Featured Watch
Rolex Explorer 114270
Three, six, nine. White gold against black lacquer, in a 36mm case that feels complete on the wrist. This unpolished Explorer wears its history honestly. It’s the watch behind As Far as I Can See and the longer you live with that dial, the more the title makes sense.
Questions before you buy? Ask Jeff about this watch.
The Explorer is what happens when Rolex takes a simple field watch seriously. A black dial. Three hands. The time, there when you need it. There is a great deal of care in making something this easy to live with.
The 114270 is a personal favorite. The steel case, the plain bezel, the white gold numerals at 3, 6, and 9: each part earns its place. You can appreciate the whole watch in a glance and still find yourself looking again.
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, wore an Explorer 1016, an earlier reference in the same line. That is the association I like: a writer at his desk, wearing a watch built to go outside.
I like it as a first Rolex because the pleasure is in the wearing. It is legible, durable, and easy to make part of an ordinary day. Buy it to wear. That is where it makes its case.
The Vault
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