Rare Vintage Rolex Explorer Date - Ref. 5701

This is an exceptionally rare and historically fascinating piece of Rolex history: a vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer Date, Reference 5701.  While the "Explorer" name is traditionally associated with rugged all-steel tool watches, Rolex produced a highly limited run of dressier, date-complication variants exclusively for Commonwealth markets , primarily Canada and the UK. This hybrid reference utilizes the elegant 34mm case architecture shared with the vintage Air-King Date but leaves no doubt about its rare pedigree on the dial.  This piece features the highly coveted, original  dial showcasing the rare "Double-Dash" layout formatting the date line as — DATE —. Set against the warm dial are classic stick hour markers, matching Alpha  hands, and a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The dial is signed "Precision" at the bottom.  The watch features a beautiful two-tone presentation.  The 34mm stainless steel Oyster case is paired with a distinct yellow gold fluted bezel and a matching gold crown. It comes mounted on its original  classic two-tone rivet Oyster  bracelet with stainless steel outer links and gold center links.  The overall condition of this piece is exceptional.