As you probably know, Rolex is famous for making watches especially designed to survive extreme conditions and provide incredible precision and functionality no matter what, the Explorer is no different.

The official story of the Explorer originates in 1950, with Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay pioneering the ascent to the famous Mount Everest wearing, you guessed it, a Rolex watch.

Rolex has started testing watches on Himalayan expeditions since the 1930s. These watches had to keep perfect functionality at -50 Fahrenheit and 70% less oxygen than at sea level. These watches were modified Oyster Perpetuals. At the time these timepieces did not bear the Explorer name just yet, but there is a reason that this timepiece earned this name in the 1950s.

The name of the Explorer originates in 1950, with Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay pioneering the ascent to the famous Mount Everest wearing, you guessed it, one of these modified Rolex watches. Rolex instantly grabbed this marketing opportunity and brought out the first ever Explorer model with the reference number 6298 out to the public. This model proudly displayed the name “Explorer” on the dial.

In 1963, the Explorer model 1016 was released, which is now more commonly known as the vintage Explorer. This model was in production from 1963 to 1986. This model had a new calibre, 1560 and had “T Swiss” noted on the dial, which means that the luminescent material used was tritium.

At the end of the 1980s, a new reference 14270 made its debut. Some of the changes in this model are: a sapphire crystal and a lacquered dial, as well as a more modern appearance overall. This watch also featured a new calibre 3000.

In 2010 a new Rolex Explorer with the reference 214270 was revealed. This model had a new calibre 3132, an updated dial (the 3,6,9 were no longer luminescent), and the “explorer text moved from below 12 o’clock to above 6 o’clock. After Rolex received some negative feedback on the short minute hand for the larger case sizes for this model, it changed hands in 2016, but kept the same reference number.

The Rolex Explorer is maybe the most understated Rolex sports watch, often flying under the radar. However, with its incredibly rich history and impeccable design, the Explorer is a timepiece that should not be overlooked.

Which one would you choose? Take a look at our models here.