Reply With QuoteLate 2010 or early 2011, wasn't it?
I'm being a tad lazy here but I'm sure one of you guys will know the answer straight off - when was the Explorer in 39mm case size introduced?
Looking at the possibility of getting one for my daughter as a birth year watch (2006) to give her when she is older and can appreciate it, so I would wear it in the meantime so needs to be a decent sized case and not the 36mm one :)
Late 2010 or early 2011, wasn't it?
Thanks for the swift response Seabadger - bit of a bu88er that as I was hoping I'd be able to get a 2006 39mm one :lol:Originally Posted by Seabadger
Just thought the Explorer would be perfect as whilst being a chap's watch it looks great on ladies too (not too toolish like a sub) and 39mm is good for me and likely to be good for my daughter by the time she's an adult. She already asks me each morning what watch I'm wearing and likes to have a look and try on of whatever it is so thought a birth year Explorer would make a great 21st / graduation present from Daddy ... back the the drawing board !!
Have a look at a 36mm Oyster Perpetual - size wise it wears a bit bigger than a 36mm Explorer but has a similar "classic" look about it.
The 36mm looks great on men & women though.The 39mm is typo big for most girls as the dial is large.Also the 39mm looks wrong imho.
It's just a matter of time...
It's a tough one as I plan to wear the watch in the meantime and 36mm, no matter how big it wears, is still going to look small on my 6' 7" champion pie eating frame :lol: I thought the 39mm would look okay and since it's likely my little girl will end up above average height too it would be okay for her, though it will depend on wrist size too. I'm loath to compromise on what I'd like as by the time I hand it over she might not be into watches or view it as totally uncool to take one of Dad's old Rolexes, so I might get stuck with it anyway :)
I guess it's academic if I can't get a 39mm 2006 Explorer, I'll have a look around and see what else takes my fancy as it's a nice excuse to have a wander around the watch shops trying things on.
I think the fact that you say a 36mm watch will be too small for your 6.75' wrist is more to do with you being used to wearing larger watches than the actual size of the watch.
I have the same size wrist as you and I had the 36mm Explorer. Size wise the watch was a perfect fit, it couldn't have been tailor made to fit any better. The lug length was spot on, and I'm talking about personal preference, it actually fit perfectly.
I now wear a smaller 34mm 15200 'Date' and even that looks really good. I think if you wore an Explorer 36mm for at least a week you'd realise the size is just right.
Unless of course you wear massive watches and are used to lugs overhanging your wrist, in which case you'll never like it.
6' 7" as in Im 6 foot 7 inches tall not a 6.75 inch wrist - my wrist is nudging 8 inches (ooer missus!)
Put it this way - I normally wear a DSSD / BP FF (45mm) / Panerais and they don't look big on me 8)
If the watch is for your daughter, shouldn't you think more about what will look good on her? I vote 36 mm Explorer, a really lovely watch (my gf wears one). The 39 mm is badly-proportioned and the hands are comically short (IMO).
Aaaahhhh LOL, my mistake. I can imagine the 36 will be lost on your wrist, probably the 39mm top.6' 7" as in Im 6 foot 7 inches tall not a 6.75 inch wrist - my wrist is nudging 8 inches (ooer missus!)
Put it this way - I normally wear a DSSD / BP FF (45mm) / Panerais and they don't look big on me 8)
It's a very valid point, the thought process was to buy now rather than wait 15 years as I've got the funds to do it now but in 15 years time who knows what I'll be up to or how much a Rolex will cost by then. Given she may not want a watch when the time comes I thought it best to go down a route and purchase something I could wear now, take the hit on servicing costs etc, and enjoy it myself - then in 15 years time either hand it over or sell and get her something else.
This was driven by the pleasure I got when I received my Dad's 1971 Tissot watch - it was given to him to mark 20 years service in his job and by chance also happens to be my birth year. Of course tastes change and watch is very small by today's standards (32mm) and I was trying to find something that works for me and also for my daughter ... perhaps an impossible ask!
I like the idea of the 36mm Explorer as you're right in stating it looks better proportioned (and I'll be able to get a 2006 one), perhaps I'll go that route and let the wife wear it in the meantime :shock:
LOL, I think you might find yourself prising it from her cold, dead hands (just a figure of speech, not literally I hope). I can't see them going down in value, so it's probably an OK investment for the safe, and if your daughter doesn't like it, you can no doubt sell it easily enough.
Another idea: get two. One for the wife as well. Oh, I'm so helpful.
:shock: :lol:LOL, I think you might find yourself prising it from her cold, dead hands (just a figure of speech, not literally I hope). I can't see them going down in value, so it's probably an OK investment for the safe, and if your daughter doesn't like it, you can no doubt sell it easily enough.
Another idea: get two. One for the wife as well. Oh, I'm so helpful.
Funny thing is I don't think she'd actually like it, I bought her a lovely Cartier a few years ago but she returned it as it didn't have a date (she NEEDS a date on a watch apparently) and chose a quartz Ebel instead despite me offering to buy anything she fancied. She did borrow one of my Submariners last year when the Ebel was getting a battery change but worried people in the office would spot it was a Rolex and take the mickey out her :roll:
I have the 39mm Explorer & find nothing wrong in any of the proportions, i am also quite a big lad at over 6ft & with 8" wrists & to me it wears well, the 36mm just looked like i was wearing my girlfriends watch IMHO (which is a matter of speech in this case as she wears huge watches & is tiny). Give it a try at your local AD & see what you think.
Ah, rats - I love the Explorer I design and its starting to grow on me despite my initial resistance of the new large version.
Nice photos....
I personally would look at the daytona. Nice size and looks v.good on a ladies wrist. There is a nice one with pink mop dial and pink leather strap on a certain site at the moment which looks nice. I have also seen a nice zenith el primero on the same site which i think is 37/38mm but a ladies model.
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