Founded in London in 1905 and headquartered in Geneva since 1919, Rolex is the standard against which all others are measured. The Explorer, introduced in 1953 to celebrate the first successful ascent of Everest, has always been Rolex's most purposeful and uncompromising design — no date, no complications, no distractions. When Rolex reintroduced the 36 mm case size in 2021 with the 124270, it was a deliberate return to the Explorer's original proportions from 1953 — a move widely celebrated by collectors who had long felt the outgoing 39 mm version had grown beyond the model's essential character.

Reference 124270 is a 36 mm Oystersteel automatic watch, 11.6 mm in thickness, with a smooth polished bezel and a screw-down Triplock crown. The black lacquer dial carries the iconic 3, 6 and 9 Arabic numerals alongside luminescent baton hour markers and hands in Chromalight — Rolex's proprietary luminescent material that emits a long-lasting blue glow in darkness. No date window interrupts the clean layout. At its heart beats the Rolex Calibre 3230, a fully in-house automatic movement certified as a Superlative Chronometer to ±2 seconds per day after casing, with a Chronergy escapement, blue Parachrom hairspring and 70-hour power reserve. The flat sapphire crystal carries anti-reflective treatment. The watch is fitted on a three-link Oyster bracelet in Oystersteel with an Oysterlock safety clasp and Easylink 5 mm comfort extension.

This example was purchased on 23 December 2021 and benefits from factory warranty until December 2026. This Rolex Explorer 36 is in very good condition and comes as a full set.