Pre-owned Rolex Explorer ref 224270 (2023). Those familiar with the Explorer know that Rolex has been experimenting with case sizes over the past several years. The series debuted in the 1950s, shortly after Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary became the first men to summit Mount Everest. The watch was inspired by that incredible feat and was always meant to serve as a ready-for-anything mountaineer’s tool. For decades, the only option was 36mm, which made sense for an adventurer’s time-only watch. However, in 2010, Rolex discontinued the 36mm model completely in favor of the slightly larger 39mm series to appeal to modern watch tastes. For many years, that was the only size option available to collectors. 2021 marked the return of the 36mm Explorer, followed in 2023 by the 40mm model you see here. Now, collectors have their choice of the 36mm, like the classic Explorer, or the larger 224270. Has Rolex finally gotten the case size right? Only time will tell. Shop Rolex Explorer 40 Collection