If I could only own one watch, this would seriously be in the conversation. The 36mm Explorer is one of the most versatile watches Rolex has ever made - it goes from a suit to a t-shirt without missing a beat. The dial is a masterclass in restraint: 3-6-9 numerals, Mercedes hands, and just enough lume to be useful without being flashy. On the wrist it disappears in the best possible way. The only real knock is availability at retail, but if you can get one, do it. This is a watch you buy once and never sell.
My husband bought this for himself and I ended up borrowing it more than he did. Ended up buying my own. The 36mm size is perfect for wrists like mine and the 3-6-9 dial layout is timeless. There's really nothing to dislike. Just a fantastic, quiet watch.
The 1016 is the definitive Explorer, full stop. Produced for over 26 years, this reference basically wrote the vocabulary for what an adventure watch should be: 36mm, clean dial, riveted or folded bracelet, no date, black. Matte dials with even patina are the hunt. On the wrist this is one of those references that just disappears in the best possible way.
Owned my 1016 for over a decade now. It has become the watch - the one I reach for when I'm not sure what to wear. 36mm is not for everyone in 2025 but it's genuinely perfect for me. If you find an original matte dial with even patina, don't hesitate. These are only going up.
The Explorer poses a simple question: what does a watch need? A dial, hands, numerals at the cardinal positions, and a case robust enough to accompany one on a genuine journey. In answering this question with such economy - and in producing that answer without variation for twenty-six years - this reference approaches, if it does not attain, the ideal.
