there have been numerous changes with the movements as technologies advanced. In addition, the Explorer was among the first to use Rolex’s new Oyster bracelet, which had links machined from solid steel rather than the folded steel used in older bracelets.

In the early 1970s Rolex designed the Explorer II, which was released as model 1655. It uses the same caliber movement found in the GMT-Master, but with a fixed bezel. It also featured a fourth hand that rotated every 24 hours. Rolex marketed this new Explorer as being beneficial to speleologists or cave explorers.

Rolex has always marketed their Explorer watches as being extremely rugged and resistant to hazards. While some adventurers and extreme sportsmen actually prefer watches like the Casio G-Shock for their rugged designs, the Explorer’s popularity remains strong with both the real explorers and those who just dream of being one.