-
SALE
Sale JewellerySale WatchesBy Price
-
Diamonds
By Category
-
Engagement
By Category
-
Weddings
Featured
- Jewellery
By CategoryBy Metal TypeBy GemstoneBy BrandBy Edit- Watches
By CategoryBy CollectionBy Luxury BrandBy Designer Brand- Rolex
FeaturedBy Collection- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
- Brands
FeaturedBrands A-Z- Gifts
By CategoryBy PriceBy Popular Brand- Pre-Owned
By Brand- Sell Your Watch
Sell your watchWe will expertly assess your watch and offer you
a competitive and accurate valuation for the
watch you wish to sell to us.Free Instant Valuation
Drop off at any Showroom
Unrivalled Knowledge & Expertise- Editorial
- Jewellery
- Shop by Category
- SALE
- Diamonds
- Engagement Rings
- Weddings
-
Jewellery
- Back
- Jewellery Offers
- Shop All Jewellery
- Jewellery Home
- By Category
- By Metal Type
- By Gemstone
-
By Brand
- 886 by The Royal Mint
- Amor
- Bijoux Birks
- BOSS
- Calvin Klein
- Chopard
- Emporio Armani
- Fabergé
- FOPE
- FRED
- Georg Jensen
- Goldsmiths
- Gucci
- Jenny Packham
- Kiki McDonough
- Lauren By Ralph Lauren
- Mappin & Webb
- Marco Bicego
- MARIA TASH
- Messika
- Michael Kors
- Olivia Burton
- Pasquale Bruni
- Pomellato
- Repossi
- Roberto Coin
- Skagen
- Susan Caplan
- SUZANNE KALAN
- SWAROVSKI
- Ted Baker
- THOMAS SABO
- Tommy Hilfiger
- By Edit
-
Watches
- Back
- Watch Offers
- Shop All Watches
- Watches Home
- By Category
- By Collection
-
By Luxury Brand
- Rolex
- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
- BALL
- Bamford
- Baume & Mercier
- Bell & Ross
- Breitling
- Bremont
- Cartier
- CHANEL
- Chopard
- DOXA
- Frederique Constant
- Girard-Perregaux
- Glashütte Original
- Grand Seiko
- Gucci
- Hublot
- ID Genève
- IWC Schaffhausen
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Junghans
- Longines
- MeisterSinger
- Montblanc
- Nivada Grenchen
- NOMOS Glashütte
- NORQAIN
- OMEGA
- Oris
- Panerai
- Piaget
- Rado
- RAYMOND WEIL
- TAG Heuer
- TUDOR
- Ulysse Nardin
- ZENITH
- By Designer Brand
- Rolex
- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
-
Brands
- Back
- View All Brands
-
A-Z
- Rolex Watches
- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
- 886 by The Royal Mint
- Accurist
- Amor
- Arnold & Son
- BALL
- Bamford
- Baume & Mercier
- Bell & Ross
- Bijoux Birks
- BOSS
- Breitling
- Bremont
- BVLGARI
- Calvin Klein
- Cartier
- Certina
- CHANEL
- Chopard
- Citizen
- Czapek
- DOXA
- Emporio Armani
- Encelade 1789
- Fabergé
- Fendi
- FOPE
- FRED
- Frederique Constant
- Garmin
- Georg Jensen
- Gerald Charles
- Girard-Perregaux
- Glashütte Original
- Goldsmiths
- Grand Seiko
- G-SHOCK
- Gucci
- Hamilton
- Hublot
- ID Genève
- IKEPOD
- IWC Schaffhausen
- Jacob & Co
- Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Jenny Packham
- Kiki McDonough
- Lauren By Ralph Lauren
- Longines
- Louis Erard
- Mappin & Webb
- Marco Bicego
- MARIA TASH
- Maurice Lacroix
- Michael Kors
- Messika
- Mondaine
- Montblanc
- Nivada Grenchen
- NOMOS Glashütte
- NORQAIN
- Olivia Burton
- OMEGA
- Oris
- Panerai
- Parmigiani Fleurier
- Pasquale Bruni
- Piaget
- Pomellato
- QLOCKTWO
- Rado
- RAYMOND WEIL
- Repossi
- Roberto Coin
- Rolex
- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
- Seiko
- Skagen
- Susan Caplan
- SUZANNE KALAN
- SWAROVSKI
- TAG Heuer
- Ted Baker
- THOMAS SABO
- Tissot
- Tommy Hilfiger
- TUDOR
- Ulysse Nardin
- Vivienne Westwood
- William Wood Watches
- WOLF
- ZENITH
- Gifts
-
Pre-Owned
- Back
- Shop All Pre-Owned
- Pre-Owned Home
- By Category
-
By Brand
- Rolex Certified Pre-Owned
- Pre-Owned Patek Philippe
- Pre-Owned TAG Heuer
- Pre-Owned Cartier
- Pre-Owned Jaeger-LeCoultre
- Pre-Owned Breitling
- Pre-Owned OMEGA
- Pre-Owned Longines
- Pre-Owned Tudor
- Pre-Owned IWC
- Pre-Owned Panerai
- Pre-Owned Blancpain
- Pre-Owned Breguet
- Pre-Owned Chopard
- Pre-Owned Rado
- Pre-Owned Vacheron Constantin
- Pre-Owned Zenith
- Sell Your Watch
- Editorial
- My Account
- Wishlist
- Store Finder
- Book an Appointment
- Help & Support
Rolex Explorer
Adventure on a grand scale
The Oyster Perpetual Explorer and Oyster Perpetual Explorer II evolved from Rolex’s deep involvement with exploration. They go where few people venture. The brand was able to test these watches in real life by equipping polar, mountaineering and caving expeditions over many years. Some of the world’s most intrepid explorers, mountaineers and scientists took these watches to places that tested their reliability in the toughest conditions.
Legible and durable, Explorer and Explorer II watches are designed to accompany those who push back the boundaries of human knowledge.
From the 1930s, Rolex began to equip numerous expeditions with Oyster Perpetual watches. The feedback received was used to develop what became known as the Professional category: watches that serve as tools, such as the Explorer and Explorer II. Rolex watches have taken part in some of humanity’s greatest adventures. One such occasion was the 1953 expedition to Everest, led by Sir John Hunt, on which Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa become the first to summit the world’s highest mountain.
Designed for exploration
The Explorer, launched in 1953, sets itself apart with a simple design and a highly legible black dial with characteristic 3, 6 and 9 numerals and large index hour markers. It is a tool watch, created to tell time accurately, whatever the circumstances. Even in the dark, the dial is easy to read, thanks to the Chromalight display. Today, the Explorer is available in a 36 mm diameter – the size of the 1953 original model – as well as in a 40 mm diameter.
The Explorer II was introduced in 1971 and, in the same spirit as the Explorer, perpetuates the privileged relationship Rolex enjoys with exploration. Thanks to its 24-hour display comprising an additional, orange hour hand and an engraved bezel, the Explorer II allows the wearer to clearly distinguish daytime from night-time hours – a practical option in places where distinguishing day from night is difficult, such as at the poles at certain times of the year, and in caves – or to read the time in a second time zone.
Resisting the extremes
Watches in the Explorer range have constantly evolved to meet explorers’ needs, each time becoming more robust and reliable. The Explorer 36 is available in Oystersteel or in a yellow Rolesor version (combining Oystersteel and yellow gold), while the Explorer 40 and Explorer II are made exclusively in Oystersteel. Specially developed for Rolex, Oystersteel is a unique alloy with excellent anti-corrosion properties.
All three models are fitted with an Oyster bracelet, a three-piece link bracelet known for its robustness. Featuring the Rolex-designed and patented Oysterlock folding safety clasp, which prevents accidental opening, it is also equipped with the Easylink comfort extension link; developed by the brand, this allows the wearer to easily adjust the bracelet length by approximately 5 mm.
The Explorer 36 and Explorer 40 are equipped with calibre 3230 while the Explorer II features calibre 3285. Both are self-winding mechanical movements entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. They offer a power reserve of about 70 hours.
Superlative Chronometer certification
Like all Rolex watches, the Explorer and Explorer II are covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification. This designation testifies that every watch leaving the brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories, according to its own criteria. The Superlative Chronometer status is symbolized by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.
© 2024 Goldsmiths
Goldsmiths is a trading name of Watches of Switzerland Company Limited. Registered Office: Aurum House, 2 Elland Road, Braunstone, Leicester, LE3 1TT, Registered in England and Wales, Company number 00146087. Registered VAT Number 834 8634 04. Watches of Switzerland Company Limited acts as a broker and not a lender and offers finance from Secure Trust Bank PLC trading as V12 Retail Finance and PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH trading as PayPal Credit. Watches of Switzerland Company Limited is authorised and regulated by the Finance Conduct Authority. Our registration number is 308710. Credit provided is subject to age and status, minimum spend applies. Terms and Conditions apply. UK residents only. We may receive a commission if your application is successful, and the amount may vary depending on the product chosen and the amount of credit taken out. Not all products are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and FOS protection will not be extended to unregulated agreements. Please note the Consumer Credit Act states that should your purchase / loan amount cost more than £30,000 you will not be covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
*Next day delivery available on most items. See product pages for more information.