Smiths were the only watches worn on the summit of Everest in '53. The proof.

[Rev-O]

Indeed, in fact just to delight Rajen, here's the dial indices that Rolex homaged in the 6098 model used on Everest:



You can also see how so many of these period watches are variations on the Calatrava theme pioneered by Taubert/Borgel

I suppose it’s possible that Zenith and Rolex used the same dial manufacturer (Singer?)

Remember at this point Rolex made literally nothing in-house. Unlike a certain other brand whose name escapes me at the moment. Cheltenham. Damn it’s on the tip of my tongue. Nope, I can’t remember. It’ll come to me.

[M4tt]

I suppose it’s possible that Zenith and Rolex used the same dial manufacturer (Singer?)

Remember at this point Rolex made literally nothing in-house. Unlike a certain other brand whose name escapes me at the moment. Cheltenham. Damn it’s on the tip of my tongue. Nope, I can’t remember. It’ll come to me.

Gold Cup watches? House of Cricklewood?

That may be true, but the Zenith is from the late 1930s and I haven't seem anything similar from Rolex that early.

[Rev-O]

Still no word on this, but I'm doing my bit to ensure credit is given where it's due:

[tobywatches]

A new piece in the Times today which mentions this story - not totally sure all the facts are correct!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/m...xury-0pprhv9vn

[Rev-O]

A new piece in the Times today which mentions this story - not totally sure all the facts are correct!

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/m...xury-0pprhv9vn

It's what it doesn't say that is interesting. Just reads like Rolex PR, almost certainly a paid-for piece. Surely if money has changed hands then an interest should be declared? If it hasn't . . . well then Peter Howarth is working for Rolex for free and is a sucker.

Note also a link to Rolex.org at the foot of the article and then "Comments for this article have been turned off" -- why? It's hardly a piece likely to bring out the loonies and keyboard warriors. (I can't see anyone hitting caps locks and screaming "Jewish conspiracy" or "Rolex funded killer covid vaccines" or "Wilsdorf was a child abuser" with dozens of exclamation marks. I mean, you never know who's gonna say something crazy on the internet but I'd have though this was a fairly safe topic to leave open to comment; kill that facility if it's abused, sure, but to shut down the right to reply peremptorily on a topic as uncontroversial as this smells fishy.)

[abraxas]

Griffith Pugh videos
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCyiMQ...WsOJLEQ/videos

My source:

Pugh X Rolex - A Scientific Collaboration
https://www.horolonomics.com/2022/08...aboration.html

[Rev-O]

Pugh X Rolex - A Scientific Collaboration
https://www.horolonomics.com/2022/08...aboration.html

In which the author, Brendan Cunningham, says:

"As I detail in my book, and as is detailed elsewhere [clickable link to Matt's Outdoor Journal article i.e. https://www.outdoorjournal.com/featu...versy-to-rest/ ], Rolex endeavored to get watches in the hands of the 1953 Everest mountaineers. It is hard to determine if the watches actually made it to the summit."

Er, it is not. Brendan Cunningham is a professor; has he not read the article to which he thoughtfully provided a link? So once again Smiths don't even get a mention. *sigh*

And: "Elite Swiss mountaineers failed to summit Everest just before the British succeeded, an outcome that could be explained by the fact that the Brits had Pugh and the Swiss did not."

Just before? Well, a whole 12 months earlier -- and Hunt's team learned some valuable lessons from the Genevans' failed attempt.

This is interesting: "To be fair, Pugh may have also tired of returning his Rolex for service (a sentiment many present day owners would probably share given service delays). After he returned from Shipton's 1952 British Expedition to Everest, he was asked to send the watch to Rolex in London so that they could, in turn, ship it to Geneva."

Leaving aside that what is described as "Shipton's 1952 British Expedition to Everest" was actually the British Cho Oyu expedition, this suggests that the Rolex Pugh wore on Everest in '53 was given to him for the '52 Cho Oyu expedition. But the Rolex invoice says that 13 watches were supplied to Hunt's 13 man team. We know that several other members of the '52 Cho Oyu expedition team (e..g Hillary, Evans and Bourdillon) were also included in the '53 Everest party. Did they all get a second watch from Rolex? If so, was it as well or in exchange for the first watch? The article suggests they not in fact get a new watch from Rolex which in turn suggests that the invoice is a sort of pro forma for publicity after the event ("Look, we supplied the successful climbers!")

What comes across -- again -- is how desperate Rolex were (and still are) to have that particular feather in their cap. They rushed to press with that infamous advert before checking the facts and they continue to this very day to imply that they made to the top. While I find their fanboys particularly stupid you can't really fault anyone for thinking that Hillary (and/or Tenzing) took an Oyster Perpetual to the summit in 1953. Rolex have spent a ton of money creating that impression with their very carefully-worded copy, well-placed photos, "charitable" work, and on-going relationship (again: read money) with the families of both men.

[M4tt]

Griffith Pugh videos
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCyiMQ...WsOJLEQ/videos

My source:

Pugh X Rolex - A Scientific Collaboration
https://www.horolonomics.com/2022/08...aboration.html

Firstly, thanks Abraxas.

The chap at horolonomics really does some rock solid research. I'm pretty sure Pugh also used a Smiths when climbing, although I can't quite remember why I think this. The Omega is something I discussed in detail elsewhere a while back. The horolonomics article was the conformation I'd been after. I must read him more as both his writing and research are first rate.,

https://www.intlwatchleague.com/show...highlight=pugh

[Dr.f]

I suppose it’s possible that Zenith and Rolex used the same dial manufacturer (Singer?)

Remember at this point Rolex made literally nothing in-house. Unlike a certain other brand whose name escapes me at the moment. Cheltenham. Damn it’s on the tip of my tongue. Nope, I can’t remember. It’ll come to me.

Is there a reference for that Zenith Pilot
John