Nothing fancy, all color combos of clothing covered.

The Rolex Explorer is arguably the best everyday watch ever made, on account of its wearability, versatile styling, and legendarily robust build. But there is a caveat. Although it’s one of the most affordable Rolex watches you can buy, the Explorer is still a Rolex. Starting at $7,500 for the 36mm version, the watch remains out of reach for many enthusiasts. The Japanese microbrand Kiwame Tokyo just dropped an elevated field watch alternative with Explorer vibes for less than a tenth of the price of the real thing. The black dial features a grainy texture, which in its center shows its adventurous nature, while a satin-brushed outer ring adds some class. The applied indices sit on this satin ring and are a mix of faceted batons and Arabic numerals, with the latter occupying the Explorer’s iconic 3-6-9 layout, with 12 added in for good measure. The brand name appears on a curved plaque under 12:00, with two lines of text. With specs posted at 6:00. The faceted fence post hands are lumed, as is the seconds hand, which also has a red tip for a flash of color. The case is stainless steel and has an attractive bezel that’s vertically brushed on the top with a polished bevel that drops down to a polished side. The tops of the lugs are also polished, while the case sides are brushed. The case is compact, coming in at 38mm across — halfway between Rolex’s two Explorer sizes. The lug-to-lug distance is decidedly wearable, and the case is quite slim at just 9.5mm tall. That’s a side effect of the watch’s engine, a Japan-made Miyota Cal. 9039 automatic, part of Miyota’s acclaimed, slender 9-series movements. The screwdown caseback is solid, and the crystal covering the dial is an AR-coated sapphire. The crown does not screw down, but you’re still getting 100m of water resistance. Sadly, there’s unfortunately no bracelet option, as the Iwao is only available on a black calf leather strap. Much to Explorer fans’ chagrin, Rolex has yet to release a lighter colorway of its iconic adventure watch. Kiwame Tokyo is wasting no time in doing so with the Iwao, however, as the watch is also available with a whitish-silver dial with a heat-blued seconds hand — a nice touch at this price. The silver version is called the Iwao Ginkai.