Explorer 39 / Stainless steel / Black

The Explorer was born from Rolex's relationship with Himalayan expeditions in the 1950s, culminating in the successful ascent of Everest by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. The watch they carried — a prototype that would become the Explorer — proved that a Rolex could function reliably at extreme altitude, in extreme cold, and under extreme physical duress. The Explorer's design codified these requirements: a 36mm (now 40mm) Oyster case, black dial with 3-6-9 Arabic numerals for maximum legibility, Mercedes hands with luminous fill, and no complications beyond the time. It is Rolex's purest expression of the tool watch — nothing unnecessary, nothing missing.

The Rolex Explorer benefited from experience gained in the Himalayas, acquiring its clearly distinctive hour and minute hands, and its landmark, highly legible, black dial with luminescent indices and large Arabic numerals at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. It is designed for optimal legibility even in the dark – a crucial feature for explorers. It stood at the base for all Oyster Professional models that followed. The 2013 214270 is 3mm larger compared to earlier models.