I want to preface this by saying that I have never been into collecting Rolex. But, a good friend of mine and I recently were talking about watches and he mentioned to me that he had not one, but two Explorers from around 1970. I immediately told him they are worth a chunk of change. He replied "Yeah, i checked several years ago, and was told they were worth a few thousand dollars. I told him that was several years ago and he might be shocked at what they are worth today. In the morning, I asked him to text me some pictures of them. In the mean time, i did a little research while i awaited the pictures. When the pictures showed up, sure enough there were two of them. One was just the watch and the other was the other watch with papers but no box. I immediately called him and began asking questions, like why did he have 2 of them. He explained to me that he bought his (the one without papers) when he was in Hong Kong during Viet Nam. The one with papers was bought by his best friend 6 months later. When his best friend passed away he gifted the watch to my friend. I asked if they were still original and he said they were. I told him through some research the night before that his watches were worth a lot more than what he told me the night before. This got his attention.

Fast forward to today. He calls me and says he got a hold of a very reputable dealer and sent them the watches to look at and they emailed him an offer, which he wanted to forward to me for my thoughts. My first reaction was don't do it, because they're going to immediately turn around and offer them for sale for double their offer. Even after i told him that, he told me he was probably going to take their offer because it was a lot more than he expected. I then told him, if that's the case, would he sell them to me for what they offered? He agreed and told me he would and that he would rather they go to me. Before today, i never thought about owning an Explorer, let alone two, but through some research, i see these are becoming very sought after and a grail for many a collector. So, it looks like i will be diving head first into Vintage Rolex! Please share your expert thoughts and Thank you in advance!

I will post better pictures when the watches come back.

Here are the 2 watches.

 

Umm...awesome.

 

OMG

At least once a week, something on OF blows my mind. Here is this weeks winner.

 

@Buck2466 “Before today, i never thought about owning an Explorer, let alone two, but through some research, i see these are becoming very sought after and a grail for many a collector.“

My two cents.... Don’t buy them because you think it is someone else’s grail. Wouldn’t you rather have your grail? Unless of course you’re planning to flip them for a profit. Just as ... ahem.. the dealers would have done. And how would your good friend feel about that?

And another thing... you’re not qualified to double-dog it. There can be only one @Mad Dog


EIGHT FREAKIN’ PAGES - IN YOUR FACE POSEURS!

 

Yeah, this was a no brainer....... I hope

 

Where are they now? Did your friend send them to the dealer and then back out of the deal?

 

No flipping, although my friend even suggested to me to keep one and sell the other. I think i will wear one in my rotation and keep the one with papers locked up. As far as owning a Rolex, I always thought it would probably be a Sub first. I always appreciated the Explorer, having previously owning a Railmaster, but your two cents are taken. How about double dipper, then?

 

Yes, still at the dealer. The dealer requested that he send them the watches so they could evaluate them and they then made an offer. There was never a deal made between the dealer and my friend.

 

Hopefully the thought of returning those doesn’t send the dealer’s offer on a northward trajectory.

 

Heck yeah! Those are awesome. Congrats.

 

I would expect it and wouldn't fault my friend for taking it if it is a tremendous offer!

 

I’d be afraid to hear what those two watches might be worth. I don’t think sitting down in a chair would be enough for me. I think I’d have to lie down on the floor before I’d let you tell me.

If they are as nice as they appear.

 

All I can tell you is, I have laid out some money for a single watch purchase, but this will be a little more.

 

Just a little.

Right.

Damn. It’s like the gold skeleton Speedmaster that sold, to an OF member, on eBay in the past couple of months.

Sometimes the opportunity is so spectacular that one has to make a special effort.

 

Correct...you’re a really smart dude...you’re probably in that MENSA club.

Meanwhile, it only took me 1.5 [ONE POINT FIFE] hours to figure out that highlighter trick that I saw you do...

 

Huge congrats on the double incoming! 1016’s have been scarce in the last year or so, so two at once with all the original provinance from your buddy is awesome

 

Can’t wait to some wrist shots of thes bad boys.

 

If you feel overburdened, I'd be happy to take one off your hands/wrists

 

Congrats to an opportunity of a lifetime. I would buy it as 1016 is increasingly hard to find in such original condition.

 

Both of those are amazing. I'm sure you won't have a problem if you need to sell one of them off.