Don't let the watch own you. IF the thought of having to pay an unreasonable amount of money for a possible service is bothering you ... then better sell it. A watch should give out good vibes. IF the watch gives anxiety, then it probably means it does not fit into one's life.

Great video. This is why Seiko is so great. My advice is this: Put the Explorer away in a safe place for at least 3 months. Wear your other watches. See if you miss the Explorer. You may decide to keep it for special occasions. Or you may enjoy your other watches and not miss the Explorer at all. But don’t sell just yet.

I've followed you for a while. Enough that i feel comfortable giving you my opinion. I also bought mine around the same time you did. I sold mine because of finances. I immediately regretted it. So much so that i paid an 800 dollar premium to the dealer i sold it to to get that exact watch back. I think you will regret it. You buy rolex so it will outlast you. It is rare that if you hit your watch on anything, there will be no issues. It is made to withstand falls. Your initial issue with the watch was lubricant. Your brother in law even said knocking it and huring the inside was almost impossible. don't sell it. BUT, if you have made up your mind, then do it my friend. I use mine for adventuring. It is made to withstand.

I have owned very expensive watches, cheap watches, and those in between. I can tell you that I’ve never found more pleasure than putting one on that I didn’t have to worry about as I go about doing what I love to do in the great outdoors or wherever. There are plenty of watches out there that look great that can take a beating. While the Explorer is an elegantly beautiful timepiece, what’s the point in owning one if you worry about it as you wear it engaging in your favorite activity? It seems ill-fitting to important aspects of your lifestyle. Perhaps it’s best not to tether yourself to something you have to admire like the Mona Lisa in a museum.

Hi Mario. I can fully relate to this, and from my own experience, can see exactly where you’re coming from. I really do hope you manage to hold on to it though, and use it as your daily. From your videos I can see how much it means to you and how much you appreciate the design of the explorer. I know opinion is not important, but I’d say take it to the mountains, swimming and other adventures like you have been and continue to make memories. In a world where everything these days seems to be disposable or upgradable, mechanical watches are one of the last things that we own that can last a lifetime with servicing. One day in many years to come, I’m sure you’ll hold your explorer and link all of all the good memories to it… as we know, nothing in life is perfect, even the certified -2 +2 seconds isn’t perfect… so what’s an extra second or 2 my friend. Enjoy it for what it is. Thank you for the superb videos, by far my favourite and most relatable vids and most of the explorer I’ve found. All the best

"The Explorer is the Range Rover of watches", that's an insightful comparison. I split the difference between your two watches with an Omega 2504.50. Unlike the newer models this Omega has all brushed links (no polished center link), and is not too thick like the newer models. I snagged one for $2k. I love it.

Very well structured video with a sad but true conclusion. Like you, I was reflecting for a while at the true cost of long term owning of luxury timepieces. Although I agree with what you say here, think about it this way... if you take care of your Rolex you may need to service it once every 10 years (maybe even longer). The cost of service is like you said roughly 800 EUR. This is the price of a Garmin or an Apple Watch. But the lifespan of these smartwatches are how much? 4-6 years maximum. Their batteries will die eventually and their software will not receive upgrades. So in the end, although owning a luxury timepiece requires an initial financial effort, on long term the price its not higher than owning a smartwatch. (P.S. I have both mechanical timepieces and a smartwatch) :)

I haven’t experienced any mechanical issues with my modern Explorer 36 mm. I take it everywhere and anywhere. So far held up pretty well. It’s a very special watch for me. Something about it is so attractive. I don’t really know what it is!

This is like when I bought my Leica after desiring for half my life. It’s been 3 years and I shot maybe 5 rolls through it because its too precious to take with my in all situations. I just shoot cheaper cameras and get 90 percent of the experience. For middle class people or lower, luxury is a double edged sword, you have to not care about the money its cost to let go of the worry.

Yavor, I was saying in the chat that I understand many people wanting to have a date in their watches. I prefer without it but this being said, I think Tudor brings some interesting alternatives to the concept of adventure watches.

I'd keep it. How often would it need servicing? Maybe 1x every 10yrs and your brother in law can significantly reduce that cost. Use your other watches for the adventures. That said I completely understand the point of feeling too nervous to use the the thing (watch, car etc) there has to be a sweet spot of cost to benefit to translate to enjoyment. Anyway keep up the good work man

Thank you for sharing your video. I’ve heard the new 32xx movements have problems with oil staying put and it causes problems. Also apparently the new Rolex watches have lower amplitude quicker than the older movements. But, the warranty should and will cover you until it runs out. I have two watches, Explorer & Explorer II. I hope to maintain them as long as i can. I wear them all the time. And i wont stop. What ever you’re decision i hope you’re happy.

Totally get you Mario, I am in the exact same position, owning the 124270. I could afford to buy it, thinking if I need to sell it one day; the value retention makes it that I do not lose money. But on the other end, if it is stolen, or damaged or it needs to be serviced every 5 years, then it might become too expensive for me. However, I also know that life is short and it needs to be enjoyed and because no other watch could replace my Explorer besides a 1016 haha I decided that it stays with me for now. If I need a watch for exploring, my go to choice is the Gshock 5610. The explorer is my daily/luxury timepiece.

Cost of maintenance is definitely something to keep in mind...I recently decided to sell and trade up my IWC Mark 16 for a Speedmaster 1861.. I am aware that to maintain the Speedy will cost me a great deal, but it is my only watch now and I'm prepared to save up for service costs etc... If I owned several expensive watches, this would be a real pain The Explorer is lovely.... but it is just a watch at the end of the day... do what makes sense to you In terms of using a watch for its purpose... you are probably right... my Speedy can surely take the abuse, but any time I'm going to go on a hike, work in the garden or whatever, well.... I'm taking my G shock Having said all this.... maybe you should just wear it to the mountains... take the risk... use the watch as an Explorer watch ... and you will love it even more when it's covered in scratches.. maybe your Explorer will be a rare piece... an Explorer actually used in that classic sense.... and you'll be proud of it

-2 and -4 seconds a day isn't that bad. It's probably caused by your common rest position when wearing it, which in most cases are crown down and 6 down. -2 is within Superlative Chronometer parameters, while -4 isn't that far off.

32xx movements are far less repair-friendly than the previous 31xx. For example you cannot disassemble the barrel in order to clean and grease the spring since it's walls are extremely thin (so they could increase the power reserve to 70 hours). You have to replace the whole barrel and spring for a new one (throw away) !!!

fully understand. still expensive but thats why i got a tudor bb 32 instead as it used an eta 2824. when service time comes around, it wont cost me a leg

I think you will regret selling that watch..it is a special one. The way i see it, the modern rolex models are neeing serviced every 10 years or so...say its 800 USD to service....thats the equivent of 80USD per year...i think thats ok

Don’t sell it. You’ve had a small issue repaired. Your issue was dealing with the AD not Rolex. Use it as you intended and allow it to get bruised it will be fine and will look like it should. I think you’d regret moving it on.

Fair point, and everyone is different when it comes to what you find reasonable. If you assume 10 year service intervals, servicing a non-chronograph Rolex is around USD 80-90 per year, which is quite reasonable. My Omega Seamaster GMT would be around the same through Swatch, whereas my Breguet will be double that price to service. At the end of the day, the cost has to be “worth it” compared to the joy that the watch brings you.

I have to thank you for your videos about the Traska Summiteer. Because of your videos i purchased different generation of Summiteer along the years. I too been think of getting an Explorer as a grail watch for my coming 40 y/o birthday. But i do really need to think it over whether i can maintain the watch for the long run. We are poisoned by social media that Rolex is the best. But all boils down to, do we really need it? Is it practical for daily hard use?

Really appreciate this honest video. Was thinking of getting the Traska Summiteer as well. But I assume it's not as accurate as the Explorer or do you find it's fairly close?

Well, the Swiss watchmakers have gauged the market back around the year 2000 and have moved pricing accordingly. They have proven to be correct that the targeted consumers will spend on the high pricing of luxury. Overall the luxury sector has been performing exceptionally well. I'm not into luxury, bought all my Swiss branded watches back around 2000 and earlier. Pricing was about a quarter or a fifth of today. Even a quality Swiss quartz would cost around $3K or more today. That same type would be around $600 when I bought all my pieces.

I've followed your journey with this watch as I have a 124270 myself, which I absolutely adore. You're right I wouldn't want to take it into the most hostile of situations, even though I could, (you could with anything but would you). All watches have a cost to maintain, the more complications the more expensive, but you have to ask yourself; did I buy this watch and expect nothing to happen to it if I expose it to potentially damaging situation, or did I buy it because I want/deserve/need, or would like to have beautiful, (in your words Range Rover) watch that I feel reflects/represents what I believe makes me feel good every time I look at it on my wrist. I will be sad to hear that you let the watch go. I think you deserve it having watched your previous videos about what it meant to you. Buy a cheap watch if you're likely to get to damaged. But that cheap watch won't make you smile the way the Explorer does when you look at it.

Hi. I own the same watch too. Of yourse the explorer is expensive but only "expensive" things are worth something. If you want to make memories with a watch and keep it for a lifetime, a rolex maybe a good choice so that your children are also able to have fun with it. A cheap watch just gets replaced and so are the memories. You can also sell other wotches or slim down your collection. Good luck for your choice.

Mario! Qué lástima tu experiencia, no solo la del AD sino también que ese grail watch que tanto deseabas no haya sido todo lo que imaginaste. Sinceramente, no sólo te entiendo, sino que hasta me siento identificado. No tengo un Explorer pero estoy seguro que me ocurriría lo mismo que a ti. Creo que lo has dicho tú en algún otro video, the Summiteer is the new Explorer. La realidad es esa y entiendo que vos buscabas eso que el Explorer representó en su momento, pero ya no. El hecho de ser un reloj tan costoso y lujoso, prácticamente anula la posibilidad de darle el uso para el cual fue pensado tanto tiempo atrás. A no ser que tengas suficiente dinero, claro. Mi Explorer favorito (vale aclarar que nunca he visto uno con mis propios ojos) es el 14270 y me animaría a decir que al ser un reloj con más años y el uso que eso conlleva, te daría menos miedo usarlo en cualquier ámbito. No obstante, también debe ser menos resistente que el modelo que tu tienes. Igualmente no sé si la diferencia de precio (si es que la hay) sería tal que duela menos un golpe en él. Espero con ansias el video de la comparación entre el Explorer y el Summiteer. Te mando un gran saludo!

Sad to hear...i can see that it is a very difficult decision ...you grow an attachement to a watch especially one you worked hard to attain as i have watched your previous videos. I also understand you were looking for it to be THE watch and accompany you every where. I am fortunate that i bought my 1016 in the 90's when costs were much more reasonable...The movement inside, the 1570, while not as updated as in the new explorer is extremely durable, reliable and easily repaired...together with the Acryclic crystal i have no fear of doing any significant damage to it. It goes to Rolex service every 7-10 years and that gives me peice of mind...i know the 1016 prices are crazy but it is truly a watch that lives up to its GADA reputation...if you end up selling your watch i would begin the search for a 1016 because that is all you will ever need...

For heaven’s sake…wear the thing. You are reacting to a non-problem. Besides, you’ve already beaten the crap out of the watch. Enjoy, man! Enjoy!

This is a very similar situation as me with my Omega Railmaster which recently sufferered a crack in the sapphire crystal (my fault) which now requires an expensive full service. Mario, I agree 100% with your other reasons…100%

to me rolex is just a milestone watch and i wouldn't care about the accuracy too much especially if its only +/- 2 to 3 seconds a day. if i am looking for an accurate watch then i would just buy a garmin or something.

Keep the Explorer as your daily wearer, and use another watch for hiking, etc. I think you will miss it if you sell it. See if you can take the Exp to a different AD for service? This one was pulling a scam on you. I think you maybe realize this, and the negative experience has soured you on the watch.

Hi! Your explorer videos have been some of my favorite on KZfaq. I started collecting watches about 5 years ago, and I’ve started to let some of mine go as well due to the cost of maintaining them. Servicing only seems to be getting more expensive, and with the need every 5-10 years for a large collection, that’s a serious chunk of change (for me). I’ve actually never bought the explorer, my grail, because it was so expensive, but I have considered selling everything for the explorer and focusing on that one watch to maintain… Explorer or not, I’ve come to accept I may need to be a one watch guy, just because it only makes sense to me, financially, to keep up with the long term costs on a single, grail piece…

Sorry to hear that you might sell your Explorer. Rolex should take care of you under it's warranty, but like you said. What about next time if and when you hit it against something and it's damage you caused. I understand, for the price that this costs, we expect near perfection and durability. For me once something I thought was quality and something that should be as it claims to be. After it fails I get disillusioned with the brand. I no longer trust the product. I say if you need to sell, sell it. I recommend selling it on your own, and perhaps getting a 14270 Explorer from the 90's. Use that when you're doing your everyday. Save the other half and use it for other needs. Good luck. I own the same watch and I go camping and hiking often. But my use is mostly everyday desk job use. I also own a Speedmaster Pro and a Seiko SRP777. I have come down to 3 watches. So I do switch watches from time to time. Yes owning watches can be expensive. Way before the watch hype around 2002. I found a used Royal Oak AP from the late 70's at a pawn shop. I paid $3K for that decent example. I knew what it was but at the time NOBODY was buying or into AP Royal Oak. I kept the watch and wore it occasionally, it really is a delicate watch. Not for everyday use. Fast forward 2021 when it needed a service. It cost me $2500.00 USD. That was more than half of what I paid for, plus it needed to go to Switzerland since it was a vintage piece. So I bit the bullet paid and waited 6 months. The first thing I did was sell the Royal Oak. I made a HUGE profit, but lesson learned. Expensive watches require expensive repair/maintenance. At the time I couldn't afford it and I had no choice but to get it fixed and sell it. Technically in my case I really couldn't afford to keep it. Sometimes expensive watches are really not worth it and the cost/hype does not go hand in hand with quality that one would expect. Now I'm ok with a small collection and going to keep it as a small collection. Maybe get a Sub 41mm and a decent dress watch in due time.

I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I completely understand where you're coming from. I like how you call the Explorer a homage to actual adventure watches from the past; I've never heard that before but I think it's absolutely true.

No lo hagas compañero! Reduce tu colección de relojes y dale uso. Un serviciosi le hace falta cuesta lo que uno de tus relojes de micromarca, pero el reloj queda nuevo. Hazme caso, es un reloj para toda la vida, que ademas te encanta! Solo se vive una vez😊

I think, all things considered, you will regret selling it every day for the rest of your life. And you will eventually buy another one only to regret not longer owning the one that had so many wonderful memories built into it.

It’s a relatively new movement, and they discovered that they needed probably a different lubricant in some locations, to keep timekeeping up to specs. Every company must learn from rolling up a new movement. Don’t lose faith in the company. They are human. Your AD made a mistake, plain and simple. Change AD’s.

Why not get watch insurance?

I was also saying in the chat that I watched the video and think that you should sell it, you already did in your heart :) and I agree with all you said. Go on, check something new, this is a lot of money to be constantly careful with :)

I have some very nice watches like the Grand Seiko SBGA407 "Skyflake" but wear my $189.00 Cronos L6016 Explorer homage watch almost every day, and love everything about it except I think the hour hand could be a little larger.

same as cars, everybody want that bmw, but if you do the math, anything but hyundai is stupid as f. keep the watch, safe a couple of 100s for the next service and give it a smile ;-)

The truth is Rolex makes luxury products. The best mass produced watches but still a luxury product.

I admittedly do not lead as an adventurous as you do and I can understand your Range Rover analogy. I also own G Shocks and use them almost exclusively for more rigorous activities, these days. That said, if there's something I fear more than buyer's remorse, it would be seller's remorse. I'll echo advice I've heard from another watch channel, "Never sell Rolex. Never sell Rolex. Never sell Rolex." Put it away for a while and revisit it. If you missed it, you'll be glad you didn't sell it and while the luxury watch market has cooled post-Pandemic, it may be difficult to rebuy if you regret selling it. Regardless of what you do, good luck with your decision.

Absolutely beautiful watch, but I wouldn’t take it exploring, it seems too valuable.. I would only take it out on special occasions.

Sorry, your reasoning is flawed. Why did you buy a Rolex in the first place if you can not afford it, which is clearly the case. There is nothing wrong with wearing and enjoying affordable watches. Rolex, although it is a tool watch, however, fact is in today's world it is more of a status symbol. Wearing a $10K watch for adventures and bashing is not a wise decision unless money is no issue. For any hard jobs, swimming, traveling ...etc I eithee wear a Casio or Smart watch.

Don't sell. You will regret it

Wear it but pull a sweat band over it when in the mountains and get your brother-in-law to service it for free! Both problems solved! 😁