I’ve always been a sucker for Everest books. The mystery of George Mallory’s final escapade, Sir Edmund Hillary planting that flag in ’53. Into Thin Air, of course. The subsequent controversies and body recovery efforts, etc. While the Explorer doesn’t have direct roots on Everest, the origin story does loosely align (at least from a marketing standpoint). The Explorer line (both I and II) have always been in the back of my mind. The opportunity presented itself last year, and I bit.
The 14270 I got my hands on is a classic example from 2002, it features the 36mm case and Super-Luminova. Better yet, it has the original case back sticker!
Full disclosure: when I first unboxed it, I wasn’t sold. It felt… underwhelming. Kinda like when I grabbed my Seiko SKX007 years back—solid, but no fireworks. But then something funny happened. A week later, I hadn’t taken it off the wrist. And then another week went by, and it was still on the wrist. Eerily similar to when I bought my SKX007, actually. In fact, since I bought the Explorer, I’ve rarely worn my Datejust.
What flipped the switch? Simplicity, I think. Look, I’m a man of simple taste (he says, reviewing a ~$6,000 watch). This dial is a crisp gloss black with those 3-6-9 numerals staring back at you. No clutter, no fuss. And even better, there’s no day/date! Over the years I’ve really soured on day/dates, and I prefer watches without them. There’s something nice and simple about a no-date dial, and it’s easier to switch up watches during the week.
The Datejust and Explorer have confirmed one thing to me: a 36mm Rolex case is my perfect watch on wrist. A nice slim case, understated but still with wrist presence. It transitions beautifully from suit jacket to t-shirt better than any watch I’ve owned.
This one is an easy carry. Full review below.
PS – If you’re interested in Everest books, here are some favorites:
- The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mt Everest: https://amzn.to/4byXCto
- The Third Pole: https://amzn.to/4byXCto
- Into Thin Air: https://amzn.to/4byY6Qe
