Hillary's Everest ascent: Smiths and/or Rolex?

[Pangit]

Originally Posted by Deaf Stan

Nearly: that site is a dealer in vintage Smiths watches (James Merrens).


Smiths made their own in-house movements in Cheltenham from about 1946 until 1970 (including the 15 jewel "De Luxe" Hillary wore and the "W10" military watches issued to the British army, lovely gilt-frosted hand-winding movements.)

In the 1970's they started casing up Swiss movements under the Smiths name and finally stopped watch production in about 1979 to make other instruments (lots of aircraft and aviation).

Eddie Platts at Time Factors (and owner of the tz-uk forum) now owns the rights to Smiths and make "new" old ones, including a homage to or re-issue of the "W10".

I could bore for England on Smiths so I'll stop now.

My hometown of Ystradgynlais had a Smiths factory, employed over 1200 people at one point including my grandmother. It was known locally as the "tick tock". Sadly, it's now the site of a Tesco supermarket.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Pangit

My hometown of Ystradgynlais had a Smiths factory, employed over 1200 people at one point including my grandmother. It was known locally as the "tick tock". Sadly, it's now the site of a Tesco supermarket.

That's indeed sad 😕


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[Johny]

a very interesting thread.

[Deaf Stan]

Originally Posted by Pangit

My hometown of Ystradgynlais had a Smiths factory, employed over 1200 people at one point including my grandmother. It was known locally as the "tick tock". Sadly, it's now the site of a Tesco supermarket.

Yes, sad. The Welsh Smiths watches were a lower-quality, cheaper product (typically 5 or 7 J jewel movements, often badged up as "Smiths Empire". Their dials says "Great Britain" -- rather than "Made In England" -- at 6 o'clock).

OK, here's a q&d iPhone shot of my two "Everestlers"







Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref 6564 date: 1956, cal 1030, movement serial no. 587xxx, serial # 126xxx. I like the non-bubbleback case and the 3,6,9 Explorer-style layout.

Smiths 1215 “maxi-dial” like Hillary’s with first iteration of Smiths logo (sans De Luxe). Movement serial number C95999 Early Dennison Aquatite case serial number 56531. Comprehensively overhauled -- for the full story see here:

http://amateurwatchmaking.com/2014/0...12-15-everest/

Then more pics were added here:

https://gearhead.engineering/smiths-everest-photos/

[Kobin]

I went to the Clockmakers' Museum in London which is now part of the Science Museum and took pictures of Hillary's Smiths watch.

"Worn by Sir Edmund Hillary during his successful climb to the summit of Mount Everest, May 29th 1953."

"Presented by Sir Edmund Hillary"

[WJGESQ]

If omega made it to the moon, why would anyone care about the mountain?

[Kobin]

Originally Posted by WJGESQ

If omega made it to the moon, why would anyone care about the mountain?

Some people (like me) do. Nothing wrong with that.

[SeaAndSky]

Interesting discussion. I find it reasonable to think he wore one and carried another for backup. Kobin's post puts to bed which one was on his wrist. Unless of course he was an idiot, with respect to watch wearing, like a certain Cuban dictator who occasionally wore more than one watch at a time on the same wrist.

[Deaf Stan]

New facts emerge:

from BHI's Horological Journal from October '53 (p651)


Images uploaded and copyright / ownership duly noted (AHS and BHI)