EXPLORING THE EXPLORER

Rolex is, without doubt, one of the biggest and most recognised brands on the planet. The stories behind the company are as fascinating as they are numerous, with Rolex’s involvement in exploration, scientific advancement and the arts. From setting new land-speed records to exploring the deepest marine trenches on earth, Rolex has always engaged with projects in a philanthropic way and also to test the limits of its timepieces. Like many classic designs over the past decades, the Rolex Oyster has gently evolved but primarily remains true to its roots. Within the Rolex line-up of sports watches there is a watch that has been a constant since 1953 – 65 years – that is showing no signs of going quiet any time soon: the Explorer.

The story begins in 1952. It was a time when some of the world’s leading explorers were on the cusp of reaching the highest point on the planet — the peak of Mount Everest. Many attempts had been made and many lives lost, but the British mountaineers of the early 1950s were ultimately the men that would conquer the mighty mountain. Rolex was adamant that it wanted its watches on the summit and so, in 1952, the company equipped the British climbers with large