This is a unique execution of this particular layout

The case and dial might scream old-school but the bracelet is all modern and that is a very good thing. This fully brushed oyster bracelet tapers from 19mm at the lug to 14mm at the clasp, with the clasp itself measuring 16mm in width. It’s svelte and dramatic, and it’s absolutely amazing on the wrist. I’ll credit the new 3861 Speedmaster bracelet for selling me on the 5mm taper (its bracelet goes from 20 to 15mm), and with the Explorer, it again benefits the proportionality of the smaller case size.

My biggest issue here is the omission of the Glidelock system to allow for quick adjustments on the fly. It’s something I use semi-often on the Submariner (especially during the hot summer), and would make a welcome addition to this watch. This is a feature that’s made its way into the micro brand space as well, and can be found on swiss replica watches from Halios to Monta. Heck, even Tudor has their own version within the latest Black Bay Fifty-Eight Bronze. The Rolex Glidelock system already exists, is already excellent, and these days, there is little excuse for its absence here, especially considering the Explorers placement within the brand’s “Professional” range.

What it does have is their Easylink comfort extension built into the clasp. A hard yank on the final link inside the clasp will open another 5 mm of space out of the bracelet. It’s not quite as elegant but it’s better than nothing, and feels sufficiently old-school if you’re looking for some personality quirks on this otherwise straightforward tool watch.

The so-called Golden Ratio is 1:1.618, and what do you get when you average the ratio of case, to lug span, to bracelet taper on the 124270? 1:1.625. I’m not sure that actually means anything, but to my eye the case and bracelet all work pretty well together, and there’s the numbers to back it up. That number for the 14270, btw, is 1:1.455.

When Rolex released the 39mm Explorer reference 214270 the dial received a notable (for Rolex) change in moving the word “Explorer” to the bottom half of the dial, joining two other lines of text that read “superlative chronometer
officially certified”. If you’ve ever spent late nights trying to decipher the often subtle differences in Rolex dials, you’ll know that such a dramatic change is rare in the context of their history. The larger dial of that reference simply changed the calculus of proportions of an acceptable layout, no doubt exact replica watches. With the new 124270, the “Explorer” returns to the top half of the dial, under the “Oyster Perpetual” label that appears under the branding.

This is a unique execution of this particular layout, and presents the smallest “Explorer” labeling perhaps ever. The word “Explorer” fits perfectly within the width of the word “Rolex” above it. It’s an interesting choice that brings a level of order to the lockup at the expense of a more prominent “Explorer” label. Rolex have been known to fiddle with the proportions of such things mid-lifecycle, and seeing a different execution of this lockup on later model years wouldn’t shock me.

While this approach does leave an imbalance of negative space underneath the hand stack, the top heavy layout is less exaggerated thanks to the smaller “Explorer” and in total, it’s a look I personally associate with the Explorer so this feels natural to my eye. I don’t think that placing the “Explorer” at 6 o’clock would have been a failure, but it is without precedent in this case size.