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- Rolex Explorer 1 Ref. 14270 U Series - Box & Papers - SOLD
Rolex Explorer 1 Ref. 14270 U Series - Box & Papers - SOLD
The first man to climb Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hilary, did so with a Rolex Oyster Perpetual strapped to his wrist that proved to be the ancestor and inspiration for the first Explorer. While the model has been updated since that first ascent to the world's highest mountaintop, the Explorer remains a tough watch that also offers an elegant and timeless design that looks at home on the wrist in nearly any situation.
The Explorer was upgraded with the introduction of the reference 14270 in 1989 as the replacement for the legendary reference 1016 Explorer with some big shoes to fill, and it did just that. The dial retained the familiar 3-6-9 layout and is a wonderfully balanced symmetric design, now in gloss form with applied markers underneath a sapphire crystal.
The example offered here is in excellent condition, with a sharp case with thick lugs and original tritium dial and hand set. This Explorer is a U series indicating circa 1998 production, making it one of the last Explorers with a tritium dial before the switch to Luminova, and comes with its original box and undated punched warranty papers.
Condition is per the photos and as follows:
Case: 36mm stainless steel case in very good condition as pictured. The case is sharp with thick lugs and crisp edges and shows only minor nicks and surface wear. Crown screws down securely. Serial and reference numbers are both visible and crisp.
Bezel: Original stainless steel polished bezel in excellent condition as pictured.
Dial/Hands: Original black gloss tritium dial with applied markers and original tritium hands in excellent condition as pictured.
Caseback: Original caseback in very good condition with minor wear as shown in the photos.
Crystal: Original sapphire crystal in excellent condition.
Movement: Rolex caliber 3000 automatic movement with hacking. The movement is in excellent condition although service history is unknown. All functions work as they should.
Bracelet/Strap: Original 78790 bracelet in excellent condition as pictured with only minor wear. Clasp is excellent with a crisp coronet. Bracelet should fit to a 7.75" wrist.
Box/Papers/Accessories: The original box, Explorer and Oyster booklets, and warranty papers are included.