New Expeditions

A new generation of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Explorer and Explorer II

- Katherine Arteche

The Oyster Perpetual Explorer debuted in 1953, following the first successful ascent to the summit of Mount Everest on 29 May that year. The mountainous range that bordered the Tibetan Plateau formed the Earth’s highest peaks, resulting in a wide range of climates and high altitudes that one is exposed to while exploring on foot. This spurred Rolex to impose the challenge of creating a tool watch that wouldn’t just be able to withstand environmental thresholds, but to also be a provision of function and reliability.

This particular expedition to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was achieved by the group comprising Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. As with the other explorers that followed, Rolex equipped these teams with their Oyster watches, pioneering a unique approach to test them in real world conditions.