Rolex — Explorer

Explorer 1016

“Classic Explorer”

Produced 1963–1989. Explorer 1016 is the long-running vintage core of the Explorer line: a 36 mm stainless-steel Oyster watch with a smooth bezel, no date, automatic Rolex movement context, and the 3-6-9 black dial vocabulary that defines…

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Rolex Explorer 1016
Reference1016
BrandRolex
FamilyExplorer
Produced1963–1989
StatusDiscontinued
Editorial context

Stories featuring 1016

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Rolex — 9 min readRolex Explorer: Everest, Caves, and the Cleanest Tool-Watch IdeaA connected history of the Rolex Explorer and Explorer II, from the Everest-era Oyster Perpetuals and early 6350/6610 references to the long-running 1016, the modern 14270 and 114270, the 39 mm and revived 36 mm Explorer, and the orange-hand Explorer II built for darkness.

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