Notes: This is a 36mm Rolex 1950s Explorer in stainless steel with black dial. Hour marks are Arabic/stick.
Mechanism: The Oyster Perpetual began life with the calibre 1030, in 1950. This calibre was also used in several Submariner and Explorer references, 65xx and 66xx. The Cal.1030 was the most popular 18,000 bph movement at the time it was being made. It was noted for its use of a mono-metallic compensation balance and its blue steel Breguet overcoil hairspring.
Cal.1030 also features an unique rotor which is totally different with today’s, two prongs are hollowed on semi-circle, around the outer race engraved with word of “ROLEX PERPETUAL”, beneath is the word of “PATENTED” and the iconic patter of the Rolex crown.
Cal.1030 also features an unique rotor which is totally different with today’s, two prongs are hollowed on semi-circle, around the outer race engraved with word of “ROLEX PERPETUAL”, beneath is the word of “PATENTED” and the iconic patter of the Rolex crown.
Family Notes: Rolex presented the first very Explorer in 1953 to commemorate Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s pioneering climb to the 8,848-meter summit of Mount Everest, the earth’s highest mountain. Over 60 years later, the Explorer still remains a very popular choice among Rolex’s collection of sports watches.
The Explorer was based on the already existing and sturdy Bubbleback series of watches, which has been modified by Rolex for its more audacious clients. In 1952, the references 6098 and 6150 (both using the A296 movement) were in fact the first prototype watches to be used by climbers; they were watches with white dials and leaf shaped hands, which didn’t bear the name Explorer yet. In 1953, these models became the references 6298 and 6350, when they were fitted with the typical Explorer-type 3-6-9 dial and later with the Mercedes hands. Before Hillary and Norgay climbed the Everest, Rolex didn’t name their watches Explorer. Although Rolex registered the Explorer trademark on January of 1953, the Explorer gained its name after Hillary and Norgay climbed up the Everest and “Explorer” began to be added on the Ref. 6350, at the end of 1953.
The Explorer was based on the already existing and sturdy Bubbleback series of watches, which has been modified by Rolex for its more audacious clients. In 1952, the references 6098 and 6150 (both using the A296 movement) were in fact the first prototype watches to be used by climbers; they were watches with white dials and leaf shaped hands, which didn’t bear the name Explorer yet. In 1953, these models became the references 6298 and 6350, when they were fitted with the typical Explorer-type 3-6-9 dial and later with the Mercedes hands. Before Hillary and Norgay climbed the Everest, Rolex didn’t name their watches Explorer. Although Rolex registered the Explorer trademark on January of 1953, the Explorer gained its name after Hillary and Norgay climbed up the Everest and “Explorer” began to be added on the Ref. 6350, at the end of 1953.
Item created by: gdm on 2019-01-03 11:07:23. Last edited by gdm on 2019-01-03 11:08:11
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