Sir Edmund Hillary

Ltd. Edition Sir Edmund Hillary Rolex Explorer for $39,000

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style, The Classicist

Last month we reported that a collection of classic Rolex watches belonging to Mt. Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary was headed to auction. If you didn't manage to snag one of the precious timepieces, there's another chance to pay horological homage to the great adventurer. The new Hillary Tenzing Explorer Series is a limited edition of three variations on the classic Rolex Explorer worn by Sir Edmund on his historic climb in 1953. Priced at $39,000 and limited to just 88 examples, the watch (above) is also named after Sherpa Tenzing Norgay who made the Everest ascent with him.

Created by the same company who brought out the Jaques Picard SingleRed DeepSea Rolex model in 2008, the watches were designed in close cooperation with Peter Hillary and Jamling Tenzing Norgay, sons of the famous mountaineers and acclaimed adventurers themselves. Each will come packaged in a custom packing crate modeled on the one that accompanied Hillary to Everest along with various accessories including bespoke shell cordovan NATO watch straps and a pair of hiking boots modeled on the ones worn by the famed explorer.

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Rolex 'Hillary Tenzing' Explorer

Tags: Mt. Everest, Rolex, Rolex Explorer, Sir Edmund Hillary, timepieces

Everest Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex Collection Up for Auction

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Sports, Men's Style

Antiquorum's sale of Important Vintage and Modern Timepieces to be held Nov. 13 – 14 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Geneva will include the personal collection of Rolex watches of the legendary 20th century explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, credited with being the first climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953. These exceptional timepieces have been consigned for sale by Lady Hillary and all had special significance for Sir Edmund. The earliest model in the collection is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, ref. 6084, dating from 1953 (above) which was presented to Sir Edmund by Rolex Bosecks of Calcutta, India after his descent from Everest.

It was then worn by him during the Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1955-1958 – the first overland crossing of Antarctica and the first expedition to reach the South Pole since Scott in 1912 – and as such it has immense historic significance. The watch, with a caseback engraved "Sir E. Hillary", is conservatively estimated to fetch up to about $20,000. Also part of the collection is a gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date, ref. 15238, purchased by the explorer on the 50th Anniversary of the day he reached the summit of Everest, estimated at about $10,000; as well as a 1972 Rolex Explorer I and a 1973 Explorer II also owned by the great adventurer.

Gallery: Sir Edmund Hillary's Rolex Collection