This watch is superb, whoever says the handles are too short has not seen it in person, they are the perfect size to “merge” with the white gold numbers, incredible. Now the Mk2 does the opposite and covers them. It is just perfect!
After a bit of a wait, I've finally recieved my Explorer mk 1. Really enjoying it and I believe it will be a collectable model in the future. Thanks for posting.👍
Picked this up for $3700 when everyone was dumping them for the Mk2 after Basel. I have loved it ever since. I personally think it would look so nice with a little AR coating on the underside of the crystal. All the talk about the hands is baloney, you nailed how they are designed to flow into the numerals. They also blend seamlessly into the baton markers. To think that Rolex didn't think long and hard about the design before updating such a classic reference is preposterous. Fortunately, the mob think on the forums allowed me to get this great piece at a super affordable price. If I ever dump my collection, this puppy will be the very last to go, if at all.
You can call the hands “flowing” but most of us feel the hands are just too small. They look out of balance on the watch. Having said that, please don’t get me wrong, it is still a beautiful watch and I truly love the solid white gold numerals. 👍
@@jackdaniels2586 I call bs...based on what evidence. I just scanned Chrono24, Bob's, Jomashop and watchfinder. On Chrono, I saw 1 or 2 trading at or close to MK2, but the overwhelming majority show the MK2 trading from $1000-$2000 more than MK1. Interestingly enough, MK1 trading at or close to same rate as the 36mm 114. I would bet 8 to 9 times out of 10 no one would trade their MK2 for for a MK1 and the majority of YT channels that review both advice the MK2 is a better choice. Those that prefer the MK1 are clearly in small minority and because that's the watch they own...no one wants to call their baby ugly 😒
If you absolutely must have the maxi handset and lumed numerals, then fair enough. Personally, much prefer the look of the original version. Thanks for watching.
I think for a 39 explorer, this would be my preference. I honestly worried about the t-Rex hands until this video. Thanks so much for sharing. I own the airking 116900. Same story, they lumed the numerals thereby removing charm and light play of the solid gold. It cleans up the dial very nicely imo. I imagined (not actually having seen a Mk1 in person) that this would be an amazing matte dial. I may actually pull the trigger on getting one. I own a 36mm explorer and Would appreciate the distinguished , unlined features of the mk1 that I enjoy with the airking.
thx for the video! i'm not sure to choose mk1, mk2, or 2021 36mm model (why so small?). the hands on the 2021 one are perfect in length. but at 1:55 you said something that catched my interest in the mk1 :-)
I've got the Mark 2 but this watch is super cool. Maybe a slightly less sporty or bit more dressy depending how you see it. It's got a touch more of that retro flavor that I believe they both share. Long live the Explorer 39 mil
Stuff the internet watch commentators, Its a beautiful watch period. I have a MkII myself but I like them both and I do think anything with a short production run in steel sports from Rolex will gain good value after a decade or so. That'll shut the vloggers up.
You talk of the “short production span” as though it is a benefit of the mark 1. In reality though, the mark 1 had a longer production span than the mark 2.
The white gold 3, 6 and 9 looks better than the lumed numerals. I never thought about the blending of the short hands so now I can further appreciate mine more. Is the balance spring antimagnetic as well?
The blending of hands and markers is one of the little design touches Rolex does so well. Not sure about the balance spring...I suspect it is anti-magnetic.
Seriously!?!? So numerals on a watch that are often seem to disappear or barely legible, is a better situation than numerals that are clearly more legible and lumed, which adds balance and glow in low light. This question answers itself...
If you are not sure where 3, 6 and 9 are on a watch dial, then it probably is better that they are lumed. All the other hour markers are lumed so it's not that difficult to figure out the time.
@@WatchSlob ?? Having the 3, 6, 9 lumed balances how the dial looks, whether it's day, night or or low level. Gold numerals that occasionally disappear and when that happens it looks like something is missing, big time in my humble, but accurate opinion
@@scorpianbliz Gold is better than glow in the dark paint. I didn't see any Lange Sohne watches with painted numerals when I went in the store. I want gold Arabics and longer hands. They need to make a "mark 3" that way.
Agree this Explorer mark 1 has not been the darling of the watch community. Had one for two years, then traded it for an Omega SeaMaster 300. The Explorer is a very well built timepiece, but the two main issues I had with it have been : I am not looking for versatile watches. I’ll be wearing a 35.5 mm Nomos Tangente in the office, and the 41 mm SeaMaster on weekends or poolside activities. The Mark1 Explorer is not a dress watch, and the highly polished parts of the case/bezel mean you will not be climbing rocks with or banging it around too much either. The 100 meter depth rating should be OK, but an entry level Sinn will give you twice as much for 20% of the price. Glossy black dial and no A/R coating have proved a disappointing combo for me. Under harsh lightings, it made the watch look cheap IMO. I’m not a huge fan of the 214270 Mark 2 either, basically for the same reasons. The best looking Explorer will for ever be the matt dial 1016 in my eyes.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment. While I agree with your point that the Explorer is not a dress watch, my position is that because of its relative unobtrusiveness, you could get away with wearing it in a more formal situation. You're correct in saying that more affordable pieces would be fit for purpose. A Seiko SKX would be more appropriate for water based activities but I like that I can wear the Explorer snorkeling and later, wear the same watch out to dinner. A 1016 would be a beautiful piece to have but with vintage Rolex prices being what they are, that won't be happening any time soon. Thanks again for watching.
If I had an MK1 I might also have a rose tinted view on it...not a bad watch thou, but if it goes for perfection and balance I would choose the MK2 any day. I guess the talk of a potential rarity is something to justify for themselves not to switch to MK2 ;)
Personally, I chose the Mk1 over the Mk2 mainly because I preferred the solid numerals over the lumed ones. The original hand size doesn't bother me, so the Mk1 was an easy choice. The potential future collectibility is a bonus but as I said in the video, it's not one of the reasons that would compel me to buy a watch. Thanks for watching.
Finally someone speaking some sense. However I’m all for a person justifying their love for a watch though, enjoy your Mk.1 if you love it! Everyone else be damned.
mk 1 is proportioned differently than mk2, and for some people they arent used to the style of proportion. mk1s minute hand lume ends where the various lumed hour sticks start, and the second hand ends where the various second markers start. rolex made this as a choice and changed it due to criticism 6 years later. i had both and atm the price is not too different on either of them, and for me i like the all white gold arabics more plus the hands make it different, so i sold my mk 2 and kept mk1. also considering how many people changed the dial and hands out bc of that, in some years there is a chance they will have a good premium over mk2. more people atm like mk2 than 1, but both are beautiful explorers anyhow and cant go wrong either way.
This watch is superb, whoever says the handles are too short has not seen it in person, they are the perfect size to “merge” with the white gold numbers, incredible. Now the Mk2 does the opposite and covers them. It is just perfect!
After a bit of a wait, I've finally recieved my Explorer mk 1. Really enjoying it and I believe it will be a collectable model in the future. Thanks for posting.👍
I own the MK1 for years now and love it. It’s a collectors item now.
Not really. MK2 is much more desired.
Thanks for this video. It’s my daily watch, my first Rolex, and I am still loving it after all these years. More videos like these please!
The MK I is my favorite Explorer and the only one I’m considering from the Explorer lineage. Thank you for giving this one some attention.
Cheers !
Thanks for watching.
I really like the solid gold 3, 6 & 9 as well. Love the size of the hands. Thanks for the video.
Picked this up for $3700 when everyone was dumping them for the Mk2 after Basel. I have loved it ever since. I personally think it would look so nice with a little AR coating on the underside of the crystal. All the talk about the hands is baloney, you nailed how they are designed to flow into the numerals. They also blend seamlessly into the baton markers. To think that Rolex didn't think long and hard about the design before updating such a classic reference is preposterous. Fortunately, the mob think on the forums allowed me to get this great piece at a super affordable price. If I ever dump my collection, this puppy will be the very last to go, if at all.
Thanks for watching and well done on taking advantage of the Rolex fanboi outrage !
You can call the hands “flowing” but most of us feel the hands are just too small. They look out of balance on the watch. Having said that, please don’t get me wrong, it is still a beautiful watch and I truly love the solid white gold numerals. 👍
You're reaching...there's a reason you were able to pick up for only $3700. The 2 is a clear upgrade
@@scorpianbliz today the prices are not very different at all, maybe mk 2 is 500$ more on average
@@jackdaniels2586 I call bs...based on what evidence. I just scanned Chrono24, Bob's, Jomashop and watchfinder. On Chrono, I saw 1 or 2 trading at or close to MK2, but the overwhelming majority show the MK2 trading from $1000-$2000 more than MK1. Interestingly enough, MK1 trading at or close to same rate as the 36mm 114.
I would bet 8 to 9 times out of 10 no one would trade their MK2 for for a MK1 and the majority of YT channels that review both advice the MK2 is a better choice.
Those that prefer the MK1 are clearly in small minority and because that's the watch they own...no one wants to call their baby ugly 😒
Suberb watch, the white gold numbers and the way the hands merge with the numbers is just beautiful
The Perfect Explorer
I have this mk1 it’s gorgeous really cool it’s for life.
❤❤❤
Amazing watch. If you own the MK1 it’s not worth the upgrade to MK2 imho
If you absolutely must have the maxi handset and lumed numerals, then fair enough.
Personally, much prefer the look of the original version.
Thanks for watching.
I think for a 39 explorer, this would be my preference. I honestly worried about the t-Rex hands until this video. Thanks so much for sharing.
I own the airking 116900. Same story, they lumed the numerals thereby removing charm and light play of the solid gold. It cleans up the dial very nicely imo.
I imagined (not actually having seen a Mk1 in person) that this would be an amazing matte dial. I may actually pull the trigger on getting one. I own a 36mm explorer and Would appreciate the distinguished , unlined features of the mk1 that I enjoy with the airking.
If it had the larger hands it would be perfect. Love the solid white gold numerals. 👍
thx for the video! i'm not sure to choose mk1, mk2, or 2021 36mm model (why so small?). the hands on the 2021 one are perfect in length. but at 1:55 you said something that catched my interest in the mk1 :-)
T-rex❤
I like my Mk 1. Great for me.
I've got the Mark 2 but this watch is super cool. Maybe a slightly less sporty or bit more dressy depending how you see it. It's got a touch more of that retro flavor that I believe they both share. Long live the Explorer 39 mil
Stuff the internet watch commentators, Its a beautiful watch period. I have a MkII myself but I like them both and I do think anything with a short production run in steel sports from Rolex will gain good value after a decade or so. That'll shut the vloggers up.
Nice review. This and the Air King are the best bang for buck that Rolex offer.
Hey man, nice job trying to convince yourself that this one actually had some thought behind it rather than just cost cutting 😀
'Cost cutting' !
I'm betting that you are not a fan of the Air King.
My thoughts exactly lol. This guy is ridiculous
Very nice video. Great points made.
You talk of the “short production span” as though it is a benefit of the mark 1. In reality though, the mark 1 had a longer production span than the mark 2.
The white gold 3, 6 and 9 looks better than the lumed numerals. I never thought about the blending of the short hands so now I can further appreciate mine more. Is the balance spring antimagnetic as well?
The blending of hands and markers is one of the little design touches Rolex does so well.
Not sure about the balance spring...I suspect it is anti-magnetic.
Seriously!?!?
So numerals on a watch that are often seem to disappear or barely legible, is a better situation than numerals that are clearly more legible and lumed, which adds balance and glow in low light. This question answers itself...
If you are not sure where 3, 6 and 9 are on a watch dial, then it probably is better that they are lumed.
All the other hour markers are lumed so it's not that difficult to figure out the time.
@@WatchSlob ?? Having the 3, 6, 9 lumed balances how the dial looks, whether it's day, night or or low level. Gold numerals that occasionally disappear and when that happens it looks like something is missing, big time in my humble, but accurate opinion
@@scorpianbliz Gold is better than glow in the dark paint. I didn't see any Lange Sohne watches with painted numerals when I went in the store. I want gold Arabics and longer hands. They need to make a "mark 3" that way.
White gold numerals more than make up for the short hands, if it would have had chroma blue lume, it would have been perfect.
shino88 I believe it is and it does glow blue
Don't Rolex change the hands if asked to when servicing?
If you really wanted to change the hands, I guess Rolex would do it (for a price).
Why would you need to defend anything? You just like it or not.
Hated now, loved later. Mk1 my words…
Agree this Explorer mark 1 has not been the darling of the watch community. Had one for two years, then traded it for an Omega SeaMaster 300.
The Explorer is a very well built timepiece, but the two main issues I had with it have been :
I am not looking for versatile watches. I’ll be wearing a 35.5 mm Nomos Tangente in the office, and the 41 mm SeaMaster on weekends or poolside activities. The Mark1 Explorer is not a dress watch, and the highly polished parts of the case/bezel mean you will not be climbing rocks with or banging it around too much either. The 100 meter depth rating should be OK, but an entry level Sinn will give you twice as much for 20% of the price.
Glossy black dial and no A/R coating have proved a disappointing combo for me. Under harsh lightings, it made the watch look cheap IMO.
I’m not a huge fan of the 214270 Mark 2 either, basically for the same reasons. The best looking Explorer will for ever be the matt dial 1016 in my eyes.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
While I agree with your point that the Explorer is not a dress watch, my position is that because of its relative unobtrusiveness, you could get away with wearing it in a more formal situation.
You're correct in saying that more affordable pieces would be fit for purpose.
A Seiko SKX would be more appropriate for water based activities but I like that I can wear the Explorer snorkeling and later, wear the same watch out to dinner.
A 1016 would be a beautiful piece to have but with vintage Rolex prices being what they are, that won't be happening any time soon.
Thanks again for watching.
Wow that says a lot that you traded a Rolex for an Omega and probably made a small profit I'd bet.
The prodigal son returns
If I had an MK1 I might also have a rose tinted view on it...not a bad watch thou, but if it goes for perfection and balance I would choose the MK2 any day. I guess the talk of a potential rarity is something to justify for themselves not to switch to MK2 ;)
Personally, I chose the Mk1 over the Mk2 mainly because I preferred the solid numerals over the lumed ones. The original hand size doesn't bother me, so the Mk1 was an easy choice. The potential future collectibility is a bonus but as I said in the video, it's not one of the reasons that would compel me to buy a watch.
Thanks for watching.
More gold beats less gold any day.
What rarity?? The mark 1 had a longer production run than the mark 2. If anything, the mark 2 is more “rare”
Don't understand why people hate on the mk 1 so much. Check out my vids as I have the exact same watch!
Swiss seiko I like it
Mk1 the ugly brother of the beautiful big brother mk2. Lets be honest.
Honestly ?
I think you've got your descriptions of the Mk I and Mk II the wrong way round.
Finally someone speaking some sense. However I’m all for a person justifying their love for a watch though, enjoy your Mk.1 if you love it! Everyone else be damned.
Exaactly!!
The trump or t-rex...😆
Exaactly!
mk 1 is proportioned differently than mk2, and for some people they arent used to the style of proportion. mk1s minute hand lume ends where the various lumed hour sticks start, and the second hand ends where the various second markers start. rolex made this as a choice and changed it due to criticism 6 years later. i had both and atm the price is not too different on either of them, and for me i like the all white gold arabics more plus the hands make it different, so i sold my mk 2 and kept mk1. also considering how many people changed the dial and hands out bc of that, in some years there is a chance they will have a good premium over mk2. more people atm like mk2 than 1, but both are beautiful explorers anyhow and cant go wrong either way.
I have the mk1 and I can see both sides of the debate. Check out my vids btw on my channel if you fancy.
Thanks for watching.
Will check your channel out.
Spot on with every single point.
Mk 2 is far superior in every way,only those who are stuck with the Mk 1 prefer it,end of story.
its called 'The Fleming'