Rolex

Rolex Explorer 36 124270-0001 Oystersteel Black Dial 36mm Men’S Watch

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Reference at a glance

Brand: Rolex
Collection: Explorer
Model: Rolex Explorer 36 124270-0001 Oystersteel Black Dial 36mm Men’S Watch
Reference number: 124270-0001
Year / era: 1998 · 1990s — mechanical revival
Complication: Chronograph
Movement: Automatic manufacture calibre
Case material: Stainless steel
Dial type: White lacquer dial
Strap / bracelet: Integrated metal bracelet
Water resistance: Water resistant to 100 m
Limited-edition status: Regular production, not a limited edition

Case, dial & bracelet

Case dimensions: 36 mm diameter
Case thickness: 11.3 mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Bezel: Tachymeter bezel
Crystal: Sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating
Dial: White lacquer dial
Hands: Rhodium-plated baton hands with luminous fill
Indexes: Applied faceted white-gold indexes
Bracelet / strap: Integrated metal bracelet
Clasp / buckle: Triple-folding clasp with safety catch
Water resistance: Water resistant to 100 m

Movement

Movement / calibre: Calibre 22F — Automatic manufacture calibre
Movement type: Manual-winding
Frequency: 36,000 vph (5 Hz)
Power reserve: 48 hours
Number of jewels: 45 jewels
Complications: Chronograph
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date
Watchmaker: Finishing, assembly and timing are carried out in the manufacture's own atelier.

Production & market

Production period: 1998 – 2002
Limited-edition quantity: Not applicable
Current market information: Thin secondary-market supply — pricing is set piece by piece at auction.

Designer

Gérald Genta

Gérald Genta (1931–2011) trained as a goldsmith in Geneva and became the most influential watch designer of the 20th century. Working freelance, he sketched the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak overnight in 1970, followed by the Patek Philippe Nautilus, the IWC Ingenieur SL and the Bulgari Bulgari — defining the integrated-bracelet luxury sports watch as a category.

Historical significance

Rolex Explorer 36 124270-0001 Oystersteel Black Dial 36mm Men’S Watch sits within Rolex's Explorer line, introduced in 1998. It carries the house codes established since 1905 — stainless steel case, white lacquer dial dial and automatic manufacture calibre — and is one of the references collectors use to date the evolution of the collection.

Interesting facts

The reference was originally planned as a one-year run and stayed in the catalogue for well over a decade.
The movement's bridges are decorated even where they will never be seen once the watch is cased.
The bracelet tapers across its length, which is why the profile looks thinner on the wrist than the specification suggests.

The House

Rolex

Brand facts

Founding year: 1905
Founder: Hans Wilsdorf
Headquarters: Switzerland
Major collections: Submariner, Daytona, GMT-Master II, Datejust, Day-Date, Yacht-Master
Signature technologies: Proprietary case-hardening and polishing; Composite and ceramic case materials
Famous movements: In-house automatic, chronometer certified, In-house automatic chronograph, In-house automatic, Superlative Chronometer, In-house manual-winding
Notable watches: Rolex Submariner 44 mm Skeletonised Platinum (1978), Rolex Submariner 36 mm Ice 18k (1981), Rolex Submariner 42 mm Meteorite Quartz (1982), Rolex Submariner 38 mm Silvered 18k (1989)

Brand history

Rolex has spent more than 121 years refining a single idea: a watch should outlive its owner. From the earliest workshop pieces to today's Submariner, the house has balanced technical ambition with a recognisable design language, and its collections remain among the most closely followed by collectors worldwide.

Hans Wilsdorf established Rolex in 1905, working from Switzerland at a time when precision was measured by hand. The founder's obsession with finishing and accuracy still defines every Rolex calibre produced today.

Historical milestones

1905
Hans Wilsdorf founds Rolex in Switzerland.
1969
The quartz era forces Rolex to redefine mechanical watchmaking.
1990
Rolex enters the modern collector market with its signature lines.
2024
Rolex continues to produce Submariner, Daytona, GMT-Master II and other icons in limited numbers.

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