Rolex Explorer 114270

In 2011, Rolex did the unimaginable: It fundamentally changed the design of the Explorer - the watch that defined general badassery for the brand for some five decades prior.  In it's new version of the Explorer, Rolex departed from the classic 36mm case design, deciding instead that bigger was better, and housed their in-house 3132 movement in 39mm of steel.   While the move intrigued some, and beguiled others, it down right pissed us off.  We understood it when they switched from matte dials to glossy ones.  We could find some elegance in the presence of white-gold hour marker surrounds.  But altering the case dimension was tantamount to heresy in our books.  I mean, the whole idea of the Explorer was that it was a small and incredibly durable wristwatch capable of taking a beating while not being cumbersome on the wrist.   But to our chagrin, and the chagrin of many diehard Rolex enthusiasts, the line was forever altered, the legacy forever threatened.  That is why, when we see executions that herald the original design, such as this gorgeous ref. 114270, we jump at the chance to find them a good home.   With its feet firmly rooted in the classic design of the early Explorers - simple black dial with 3, 6, 9 Arabic numerals and 36mm Oyster case - this particular execution, from 2002, is every but as much an Explorer as the original 1016s that pulled their own weight up Everest.