design history - actual Explorer II

[pegase747]

Hi to all,

Do you know where is the actual style EXP-II come from ??

Well after lurking around on the internet, I found that it comes from an actual request from some adventurers.

from 1979 to 1982, 3 adventurers, Ran Fiennes, Charlie Burton and Oliver Shepard, together with a team of more than 30 people, from arctic pilot to aircraft engineer and to meteorologists and other scientists, engaged into the Transglobe expedition, departing Greenwich-UK in september 1979, and coming back to same place in august 1982, after having crossed the Sahara, the south pole and north pole.





Rolex officialy sponsored the expedition, and provided the 3 above-mentioned land men with 3 Rolex Explorer II 1655, but modified to the whish of the 3 men, with a dial and handset from a GMT-Master.

Here is the watch belonging to oliver Shepard, supposedly originator for the modification request :




It makes a watch very similar to the later-to-come 16550 & 16570 Exp-II, except only for the writing on the dial and the plastic crystal.

I guess this is the origin from the actual Exp-II.

Why didn't they like the 1655 orange hands, nobody knows ???
Maybe the readeability was better with the GMT hand set, as the 1655 orange hand is huge and its dial is a bit busy to read, especially the minute chapter.

I find this Explorer-II/GMT-Master quite attractive myself !
And it's another story about the capabilities and ruggeness of the Rolex sports model.

You can read intresting information about this expedition and its team on : http://www.transglobe-expedition.org/





Now I really need an Explorer-II !!!

Cheers / Pierre

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Pierre! Thanks for sharing!

[mike]

Originally Posted by Spacedweller

Pierre! Thanks for sharing!

Yep! The Story,


One of possibly three examples made in 1979 and used by members of the "Land Team" on the 1979-82 Transglobe Expedition, the present watch worn by Oliver Shepard. Historically important and exceptionally rare,

Sold for $35K



Full story from the Antiquorum catalog:

The present watch is exceptionally rare due to the fact that Rolex rarely made special order watches. The dial and hand-set for the current watch was taken from the GMT-master, as this dial was more legible, which was necessary for Shepard, who spent most of his time making scientific observations.

The bezel of the Explorer II was preferable to the Bezel of the GMT-Master as it is a one-piece fixed steel bezel. The name GMT-Master is a fitting tribute to an expedition that set off and finished in Greenwich England, the home of GMT. Transglobe Expedition, The first circumpolar journey round the earth, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, was described in the New York Times as the world's last great adventure, and by the expedition patron, HRH The Prince of Wales as "mad but marvellous".

In 1972 Ran's wife, Ginny, conceived the circumpolar idea. For seven years they strove to raise support for it and in 1979 set out from Greenwich in a thirty-year-old ice strengthened vessel, Benjamin Bowring, with a colourful crew of volunteers from many countries and backgrounds. The primary “land team” was made up of three exceptional individuals, Sir Ranulph Fiennes Expedition Leader, Charlie Burton Mechanic and Cook and Oliver Shepard, Mechanic, Medic and Meteorologist. All of whom were former military men, Fiennes and Shepard both former S.A.S. The 100,000-mile route took them across the Sahara via Timbouctou, through the swamps and jungles of Mali and the Ivory Coast, over huge unexplored crevasse fields in Antarctica, through the inhospitable North West Passage, graveyard of so many famous venturers, and into the unpredictable hazards of the Arctic Ocean. Ranking alongside the journeys of Amundsen, Scott and Peary the Transglobe endeavour, a chance dream in 1972, became, on its completion ten years later, a truly historic voyage setting several records as well as being the first and only polar circumnavigation of the globe. "As long as such physical challenges exist, and as long as man cannot conquer nature, there will always, thank God, be people like the Transglobe explorers ready to risk death, in order to achieve something spectacular. They will always win our admiration." HRH The Prince of Wales. Oliver "Ollie" Shepard, Born in 1946, Oliver went to Prep school in Ascot, followed by Eton College, where he first met Ran.

In 1964, he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards, after which he joined 21 Special Air Service Regiment ( Artists Rifles). In civilian life, he started his career with the Charrington Brewery in the East End of London in 1968, and stayed there until 1975, when he joined Ran and Ginny at the Duke of York Barracks, King’s Road, Chelsea. Between 1975 and 1979, TGE evolved, with the time being spent on numerous training courses, and the obtaining of sponsors for the vast amount of equipment needed. To keep body and soul together, he and Charlie worked part time in a local pub, the Admiral Codrington.

In 1975 they went to Scotland, followed by Exercise Greenland in 1976, and The British North Pole Expedition in 1977. Together with Ran and Charlie, he was in the Travel Group of the Expedition, acting as Doctor/Dentist/Scientist, and Mechanic. Following are excerpts relating to Oliver Shepard taken from Sir Ranulph Fiennes writings from the expedition. "Throughout the journey Oliver, aided by the others whenever they could be spared, was busy collecting specimens for the British Museum Natural History Section. Most frustrating were the bats they had asked for, which were only captured after four days of climbing about in wells and caves. Close second came a lizard called a zelgaag, which "swims" through the sand so fast (said Oliver) that you have to "dig like a maniac" to catch up with it. South of the Sahara the climate becomes more typically tropical and the vegetation greener and lusher. In the swamps of the Niger basin Oliver made forays in a collapsible boat powered by a British Seagull outboard." "Oliver Shepard, whose wife is in London, is the mechanic and meteorologist. He often sleeps when the others are awake, and vice versa, for he has to check his weird beehive and other monitors every six hours each day with radio reports to the world meteorological organisation. He put his sunshine recorder away early in May when the sun disappeared not to be seen again for many a long day. Oliver slaves away in another hut servicing the Allam generators which turn out all our electricity." "When we packed up our three-man tent Ollie told me he felt very tired. This was unusual from someone who never complains about his sufferings. After four hours’ travel he staggered off his skidoo and lurched over un-roped. His speech was slurred. "I’m getting exposure. Must stop a bit." He was shivering. As medic he knew exactly what symptoms to expect. In these conditions it would take us two hours to make camp so Charlie and I merely unpacked the vehicle tarpaulin and, struggling against the wind, secured it around a sledge in such a way as to provide a small windproof shelter. We boiled water from snow and gave Ollie two mugs of tea and some chocolate. He is physically the toughest of us all, so if he is already shivering on day two, despite full polar gear and a wolf-skin, then we will have to be very careful indeed." Excerpts, information and photos taken from the website dedicated to this Expedition: www.transglobe-expedition.org.

[Flyjet601]

Very interesting history lesson....thanks

[leopardprey]

Great Post!!!

[pegase747]

Mike thanks for adding the small story !

Actually this is exactly a typical adventure where a Rolex sport model will behave the same as if in a cocktail party.

That what make those watches so great.

Really the Exp-II virus has caught me even more now...

Cheers / Pierre

[Blue Bull]

No question that mod on the GMT,for the expidition,MUST have been the beginning of the Expl II. A GMT with a fixed bezel and called Explorer.
Great info and history !!

[Tools]

Originally Posted by pegase747

Mike thanks for adding the small story !

Actually this is exactly a typical adventure where a Rolex sport model will behave the same as if in a cocktail party.

That what make those watches so great.

Really the Exp-II virus has caught me even more now...

Cheers / Pierre

Pierre,

It's exactly that "virus" that captures most of us interested in either the Sub and it's history, the GMT, or the EXP.

After 2 decades with a Sub as my daily companion, I have changed to the EXP II. It's ruggedness and less delicate bezel are better suited to the desert where I live, and make me feel it is more "appropriate" than wearing whatever is the latest fashion trend..

[leopardprey]

Love the Explorer IIs. Pure tool watches. Just wish they had the Maxi Dial for better visibility, but that will probably happen in the next couple of years. I currently have both the Black and White Face Explorer IIs. Though I like them both, if I had to pick only one of them I would go with the Black Face.

[pegase747]

Originally Posted by Tools

Pierre,

It's exactly that "virus" that captures most of us interested in either the Sub and it's history, the GMT, or the EXP.

After 2 decades with a Sub as my daily companion, I have changed to the EXP II. It's ruggedness and less delicate bezel are better suited to the desert where I live, and make me feel it is more "appropriate" than wearing whatever is the latest fashion trend..

Well, about 500 ft from the back of my house, starts, for a few hundred miles, the Arabian desert...

I guess that makes a very good excuse to buy an Exp-II, right ???

Pierre

[pegase747]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

Love the Explorer IIs. Pure tool watches. Just wish they had the Maxi Dial for better visibility, but that will probably happen in the next couple of years. I currently have both the Black and White Face Explorer IIs. Though I like them both, if I had to pick only one of them I would go with the Black Face.

Chad,

I am still hesitating between white or black face, I was leaning for the white, but I am affraid the white dial will be too much noticed.

The black one, although similar to the GMT, has an excellent visibility, and I just love it.

Well, I have to have both in my hands, and compare...

Cheers / Pierre

[Tools]

Originally Posted by pegase747

Well, about 500 ft from the back of my house, starts, for a few hundred miles, the Arabian desert...

I guess that makes a very good excuse to buy an Exp-II, right ???

Pierre

Perfect. You know, the sand under a rotating bezel can destroy it's functionality in a matter of months, or even days if used frequently.

[Blue Bull]

Originally Posted by pegase747

Well, about 500 ft from the back of my house, starts, for a few hundred miles, the Arabian desert...

I guess that makes a very good excuse to buy an Exp-II, right ???

Pierre

For get the Rolex,take WATER !!! We were there in March and that desert was flippin hot ... We stopped for a photo shoot,but everybody was in the Landcruiser very quickly again ...

Congrats ... Le Bleu 22 Angleterre 9 ..

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

Though I like them both, if I had to pick only one of them I would go with the Black Face.

I will second that!

The Black Face Expl. II is absolutely stunning!

[Robb]

Great post!!

[JJ Irani]

Excellent post....great history lesson!!

[bayhillrolex]

Does the ceramic bezel on the new GMT II 116710 rotate ??

[pegase747]

Originally Posted by bayhillrolex

Does the ceramic bezel on the new GMT II 116710 rotate ??

I don't see where does that fit in that post, but I belive it does rotate.

cheers / Pierre

[f16570]

And there was me thinking Sherpa Tenzing did something remarkable. This was some [B]EXPLORATION. Just goes to prove that these watches were designed to be worn on a daily basis, not kept as ornaments. Every scratch adds to the history of the watch.
Interesting post.

[pegase747]

Originally Posted by f16570

And there was me thinking Sherpa Tenzing did something remarkable. This was some [B]EXPLORATION. Just goes to prove that these watches were designed to be worn on a daily basis, not kept as ornaments. Every scratch adds to the history of the watch.
Interesting post.

I remember reading on a french forum, a guy who just baught a brand new submariner, that he will never take it the beach or the swimming pool because he was scared for the watch toget water inside, a watch so expensive !!

Talk about !!
Of course they have been designed get worn all the time and to last and last and last !

IMHO no other brand offer such history, definitely the best !!

Cheers / Pierre

[Rubenonfire]

Cool story!
That's what Rolex history and branding is all about.

[Downing]

Thanks for the post.

Threads like this one should be permanently archived under "History of Rolex."