The Watch: The Explorer is Rolex's tool watch in its purest form. 36mm case, black dial, 3-6-9 configuration, and a legibility-first ethos that has remained essentially unchanged for seven decades. Where other Rolex sport models have grown in size and complexity, the Explorer has resisted inflation.
The 14270 ran from 1989 to 2001 and represents the Explorer in its transitional era. This generation introduced the sapphire crystal while retaining the 36mm case size that the subsequent 114270 would continue. The dial on this reference features luminous plots paired with the painted 3-6-9 numerals, a combination sometimes called "Swiss Only" for the single line of text above six o'clock.
This example dates to 1998 and comes with its original Taiwanese warranty papers from Shiy Mei Zai Watch Co., a detail that places it squarely in the Asian market during the late-nineties Rolex boom.
Condition: Very good. A pair of small dings on the non-crown side of the case. Otherwise almost spotless.
Includes: Original papers (Taiwanese market, Shiy Mei Zai Watch Co.).
