The Rolex Explorer 36 124273 is the two-tone yellow gold Explorer. The Explorer is Rolex's oldest sports watch still in production and the 36mm size is the one that has been around since 1953. The two-tone version adds a yellow gold smooth bezel, a gold crown, and gold center links on the Oyster bracelet. The dial is the standard Explorer layout. Matte black with the 3-6-9 Arabic numerals, now trimmed in yellow gold instead of white gold. VSF Watch got the gold tone and the movement right.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Factory | VSF Watch |
| Reference | 124273 (Explorer 36mm, Yellow Rolesor, two-tone) |
| Movement | Dandong 3230 automatic, 1:1 clone, true no-date, 72-hour power reserve |
| Case dimensions | 36mm diameter |
| Material | 904L stainless steel with 18K yellow gold plating on bezel, crown, and bracelet center links |
| Bezel | Fixed smooth domed, yellow gold plated, polished |
| Dial | Matte black with yellow gold-trimmed 3-6-9 Arabic numerals and baton markers, Chromalight lume |
| Bracelet | Two-tone Oyster with yellow gold plated center links, Oysterlock clasp with 5mm Easylink |
The dial. Matte black with the 3-6-9 numerals in yellow gold instead of the standard white gold on the steel Explorer. The baton indices and the Mercedes hands are also gold-trimmed. Chromalight fill glows blue in the dark. No date. The dial is the same layout Rolex has used on the Explorer since the beginning. The gold trim is the only difference from the all-steel version. It warms the dial up without changing the tool-watch DNA.
The gold. Yellow gold plating on the bezel, the crown, and the center links of the Oyster bracelet. The smooth domed bezel is the same profile as the steel Explorer bezel, just in gold. The gold bezel catches more light than the brushed steel bezel on the standard Explorer and pushes the watch toward dress territory. The gold center links on the bracelet do the same.
The case. 36mm in 904L steel. The Explorer case is the same platform as the Oyster Perpetual with a smooth bezel and the Twinlock crown. The 36mm size is the traditional Explorer dimension. It wears compact and sits flat on the wrist. The brushed lugs and the polished gold bezel frame the black dial cleanly.
The movement. Dandong 3230 automatic with a 72-hour power reserve. True no-date architecture. Two crown positions. No ghost date. Same movement as the steel Explorer and the Oyster Perpetual. Reliable and simple.
The bracelet. Two-tone Oyster with yellow gold plated polished center links and brushed steel outer links. The Oysterlock clasp has a 5mm Easylink extension. The polished gold links show surface marks with daily wear, standard for any two-tone Rolex bracelet.