Revolution
Very Briefly: Rolex Explorer (Vintage, Pricing)
A skeletal essentials-only guide to the Rolex Explorer, in mostly incomplete sentences.
2,669 articles · 2,014 videos found · page 29 of 157
The Rolex chronograph born on the racetrack. History, references and specs.
The first self-winding waterproof wristwatch with a date window - and the reference Rolex.
The 1953 Rolex diver. James Bond's watch and the template every dive watch copies.
Founder of Rolex (1905) and Tudor (1946). Invented the Oyster case and the Perpetual rotor.
Revolution
A skeletal essentials-only guide to the Rolex Explorer, in mostly incomplete sentences.
SJX Watches
Many great human endeavours that Rolex has been part of have a distinctly earthly ring to them. From Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summiting the world’s tallest mountain to Jacques Piccard reaching the deepest point in the oceans, or even Fidel Castro journeying through Cuba’s rainforests, a great deal of the planet has been covered with a Rolex keeping time. While Geneva watchmaking giant has sponsored various explorers over the decades, its focus has now shifted subtly, but substantially. Rolex will support ecologically minded explorers of the natural world, specifically to help them learn how to preserve it. Named Perpetual Planet, this doubtlessly well funded initiative consolidates three of the company’s key partnerships – the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, its longterm association with the National Geographic Society, and Mission Blue, led by American oceanographer Sylvia Earle. The Wilsdorf legacy While it is easy to be cynical about a maker of luxury watches claiming to do good, charity is not merely a box to be ticked at Rolex. The founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, had no children and upon his death in 1960, gifted his ownership of the watch brand to an eponymous foundation that’s one of the largest charitable foundations in Europe. Though it operates discreetly, the foundation does so on an immense scale, especially in relation to its home country, which is wealthy but small. From saving the Geneva’s football club to bankrolling the...
Time+Tide
In the past, owning a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date meant something different to what it does now. It was the President’s watch, worn by those who controlled the destinies of millions around the world, making daily decisions that mattered. Now the perception of the Day-Date is influenced by rappers and Instagram hustlers, offering an ostentatious … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Is the yellow gold Rolex Day-Date vulgar or virtuous? appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
An unsung hero of the Rolex sports model lineup.
Time+Tide
Where do Rolex meteorite dials come from?The post RECOMMENDED READING: Rare rocks? The truth about Rolex meteorite dials appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: While #BlueWatch Monday has inspired 24,000+ posts on Instagram, I wanted to start the week with a watch in the same chromatic neighbourhood, specifically the Rolex Day-Date 40 with olive green dial. Without a doubt, this has to be one of the best-looking Day-Dates that Rolex has ever produced (yes, I said one … ContinuedThe post The Rolex Day-Date 40, olive-green goodness appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: People love seeing the insides of a Rolex. Perhaps it’s because of their popularity or perhaps it’s the fact that their insides are always hidden behind a solid caseback. Whatever the reason, people love the chance to get a glimpse at these industrially impressive machines. So, here’s another look at that time Peter … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: The deconstructed Rolex Submariner appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
For many, the Rolex Submariner is the watch. The default, the archetype. In some ways the watch has transcended its original function and become a totemic symbol for aspiration, class and cool. It is, after all, the original watch of James Bond. On the other hand, it’s still a superlative tool, designed for the dangerous … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: How the Rolex Submariner became an icon and inspired legions of copycats appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Revolution
Leading the charge for a scientific watch, the Milgauss represents Rolex’s early experiments with sports and professional timepieces.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: For Daytona fans, everyone’s all about the Cerachrom bezels these days. And while it’s hard to deny the allure of that super-hard, slick material, I prefer my bezels metal, and preferably precious. Which is why I’m still so into this 2016 release, the Rolex Daytona in white gold with blue dial (ref. 116509). … ContinuedThe post The heavy-hitting Rolex Daytona in white gold with blue dial (ref. 116509) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Video
Time+Tide
Marlon Brando’s Rolex GMT-Master ref. 1675, worn by him on the set of Apocalypse Now, is to be auctioned by Phillips Watches Department. The story was broken by the New York Times, with the provenance of the piece being traced from Brando, who in 1995 gave the watch to his adopted daughter Petra Brando Fischer, … ContinuedThe post Marlon Brando’s Apocalypse Now Rolex to be auctioned by Phillips appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas are the trio behind the band The Jonas Brothers. And aside from a love of smooth pop-rock tunes, they’ve got a demonstrated penchant for fine timepieces. They started out wearing Rolex timepieces, as this early-era picture of the brothers all wearing Datejusts in various guises shows. These days they all … ContinuedThe post WATCHSPOTTING: The Jonas Brothers and their wrist game – Rolex, Mille and more appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
OK, so on the surface this story is nice and simple. Philip McColl, a sailor who had his engraved Rolex Submariner (a commemoration of his 1988 World Championship win) stolen in 1998 returned to him by Christie’s auction house. Good news story, right? Well, the actual story is a little more complex. Turns out that Christie’s … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Christie’s return champion yachtsman’s stolen Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
In the Rolex sports watch hall of fame, the GMT-Master II is arguably the most practical. It is a relatively affordable, dual time zone watch; and there are, after all, more people who travel than those who dive or race or sail. At the same time, the GMT-Master has always been available in precious metal, in 18k Everose for instance, and also lavishly bejewelled like the popular sapphire and ruby “SARU”. The new meteorite dial GMT-Master II, on the other hand, is bling meets functionality without the gemstones, making it an unusual and compelling watch. And it’s also the first time Rolex has used meteorite in a watch other than the Daytona or Day-Date. In fact, the meteorite GMT-Master probably the most practical ultra-luxe travel watch out there. And it costs only about US$1600 over the standard white gold GMT-Master with a blue dial, making it a worthwhile upgrade. Maybe “Pan Am” Rolex has not revealed what inspired the meteorite GMT-Master, but the GMT-Master “Pan Am” or “Albino” is obvious. Reputedly made in small numbers for executives at Pan American Airways – the company credited for the creation of the GMT-Master – the GMT-Masters fitted with white dials are either the refs. 6542 or 1675. A handful are known and have sold for well into six figures, but the white dial examples are controversial and often accompanied by unending questions as to whether they are legit. A jewel of a watch In contrast, the modern day equivalent of...
Deployant
The Rolex Daytona Ref.116500LN is a super popular sports Rolex model, with an almost perpetual waiting list, is the subject of our large format Watchscapes.
Video
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Men don’t come much manlier than Tom Selleck’s Magnum, P.I. This guy had it all – the car, the ‘stache and, most importantly, the watch. Last year the FHH ran an excellent interview with the man himself and his watch. It’s awesome. All that’s left of my Magnum days are my Rolex, a … ContinuedThe post Tom Selleck on why he still wears his ‘Magnum, P.I.’ Rolex appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
WatchAdvice
Everyday divers’ watch from Rolex The Submariner is a quintessential divers watch produced by Rolex. The Submariner model represents a historic turning point in diving watches. When the Submariner was released in 1953, it was the first divers watch that had a waterproofness to 100 metres. This combined with the breakthrough Rolex had with its revolutionary Oyster bracelet design in 1926 represented the two significant turning points in the diving watch history. Rolex had created the Submariner with a specific goal in mind, to be used for underwater exploration and diving. Not only had Rolex met this goal, they also paved the way for how diving watches should be made. When the Submariner was released, it was given to many deep-sea professionals to be worn and tested during their diving exploration missions. Dimitri Rebikoff (a well-known French Engineer recognised for his work involved in underwater photography) loved the watch so much that he stated “it not only held its own when tested in extreme diving conditions but also proved itself to be a vital equipment to a diver’s arsenal”. Over the years, the Submariner has become a modern icon in Rolex’s professional collection. The Submariner is so popular that it can be found on the wrists of people from many different professions. This particular model is also known as the ‘Hulk’ due to its beautiful green sunburst dial and bezel. The dial is not just a standard green finish either. The sunburst dial...
WatchAdvice
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona 116500 Review A timepiece born on the racetrack tying the history of Rolex and motorsport together, needs very little introduction. The rich history and sheer presence of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona are partly why it’s one of the most sought-after watches in today’s Rolex line-up. It was only just recently that Paul Newman’s Rolex Cosmograph Daytona auctioned for a staggering $ 17.8 million (USD). This was easily the most expensive timepiece sold to date. The current Cosmograph Daytona doesn’t exactly have the same worth as Paul Newman’s, however it does illustrate just how much the Daytona models in general are valued. The Cosmograph Daytona was first introduced in 1963 for the purposes of meeting demands of drivers in the world of performance motor sports. Even the name “Daytona” derived from the world of motor sports itself. In the early 1900s, a racing track to set land speed records was found in Daytona, Florida. From 1903 to 1935 around 80 Speed records were set in Daytona, with 14 records being the fastest land speed set in the world. As more and more speed attempts and records were being set at Daytona, it caught a lot of global attention and eventually became known as the “world capital of speed”. Rolex’s ties to the Daytona international speedway track came about when Sir Malcolm Campbell who was known as the king of speed, was seen sporting a Rolex Oyster model during one of his speed attempts. This led ...
WatchAdvice
One of the more prominent watches in the Rolex line up, the Sky-Dweller is a timepiece that is a true testament to the ingenious creativity that goes on in the in-house manufacturing of this brand. The watch itself is protected by 14 patents, therefore, it would come as no surprise that it’s also one of Rolex’s most complicated watches. The craftsmanship alongside sophistication is displayed to the highest quality in the Rolex Sky-Dweller. Unlike other Rolex models, the Sky-Dweller has one characteristic feature that stands out from the rest. This being the off-centre 24-hour display disk on the dial. This disk shows a second timezone that enables travellers to differentiate between daytime hours (9 am) and nighttime hours (9 pm) in that second timezone. The two timezones on the watch are displayed simultaneously. The local time is displayed through the normal hour, minute and second hand on the watch. The fixed red triangle under the Rolex logo on the dial indicates the chosen reference time on the 24-hour display disk. The time on the display disk can be set with relative ease through the use of a complex mechanism that allows the main hour hand to be adjusted independently backwards or forwards in 1-hour portions. When the hour hand is being adjusted, the minute and second hand are not affected. On the Rolex Sky-Dweller, the local time is displayed on the main dial, with the second timezone being shown on the 24-hour display disk. If you were to ...
WatchAdvice
Sitting in the mid-range of Rolex’s collection, the Rolex GMT-Master II 116710 BLNR is a favourite among watch enthusiasts. There are few other models within the GMT Master II range, all with close similarities to the 116710 BLNR. What sets them apart is the two-tone color schemes of the Bezel and also gold, rose-gold and bracelet variations. The GMT-Master II – 116710 BLNR is a previous generation model as Rolex has released a new GMT-Master II (126710 BLNR). There are some differences between the two models such as the new 126710 BLNR gets an updated movement along with a new jubilee bracelet. Watchadvice will review the 126710 BLNR at a later stage. To describe the GMT-Master II BLNR , it’s good to understand its beginnings. The very first Rolex GMT-Master was actually designed in partnership with Pan American Airways. Pan American Airways wanted to give the GMT-Master models to its pilots and crew to be able to use on those long flights. If you don’t know already, the GMT in the model name stands for Greenwich Mean Time which is translated to mean solar time. The personnel on the Pan American flights could use the GMT hand on the Rolex to set the time to GMT or even another time zone. Then using the rotatable 24hr Bezel and setting it to the correct offset, they can use it to read a second time zone. The main theory behind Pan American Airways giving this timepiece to its personnel was so that they could keep track of not only the current time zone but also t...
Video
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: Our resident Canadian correspondent Justin is a man of some fairly intense and deeply held passions - at least when it comes to watches. His proclivities for bold straps and quirky indies are immediately apparent if you take even a quick glance at his Instagram. His love for the already iconic (and already … ContinuedThe post Spending some quality time with the Rolex 116710 BLNR Batman appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
In yet another example of water being wet, desirable Rolex models are not easy to get. And while the issues with Rolex stock should not be news to anyone reading this, this analysis from WatchPro’s managing editor Rob Corder is a somewhat more evidence-based analysis than the usual feverish hyperbole. Corder uses the tried and … ContinuedThe post RECOMMENDED READING: Rolex drought shows no sign of easing appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
Editor’s note: no bells, no whistles. Everything you need and nothing you don’t. It’s the one and only Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 in steel … Forget the fuss about the Sea-Dweller and the palaver over the Sky-Dweller, the real Rolex of 2017 is the Datejust 41 in steel. On the surface, the reasons might … ContinuedThe post Simply the best? The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 in steel appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Time+Tide
If you weren’t paying close attention you could easily miss the new Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in white gold. And I mean that in the best way. It’s a handsome timepiece, with a quiet presence that (despite its newness) feels reassuringly familiar in some hard-to-define way. Despite being 2mm bigger than its Everose Gold brother (and … ContinuedThe post The stealthy excellence of the Rolex Yacht-Master 42 in white gold (ref. 226659) appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
Deployant
The new Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLNR "Batman" receives an update: a new Jubilee bracelet, and a brand new movement.
Video
Question, suggestion, or just want to say hi? Drop a note.