Rolex Explorer Prices, Every Reference — October 2026
Explorer is a family with two lines. The Explorer is a three-hand watch with no date, made today in 36mm and 40mm. The Explorer II is 42mm, with a date, an orange 24-hour hand and a fixed bezel graduated to 24 hours. The two lines sit at noticeably different prices, so the table below separates them by reference.
| Reference | Size / movement | Production | Estimated range (THB) | Thai retail | Our model page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 124270 Explorer 36 | 36mm steel, 3230 | 2021–present | ฿245,000–฿280,000 (median ฿265,000) | ฿286,800 | Explorer 124270 |
| 124273 Explorer 36 two-tone | 36mm steel/18k gold, 3230 | 2021–present | ฿325,000–฿375,000 (median ฿345,000) | ฿527,800 | — |
| 224270 Explorer 40 | 40mm steel, 3230 | 2023–present | ฿270,000–฿285,000 (median ฿280,000) | ฿302,700 | — |
| 214270 Explorer 39 (previous) | 39mm steel, 3132 | 2010–2021 | ฿225,000–฿260,000 (median ฿240,000) | Discontinued | — |
| 114270 Explorer 36 (previous) | 36mm steel, 3130 | 2001–2010 | ฿200,000–฿230,000 (median ฿210,000) | Discontinued | — |
| 226570 Explorer II | 42mm steel, 3285 | 2021–present | ฿320,000–฿375,000 (median ฿350,000) | ฿384,400 | — |
| 216570 Explorer II (previous) | 42mm steel, 3187 | 2011–2021 | ฿275,000–฿310,000 (median ฿295,000) | Discontinued | — |
| 16570 Explorer II (previous) | 40mm steel, 3185 (3186 from about 2007) | 1989–2011 | Priced per watch | Discontinued | — |
Every figure in this table is an estimate, not a Bangkok sale price. The median is the WatchCharts market price converted at 32.5 THB to the dollar. The low-to-high band is the WatchCharts market range where one exists, and otherwise the price range in the WatchGuys guide. Everything is rounded to the nearest ฿5,000 and checked against a second source. We could use only one source for the 16570, so we don't set a range for it. Thai retail is the recommended retail price including VAT on the website of Cortina Watch, a Rolex retailer in Thailand, as of 15 October 2026.
Prices that Thai shops list are asking prices, not what watches actually sell for, so they can't be compared directly with this table. If a shop lists a current steel Explorer above retail, ask what makes that watch special first.
Why Pre-Owned Explorers Sit Below Thai Retail
In the US, steel Explorers trade close to retail or slightly above it. The 124270 has a market price of $8,207 against $7,900 US retail, and the 224270 sits at $8,658 against $8,350. But Thai retail for all three current steel models is about 12% higher than US retail times 32.5. The 124270's ฿286,800 Thai price works out to $8,825 at that rate. So once the US market price is converted to baht, a pre-owned Explorer lands roughly 7–9% under Thai retail.
That works in a buyer's favour. If you're selling, know that Thai retail is the ceiling for a pre-owned steel Explorer: the current models are still on Thai retailers' price lists, so buyers always compare against new.
Which Explorer Suits You, and Why the Prices Differ
Explorer 36 (124270) or Explorer 40 (224270). Both use the calibre 3230 with about 70 hours of power reserve; only the case size differs. Their used medians are about ฿15,000 apart, close to the ฿15,900 gap in Thai retail. 36mm is the Explorer's original proportion and suits small to medium wrists. For a larger wrist or a wider dial, the 40mm is the choice. Rolex added the 40mm in 2023, so every pre-owned example is a 2023 watch or newer.
Explorer 39 (214270). Made from 2010 to 2021, it sits about ฿25,000 under the 124270 at the median and uses the earlier calibre 3132. Know which dial you're looking at. The first version (Mark I, 2010–2016) has shorter hands and 3-6-9 numerals without lume. The later version (Mark II, 2016–2021) has longer hands and luminous numerals. If you want something between 36 and 40mm for less money, the 214270 is the one to look at.
Previous Explorer 36 (114270). Made from 2001 to 2010, it's the cheapest watch in the table at a median around ฿210,000. The calibre 3130 runs about 48 hours, and the 3-6-9 numerals are unlumed white gold, where the 124270's glow blue. It looks very close to the current model, but budget for a service, since most examples are now more than 15 years old.
Two-tone Explorer 36 (124273). Thai retail is ฿527,800, but the used median is around ฿345,000, about 35% under retail and the deepest discount in the family. The US market shows the same thing: a $10,583 market price against $14,600 retail. If you like this watch, buying pre-owned is clearly the better deal. If you buy it new, expect to sell it for well under what you paid.
Explorer II (226570 and 216570). The 42mm Explorer II has a date, an orange 24-hour hand and a fixed 24-hour bezel, so it can show a second time zone. The 226570 uses the calibre 3285, the same movement as the GMT-Master II, with a median around ฿350,000. If you're weighing it against a GMT with a rotating bezel, compare prices on Rolex GMT-Master II, every reference. The previous 216570 is the same size with the calibre 3187 and sits about ฿55,000 lower. Both come with a white (Polar) or black dial. WatchGuys puts the white-dial 216570 about $500–$800 above the black, or roughly ฿16,000–฿26,000. For the 226570, the sources don't yet agree on the gap.
Authentication Points Specific to the Explorer
The Explorer dial is plain, with only a few details, so each one has to match the reference and production period. What Khun Naruedol checks on every Explorer:
- 3-6-9 numerals that match the reference. On the 114270 they're unlumed white gold. On the 214270, the Mark I has no lume and the Mark II does. The 124270 and 224270 are filled with blue-glowing lume. Lume on a reference that shouldn't have it, or the reverse, means the dial has been swapped or isn't genuine.
- Hand length on the 214270. Mark I hands are shorter than Mark II hands. A dial from one version with hands from the other means the watch has been reassembled, and it should sell below an original example.
- The Explorer II's 24-hour hand. It must be orange and, as Rolex describes it, settable to a second time zone. Try every crown position; if any hand moves in a way it shouldn't, the caseback needs to come off so the movement can be checked.
- Reference and serial numbers. They must match the warranty card. If they don't match or have been worn away, don't buy until the watch's history can be verified.
- Accuracy on a timegrapher. The 3230 and 3285 are certified to the Superlative Chronometer standard of −2/+2 seconds a day, while the 114270's 3130 is COSC-certified to −4/+6. A watch running well outside that needs a service, or a movement check before you pay.
The full process is in our Rolex authentication guide. If you're not sure, send photos to Khun Naruedol on LINE before you transfer any money.
What Moves Explorer Resale Prices
Models still in production. The 124270, 124273, 224270 and 226570 are still sold by Thai retailers. Buyers always compare a used price with retail, so a pre-owned watch priced close to retail sells slowly.
Thai warranty. A watch bought from a Rolex retailer in Thailand, with a card showing Thailand, can go straight into the Rolex Service Centre in Bangkok without questions about where it came from. That makes it easier to sell than a watch with overseas papers.
Box and papers. The Ermitage Jewelers price guide prices a watch-only 124270 about $1,000 below one with papers ($6,000–$7,500 against $7,000–$8,500). Keep the box, warranty card and hang tags together.
Version and dial. For a 214270, state clearly whether it's a Mark I or Mark II. For an Explorer II, state the dial colour. Buyers price on both.
Polishing. Heavy polishing rounds off the edges of the lugs and case, and buyers who know what to look for will negotiate on it. If the case is still sharp, don't polish it before you sell.
Selling Your Rolex Explorer — Process
Our current per-reference buy table, and what a missing box or warranty card costs you, are on Sell Rolex in Bangkok. Selling to us works like this:
- Send five photos via LINE: dial, caseback, crown, the numbers between the lugs, and the warranty card if you have it
- Receive a price band within 10 minutes from Khun Naruedol or Khun Ton
- Schedule an at-home or at-condo inspection: we travel to 12 Bangkok districts and check the movement on a timegrapher
- Settlement within 60 minutes: cash or bank transfer
- Receipt and AML/KYC record: documented as the law requires, every time
Get a LINE quote for your Explorer →
For the whole brand, see Rolex Price Guide Thailand. Buying instead? Start at pre-owned Rolex in Bangkok. Comparing with a diver? Read Rolex Submariner, every reference.
Data sources:
- WatchCharts Explorer 124270: market price $8,207 (14 Oct 2026), market range $7,565–$8,651, US retail $7,900
- WatchCharts Explorer 224270: market price $8,658 (11 Oct 2026) and $8,767 (Sep 2026), US retail $8,350
- WatchCharts Explorer 124273: market price $10,583 (29 Sep 2026), US retail $14,600
- WatchCharts Explorer 214270: market price $7,425 (10 Oct 2026), market range $6,901–$7,971
- WatchCharts Explorer 114270: market price $6,406 (10 Oct 2026); market range $6,100–$7,050 as cited by WatchGuys (Sep 2026)
- WatchCharts Explorer II: 226570 market price $10,702, range $9,878–$11,526; 216570 range $8,453–$9,589
- WatchCharts Explorer II 216570: market price $9,002 (10 Oct 2026)
- Luxury Bazaar 16570 guide: calibre 3185 to 2007, 3186 from 2007
- WatchGuys Explorer guide: production years, movements, Mark I/II dials, the 216570 white-dial premium, 124273 at $10,000–$11,500 and 224270 from $8,300
- Ermitage Jewelers Rolex Price Guide 2026: cross-check for the 124270, 214270 and 226570
- Thai retail: Cortina Watch Explorer (124270 ฿286,800, 124273 ฿527,800, 224270 ฿302,700) and Explorer II 226570 (฿384,400), as of 15 Oct 2026
- Exchange rate used: 32.5 THB per USD