2023 Rolex Explorer I 40mm New Reference 224270
Ref: 224270
Specification
Lugs : 21mm
Condition :Â Pre-Owned
Box & Papers : Box & Papers
Case Material : Stainless Steel
Warranty : Manufacturer Warranty
Points of Mention
This watch is sold with its original Rolex box, swing tag and paperwork. The watch comes paired with its original 3-link 21mm Rolex OysterSteel oyster bracelet, Oyster-Lock safety folding clasp and 5mm Easy-link extension, all links included. The watch is from September 2023 and is sold in worn condition, but is overall in fair condition, as you can see from the photographs. A full case and bracelet refurb can be provided at an additional cost on request. The watch comes with its original Manufacturer's Warranty.
For more photos see here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1gKVWrlB-tJ4ULBXT5Nl3AAx9Rybiltq9?usp=drive_link
4K YouTube video, skip to 2:25 - https://youtu.be/4WzLbj9lrew
The Watch
Here we have a 2023 Rolex Explorer I New Reference 224270 that has a larger 40mm Oyster case made of Oystersteel, the use of Oystersteel which belongs to the 904L family makes the case more resilient to corrosion and highly durable. The Rolex Explorer came about after 20 years of development in extreme environments, starting back in the 1930s, the goal of the watch was to create the perfect mountaineer's tool, keeping the perfect time at -50°C (-58°F) with 70% less oxygen than at sea level. A lug-to-lug length of 46.5mm and a thickness of 11.5mm ensures a comfortable fit on your wrist, on the right side, is a Twinlock double sealing system for the screw-down crown. A smooth highly polished bezel holds a flat scratch-resistant sapphire crystal above a black lacquer dial, the larger proportions continue with the applied 18k White Gold highly legible 3, 6, and 9 filled with blue Chromalight, and the 18k White Gold applied baton indexes have the same infill, 18k White gold Mercedes's hands are complemented by a lollipop counterweighted sweeping second hand and the text is precisely printed with the Rolex crown at 12. On the reverse, a coin-edged screw-down case back, inside we have the Rolex Cal. 3230 considered a very accurate automatic movement with Chronometer Certification of -2/+2 seconds a day, 31 jewels and beating at 28,800 BPH. The use of a Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring for its speed, it’s 10 times more accurate in case of shocks, resistant to extreme temperatures and unaffected by magnetic fields and gravity. The 904L 3-link OysterSteel Oyster bracelet has the Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink micro-adjustments up to 5mm extension, all links provided and the watch comes with its Rolex presentation box, swing tag and paperwork.
Personal Note
Here we have the new Rolex Explorer 1 in 40mm, a few subtle differences to the previous 39mm, but to be completely honest, on the wrist they feel pretty much the same, which is a big positive for those who love the Explorer 1 but want a bigger profile on their wrist. The Explorer 1 is often called the "Perfect 1 watch collection" if such a thing exists for us watch nerds, but I was reduced to only having 1 watch, it would probably be an Explorer... Don't hesitate to pick this up and add it to your collection!
The Brand
In 1905, German-born Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis set up a company in London that imported Swiss movements which are installed in British cases and sold to jewellers who put their names on the dials. Recognising the potential for their brand, Wilsdorf created the brand name Rolex in 1908. In 1910, a Rolex became the first wristwatch to carry the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, awarded by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. Demand for Rolex watches rose swiftly, and British taxes on the Swiss movements Rolex used prompted Wilsdorf to move the business to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1919. With production costs lowered, Wilsdorf quickly set out to solve the age-old problem of moisture and dust entering a watch case and damaging the movement. The Rolex watchmakers came up with a fully sealed watch case, which Wilsdorf named the Oyster, and released to an appreciative audience in 1926. In 1931, Rolex introduced the first automatic winding wristwatch, giving it the legendary name Oyster Perpetual. In 1945, they released Datejust. The Datejust was the first watch to have the date jump instantaneously at midnight. The 1950s saw a whole lot of releases such as the Air-King (1958), the Explorer (1953), the Submariner (1953), the GMT Master (1955), the Day-Date (1956), the electromagnetic field resistant Milgauss (1956), the Lady-Datejust (1957) and the first Deep Sea model (1960). Wilsdorf’s death in 1960, saw ownership of Rolex S.A. (a collection of sub-companies) passed to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation which was founded by Wilsdorf in 1945, the mission of which is simply to sustain Rolex S.A. indefinitely.