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Entrepreneur Alessandro Benetton spotted wearing Rolex

Alessandro Benetton, son of Benetton Group founder Luciano and a prominent Italian entrepreneur in his own right, was photographed wearing a Rolex Explorer 36mm in stainless steel — reference 124270 — a watch that, much like its owner, carries serious heritage without broadcasting it loudly.

Introduced at Watches & Wonders 2021, the Rolex Explorer ref. 124270 represents the model's return to its roots. At 36mm in Oystersteel, it corrects what many collectors viewed as a misstep with the predecessor 39mm ref. 214270. The dial features the classic 3-6-9 Arabic numerals, Chromalight-filled hour markers, and a matte black background that recalls the Explorer's original 1953 brief — a watch built to accompany Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on Everest. Beneath the screw-down Oyster crown sits the calibre 3230, Rolex's modern workhorse movement featuring the Chronergy escapement, a paramagnetic nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel, and an impressive 70-hour power reserve — a major upgrade over the calibre 3132 in the outgoing model.

For collectors, the 124270 occupies an interesting position. Purists welcomed the 36mm return enthusiastically; those who had warmed to the 39mm felt short-changed. The criticism that followed the 2021 launch — that the update brought little else beyond the size change and movement upgrade — was fair but perhaps missed the point. The Explorer's power lies in its refusal to change unnecessarily. It remains water-resistant to 100 metres, fitted on an Oyster bracelet with Easylink extension, and available only in steel or two-tone Rolesor. No date. No complications. Exactly as it should be.

Alessandro Benetton's choice is fitting. As the man who presided over the Benetton F1 team during one of Formula 1's most turbulent and glamorous eras — the Schumacher championship years of 1994 and 1995 — he understands the value of precision engineering wrapped in a purposeful, no-nonsense package.

On the grey market, the ref. 124270 trades at a modest premium over retail, reflecting steady demand without the speculative frenzy that surrounds sports models like the Submariner or Daytona. It remains one of the most accessible entry points into the Rolex sports catalogue — and arguably one of the most honest.