Looks-wise, the watch that comes the closest to an all-steel model is now the ref. 116509, which is cast in solid 18k white gold and has the price tag to prove it.That means a delve into the archives is the only avenue still open should you want one, and it is the previous generation that is proving the most affordable. The ‘Zenith’ Daytona ref. 16520, powered by the fabled El Primero, is still the gateway into steel Cosmograph Daytona ownership.Of course, the word ‘affordable’ is all relative. Prices start at around the $20,000 mark, which is a hefty slice of anyone’s money. Yet beyond being one of the most handsome and capable models ever made, any Rolex Daytona represents perhaps the surest investments watch collecting has to offer.It’s a tough call, but the starkly austere Explorer might well be the watch that has changed the least (visually) over its 70-year run. That is even for a manufacture that updates aesthetics at the glacial pace that Rolex does. Every reference, from the prototype Pre-Explorer ref. 6150 from 1952 up to the last of the ref. 114270s in 2010, have been simple three handers, with the beautifully legible white on black 3/6/9 dials, housed in a 36mm case.Then along came the ref. 214270, identical in the detailing but the first example to grow beyond the dimensions in 58-years, measuring 39mm. It increased in size for the same reason as the Datejust – fashions demanded it – but unlike that watch, it became the only option available.That is no bad thing. The Explorer is perhaps the last of the true tool watches in the Rolex catalog. There is nothing about any iteration of the watch that is designed to look flashy or draw attention to itself, and a few extra millimeters doesn’t change that. The new Explorer is basically the old Explorer, and whichever you choose will come down to whether your wrist size suits one or the other.Its strength has always been in its simplicity, and it remains one of the best value for money prospects on the pre-owned Rolex market. $5,000-$6,000 is the buy-in point for a well set up example of the ref. 114270 or, if you fancy going the real vintage route, the celebrated ref. 1016 (personal timepiece of James Bond author Ian Fleming) starts at a little over twice that. Tough, elegant and perfectly built, the Explorer has always stayed true to Rolex’s roots.
The ref. 16710 is available on either a three-piece link Oyster bracelet or a five-piece link Jubilee bracelet with hollow center links and a folded metal clasp. Older references have hollow end-links and a standard clasp, while newer references have solid end-links and a clasp with an additional safety latch. The Jubilee bracelet is the exception and is only available on reference 16710 watches with hollow end-links and a standard fold-over clasp.The ref. 116710 is only produced on a three-link Oyster bracelet. As a newer variation of the GMT-Master II, the bracelet is equipped with solid end-links, solid center links, and a newer Oysterlock clasp with a 5mm Easylink comfort extension system. Many collectors prefer this example of the Oyster bracelet as the redesigned clasp allows the wearer to adjust the length without the use of tools as their wrist fluctuates in humid or hot weather.The GMT-Master II is an absolute legend, there’s no argument about it. What it comes down to when comparing the 16710 and the 116710 is personal taste. Do you prefer the classic styling of an older sports watch? Or do you prefer a contemporary timepiece that has all the latest and greatest technologies? Either way, the Rolex GMT-Master II is a must-have for any serious watch collection.
