Justin,
Thanks. Although I'm not one to lock up & pamper my Heuers, I believe they are for wearing, but I'm after something that can take what's thrown at it that has a parts dept that won't run out of spares!
I've not always been a fan of the Rolex brand, being a little bit of a victim of it's own success. I think the Explorer II has enough subtlety and history that makes it a respected and proven sports model.
It's my birthday in June, so I'll hopefully find a good used one by then.

Stewart

: I'm bias, so I'd say go the white dial (I have a white dial
: Datejust). The Explorer II is a very rugged watch, that will go
: the distance with wear and tear. Although rather common, a
: submariner of some descriptor wouldn't be a bad choice either
: for a first Rolex. Should you decide that it's not the type of
: watch for you, you can easily find a future buyer.

: Another brand that sprung up in the back of my mind was Bremont (as
: worn by Bear Grylls, along with world record skiers and
: climbers) which are also rugged from what I've read. Slowly
: developing a love for the ALT1-Z *getting off topic*...