What’s up with explorer 114270 prices?

dsacks30

I'm not sure the upgraded caliber in the 114270 was "vastly improved," my understanding is there were definitely some improvements but not a qualitative leap over the caliber found in the 14270.

I think the 14270s with tritium dials and drilled lugs are more "valuable" (i.e. trade for more) than the 114270s with the upgraded movement because potential buyers of either the 14270 or 114270 are going for the vintage feel. That is why they prefer the 36mm sizing versus the 39mm in the 214270. So if you want the "neo-vintage" feel and aesthetic, you would want tritium plots that age and develop patina and drilled lugs. But if you don't care about tritium versus luminova, then it makes sense to get the 114270 over the 14270 because it's the same watch, but with an upgraded movement.

The HQ Milton example isn't appealing to me personally because it is the older movement but still has luminova - the worst of both worlds.

dsacks30

I just finished the Hodinkee in-depth article, and all aboard the hype train...

"For Eric Ku, renowned collector, dealer, and owner of 10PastTen, the Explorer represents "the most perfect Rolex." He started collecting and working at a time when the 14270 was in regular production and noted that it was the "first Rolex I ever loved." Eric said that the 14270 reference is relatively cheap for what it is, but with it, you get a little bit of vintage taste in a modern watch. Another interesting note, referenced earlier in this article but echoed by Eric, is the fact that - for the most part - the tritium on the 14270 just doesn't age. "A 14270 to a non-enthusiast still looks like a new Rolex," he says."

"Eric Wind, former HODINKEE contributor and owner of Wind Vintage, spoke to the idea of what constitutes a vintage watch, saying, "If you follow the 20-year timeline for what makes a watch vintage, this just hit that mark." He noted that neo-vintage watches have really appreciated in value, pointing to the market for Polar Explorer II 16570 reference models. Explorer 14270s have gone up 50% in many cases over the last year alone, he said, most notably unpolished examples but, like any Rolex, it is increasingly difficult to find unpolished examples. In looking at the future of the market for the 14270, Eric notes, "I believe the really great 14270s will be $10,000 soon." Only time will tell."