Show us your Everest Explorers

[cruvon]

Hi guys, was reading a bit about this model and it's place in history. Does anyone here have some good pictures of this iconic watch anhd maybe some history? As I understand it there were 2 exploeres, the dress Explorers without Explorer written on them and the signed Explorers.

[marcello pisani]

a picture from my records : Everest ref. 5504 end of the 50s ; the honeycomb dial can be also signed "SHOCK RESISTING" ...

[HL65]

Very nice MP!!

[marcello pisani]

thanks !
later version ( early 60s ) with T SWISS T dial signed SHOCK RESISTING :

[Michael M.]

Just held a 5505 Everest last week! No pics though!

[Jason71]

I really like that honeycomb dial. A textured dial is a nice change of pace.

[bb3188]

Originally Posted by cruvon

Hi guys, was reading a bit about this model and it's place in history. Does anyone here have some good pictures of this iconic watch anhd maybe some history? As I understand it there were 2 exploeres, the dress Explorers without Explorer written on them and the signed Explorers.

Hi San, yes there appears to be 2 Explorer prototype "Pre Explorer" used for the Everest Climb . The white dress version (Ref 6098) and the black gilt/gloss dial Ref 6150 .
There is a train of thought that the black face 6150 was more user friendly in the snowy conditions . This theory holds some weight given that Rolex adopted the black gilt/gloss dial version for the future Explorer 1 series (6610,6350, 1016) watch but this has yet to be verified.
Here is a pic of a prototype (Pre) Explorer with a 2nd Quarter 1953 caseback .The successful Mt Everest climb occurred in May 1953 and the use of the name Explorer(on the dial ) was adopted after the climb.

[britincali]

Heres my 6098 pre-explorer....

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

a picture from my records : Everest ref. 5504 end of the 50s ; the honeycomb dial can be also signed "SHOCK RESISTING" ...

Awesome, didn't come across one that had "Everest" signed on it, very cool, are these 32mm or 34? Did they put in any lume back then or had none? Also saw a picture of a stunning Explorer with star indices.

[HL65]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

thanks !
later version ( early 60s ) with T SWISS T dial signed SHOCK RESISTING :

Very nice as well MP!!

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by bb3188

Hi San, yes there appears to be 2 Explorer prototype "Pre Explorer" used for the Everest Climb . The white dress version (Ref 6098) and the black gilt/gloss dial Ref 6150 .
There is a train of thought that the black face 6150 was more user friendly in the snowy conditions . This theory holds some weight given that Rolex adopted the black gilt/gloss dial version for the future Explorer 1 series (6610,6350, 1016) watch but this has yet to be verified.
Here is a pic of a prototype (Pre) Explorer with a 2nd Quarter 1953 caseback .The successful Mt Everest climb occurred in May 1953 and the use of the name Explorer(on the dial ) was adopted after the climb.

That's a nice catch. Yupz, read about that controversy about which was the correct Explorer used by Tenzing. Some reckon is the white faced pre explorer, some the black as you mentioned. Btw read somewhere that Tenzing's son is actually in Melbourne and he might have the original watch worn to the Everest but saw another thread elsewhere showing the watch or one of his watches with a dealer in Switzerland or sonething. Wonder if any of you in Melbourne actually came across Tenzing's son, would be interesting to learn about his dad's Rolexes a la Everest:)

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by britincali

Heres my 6098 pre-explorer....

Nice:)...was this 34 mm? As I understand it these were produced from 51-53? Is it easy to still service these with a RSC and get parts?

[marcello pisani]

yes 5504 is 34 mm.
and near the hour indexes there were small luminescent points ( like in cosmographs but
smaller ).

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

yes 5504 is 34 mm.
and near the hour indexes there were small luminescent points ( like in cosmographs but
smaller ).

Thanks, love it!!

[marcello pisani]

in these dials you cannot find the words EVEREST and EXPLORER together : the 5504 reference can have a dial signed EXPLORER or EVEREST ..

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

in these dials you cannot find the words EVEREST and EXPLORER together : the 5504 reference can have a dial signed EXPLORER or EVEREST ..

Cool, thanks. Any idea till when the early explorers were continued to be called semi bubblebacks? Some intersting history there.

[marcello pisani]

to make a long story short .. we can define the watches signed EXPLORER made in the 50s and in the 60s in 3 big families :
1) big-bubblebacks : 6150 and 6298 ( oldest ) , 6350-6352-6299 ;
2) explorers with 1030 movement ( 6610 ) ;
3) exp. with a "1500 series" movement ( 5500-5501-5504-5506-1016 ).
hope I have not forgotten any reference !

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

to make a long story short .. we can define the watches signed EXPLORER made in the 50s and in the 60s in 3 big families :
1) big-bubblebacks : 6150 and 6298 ( oldest ) , 6350-6352-6299 ;
2) explorers with 1030 movement ( 6610 ) ;
3) exp. with a "1500 series" movement ( 5500-5501-5504-5506-1016 ).
hope I have not forgotten any reference !

Thanks for the detailed info on these interesting species:), I learn something new everyday.

[Subfiend]

Here is my 1958 "dress" Explorer.

[kyle L]

Wow...I'd give up my 114270 for one of these!

[britincali]

Nice:)...was this 34 mm? As I understand it these were produced from 51-53? Is it easy to still service these with a RSC and get parts?

Not sure on the size but 34mm seems about right, RSC is a no go on stuff this old.

Bob Ridleys had my watch now for a couple of months getting parts, but shes finally together and ticking all I need now is the backordered strap

[Ross Povey]

but here's my 'Everest Era' 6332 big bubbleback. Unique Oyster case as the sides are brushed and the lugs polished and the case sides are flat :)



Ross :)

[marcello pisani]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

to make a long story short .. we can define the watches signed EXPLORER made in the 50s and in the 60s in 3 big families :
1) big-bubblebacks : 6150 and 6298 ( oldest ) , 6350-6352-6299 ;
2) explorers with 1030 movement ( 6610 ) ;
3) exp. with a "1500 series" movement ( 5500-5501-5504-5506-1016 ).
hope I have not forgotten any reference !

I have forgotten ref. 5700 and 5701 ( explorer-date in steel and steel-gold ).

[marcello pisani]

a "military" explorer from 1954...
ref. 6352 ( rare stepped dial version of 6350) , case number under 30.000 , with the back engraved "RAR" ( that should stand for "Royal Australian Regiment", an Aussie paratrooper unit that fought in Korea and in Vietnam ).
this watch arrived to Italy from the States at the end of the 90s.
the back has also the factory engraving : ROLEX OYSTER CASE.
these 6352 has the inside-back punched "6350" overwritten "6352" by etching.

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

a "military" explorer from 1954...
ref. 6352 ( rare stepped dial version of 6350) , case number under 30.000 , with the back engraved "RAR" ( that should stand for "Royal Australian Regiment", an Aussie paratrooper unit that fought in Korea and in Vietnam ).
this watch arrived to Italy from the States at the end of the 90s.
the back has also the factory engraving : ROLEX OYSTER CASE.
these 6352 has the inside-back punched "6350" overwritten "6352" by etching.

I am salivating over this Aussie piece, really amazing history attached to it. :). Did they start making military explorers the same year as this one?

[marcello pisani]

yes, some sold in the Commonwealth ( UK-Canada ... )
here is an interesting example of 6150 sold to UK for the Royal Navy.
it's a watch I have checked in 2000 ( please forgive the terrific quality of the pictures ) ; here are some details :
1) matt dial with gilt printings ( the back of the dial has the STERN punching ), signed SWISS at 6 , with minute ring ;
very interesting is the printing of the word EXPLORER with the typical "O" that seems turned 90° ( you can find this peculiar "O" in all old explorers with original dial ).
2) the inside of the back is punched "II-53" and "6150".
3) in the outside of the back the militaty RN engravings ( made by the MOD ) with the old abbreviation:
Hydrographic Service 10 ( Mod abbreviation for "waterproof wrist watch for the RN" ) Clearance Diver, folowed by a 6 digit number.
4) the dial has a big T in gold : I remember very well that the quality of this printing was stunning and completely consistent to the "Rolex quality" of all other things printed on this dial ).
I' m sure that the T was printed by Rolex.
5) very interesting are also the original hands :
-"long neck" hour hand ( same you have for example in 6200 and very early 6542 ) ;
--"lollipop" second hand ;
-- long nose minute hand.

[bb3188]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

it's a watch I have checked in 2000 ( please forgive the terrific quality of the pictures ) ; here are some details :
1) matt dial with gilt printings ( the back of the dial has the STERN punching ), signed SWISS at 6 , with minute ring ;
very interesting is the printing of the word EXPLORER with the typical "O" that seems turned 90° ( you can find this peculiar "O" in all old explorers with original dial ).
2) the inside of the back is punched "II-53" and "6150".
3) in the outside of the back the militaty RN engravings ( made by the MOD ) with the old abbreviation:
Hydrographic Service 10 ( Mod abbreviation for "waterproof wrist watch for the RN" ) Clearance Diver, folowed by a 6 digit number.
4) the dial has a big T in gold : I remember very well that the quality of this printing was stunning and completely consistent to the "Rolex quality" of all other things printed on this dial ).
I' m sure that the T was printed by Rolex.
5) very interesting are also the original hands :
-

Hi Marcello, just double checking (sorry to jog your memory as it was over 10 years ago...:)...that the dial was matte and not gilt gloss with radium burn( making it look like a matte type dial ) ?.

If it is, that's a very interesting watch.....

cheers
Mark

[marcello pisani]

no it was really a matt dial ( like for ex. those you find in 1680 ) ; btw this is not the only example of 6150 with matt dial ...
here is another terrific old picture of a 6150 with matt champagne dial ;
the 6150 was made with all 3 kinds of dial ( lacquered-matt-honeycomb ).

the very odd thing was the idea of a matt dial with gilt printings :
we "dismantled" the watch to check the inside of the dial in search of "reprinting" clues , but there were absolutely no signs of reprinting.

[cruvon]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

yes, some sold in the Commonwealth ( UK-Canada ... )
here is an interesting example of 6150 sold to UK for the Royal Navy.
it's a watch I have checked in 2000 ( please forgive the terrific quality of the pictures ) ; here are some details :
1) matt dial with gilt printings ( the back of the dial has the STERN punching ), signed SWISS at 6 , with minute ring ;
very interesting is the printing of the word EXPLORER with the typical "O" that seems turned 90° ( you can find this peculiar "O" in all old explorers with original dial ).
2) the inside of the back is punched "II-53" and "6150".
3) in the outside of the back the militaty RN engravings ( made by the MOD ) with the old abbreviation:
Hydrographic Service 10 ( Mod abbreviation for "waterproof wrist watch for the RN" ) Clearance Diver, folowed by a 6 digit number.
4) the dial has a big T in gold : I remember very well that the quality of this printing was stunning and completely consistent to the "Rolex quality" of all other things printed on this dial ).
I' m sure that the T was printed by Rolex.
5) very interesting are also the original hands :
-"long neck" hour hand ( same you have for example in 6200 and very early 6542 ) ;
--"lollipop" second hand ;
-- long nose minute hand.

She's a stunner:)

[bb3188]

Originally Posted by marcello pisani

no it was really a matt dial ( like for ex. those you find in 1680 )the very odd thing was the idea of a matt dial with gilt printings ....
we "dismantled" the watch to check the inside of the dial in search of "reprinting" clues , but there were absolutely no signs of reprinting.

This is quite interesting Marcello thanks... I was just thinking

• The Gilt print, Markers (I am basing this on the photo) and 3,6,9 Arabic numerials are consistent with Explorers' of that era plus "Swiss" under 6.
• The thing that get interesting is (1) matte dial
• (2) it seems the T (signify tritium) was used by MOD in an effort to get rid of radium....however, IMHo,the markers still look like radium as compared to the puffy/malteser style early tritium
• (3)the letter 'T" also looks a little different to other early "t" ie the A/6538.....(again the lume markers & arabic numerials of the A/6538 looks more like the puffy style early tritium markers )
• (4) The changeover to Tritium was early 60's(?), but this watch based on caseback and period of manufacture of the 6150 suggest a 1953 timeframe...nearly 10 years earlier..maybe it was recalled back for changeover by MOD......

The complexities of watches like this are very interesting and provides for good hypothesizing.......

cheers Mark