Suche speziell etwas über die Geschichte der Datejust und Explorer...!!
thx vorab!
Druckbare Version
Suche speziell etwas über die Geschichte der Datejust und Explorer...!!
thx vorab!
Hast Du schon die Links auf den Seiten von Percy und Hannes verfolgt ... sonst ist wohl das Buch von Dowling bzw Vintage Sports Wachtes die beste Wahl :)
EXPLORER
The Rolex Explorer is along with the two tone Datejust one of the most easily recognizable of all Rolex watches. Its large black dial, triangular luminous marker at 12 and Arabic numeral quarters give this watch a very distinguished look and is the perfect blend of a sports and a dress watch.
The Origins of this masterpiece are in it's name. Originally designed for explorers, so it had a high visibility dial, an extra strong case, and upon request it could be lubricated with a special oil so it could withstand temperatures between -20C and +40C without changes in viscosity. Although it was widely acclaimed that this watch had been designed and made in honour of Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay who were the first men to reach the summit of Everest on May 29 1953. Evidence suggests that this watch was indeed used on previous expeditions as Rolex registered the name in 1953.
The look of the Explorer is all about the dial, which is a mixture of a number of previously used styles. The large triangle at '12' was first used by the company on the mixed Roman and Arabic dial of the 1940's. The large Arabic numerals for the quarters and bars for the remainder are seen on many of the very first model cushion Oysters. Despite this some what mixed parentage, the Explorer dial has taken on an identity of its own and created a cult following and can now never be confused with any other. The first Explorers (6350 models) used the "big bubbleback 10-1/2" A296 movement. Most of the 6350 models that have been studied do not have the classic "skelette" (Mercedes) hands. Instead they have heavily luminized versions of the standard parallel hands of that period. While the sweep hand is very strange, it looks similar to the current hand having a large luminous insert.
Most of the early 6350 dials are also unusual in the fact that they are "honeycombed" textured and are signed "Officially certified Chronometer". As this model was replaced roughly a year after it was released it is difficult to know just how successful it was as in many was its predecessor (model 6150) has over shadowed it. The 6150 was distinguishable from the 6350 by being 2mm larger and was only available as a precision model. The 6150 was made until 1959 when it was replaced by the 6610 which looks identical but can be identified by its flatter back caused by using the new 1030 calibre movement. The dial of the 6610 is signed " Chronometer" The simplest method of recognizing any of the early Rolex Explorer's is by looking at the dial for their variations.
During these early years Rolex was unaware of the potential of this model. As a result the name was affixed to a number of watches, not easily recognizable as Explorers. There were two variations on the theme. The first was the "Air King Explorer" this was an Explorer bearing the model ref. 5500 but with an Explorer dial marked "Precision" rather than "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" The second variation are the "dress Explorers." These are standard Oyster Perpetuals in steel or gold with white or black non-Explorer dials but signed, "Explorer". Seen both with and without date these watches seem to have been predominately in the North American Market.
In 1963 the Explorer evolved again, with a new 1560 calibre movement it was renamed the 1016 and it became the longest running explorer from 1963 right upto 1989. The second version of the 1016 was really the second version of the 1560 calibre (now called 1570), because the major recognizable difference is the movement. The "hack" feature stops the hand when the winding crown is pulled out to the hand setting position. By stopping the hand at the "12" position, it is possible to synchronize your time with a known source. Simultaneously with the movement change Rolex introduced the New Oyster Bracelet. The bracelet was now machined out of solid stainless steel as opposed to the previously folded steel sheet links. In this revised form the Explorer continued through to 1989, when to the astonishment of Rolex retailers, it was removed from the Rolex catalogue. Six months later the new heavily revised version of the Explorer emerged.
The new Explorer bearing the model designation 14270, sported a new case, dial, movement, and glass. The hands and the name are the only thing carried over from the 1016. Thirteen years after Rolex first introduced the Sapphire crystal glass the Explorer was finally fitted with one. Under this new crystal the dial featured white gold skeleton markers with luminous tritium fillings: these replaced the previously painted markers. Under the dial was the very latest fast beat calibre 3000. These modifications brought the Explorer in line with all the other Rolex models and because the cosmetics of the new watch differed so much from that of the old one the price in the collectors market for the old one spiralled.
©= secondtimeround
klar, sind doch mit die besten links!! :D :D :DZitat:
Original von newharry
Hast Du schon die Links auf den Seiten von Percy und Hannes verfolgt ... sonst ist wohl das Buch von Dowling bzw Vintage Sports Wachtes die beste Wahl :)
dacht da mehr so an neuere seiten....
die bücher sind top! 8) 8)
@ hannes
wonderfull...thx! :D :D :D
Und noch was zur Datejust :))
After the Second World War Rolex made one of the most significant moves of it's History, It introduced a larger version of its Bubbleback. This new watch was powered by a perpetual version of the classic 10-1/2"' Hunter. The new calibre called the A296 was initially used in a large Bubbleback with reference number 5026. Three years later and Rolex had added a sweep second hand and a date, which was visible at 3' o'clock.
Launched in 1945 as the Jubilee Datejust model 4467, it was only available in 18K gold at first and when the fortunes of the Prince faded this became their flagship model. This model features a fine coin edged bezel, a gold edged date window, alternating red/ black date figures, a tiny bubbleback winder and a deeply domed back. This was an Ovettone model. (Three piece case)
The Ovettone model was soon surpassed by a model with only two case parts. Yet it still retained the protruding back, and the finely milled bezel. The date function also retained the its alternating red and black numbers. The only obvious change was that the winding crown, previously the small bubbleback crown became larger when Rolex increased the depth to which it went from 60 to 165 feet.
The most dramatic change in Datejust occurred in 1954 when Rolex introduced the Cyclops lens at Basel. This allowed the date to be read easier and has now become part of the Rolex signature. Soon came a slimmer movement, which allowed the fitting of a flatter back. The new movement calibre 1065 introduced in 1957 was much lighter and much slimmer than its predecessor making the old domed back obsolete.
These new model Datejusts were manufactured in yellow gold primarily although they were available in pink gold for the South American markets. The stainless steel Datejusts were released in 1957.
The stainless and gold Datejusts were introduced around 1962 and has proved to be one of the most popular Rolex's ever produced. Since there was quite a large gap between sales in gold Datejusts and steel Datejusts Rolex filled the void with a mixed metal model.
The next change was to change the dial. The old curved edge dial gave way to the new flat dial, which in turn was facilitated by the new Rapid Date Change or quickset feature. The new calibre (3085) movement not only enabled the wearer to change the date much quicker it also meant that there was not as much wear on the hand setting mechanism. Most usefully though it allowed the wearer to change the date from the 28th or 30th to 1st without changing the time.
In 1956 a new model Datejust was launched combining the advantages of the standard Datejust with those of the "Turn-O-Graph" Launched as the model 1625, it featured a gold rotating bezel in which was cast with the minute divisions and very fine dividing lines.
When the manual " Oysterdate" was introduced in the 1950's it came in two sizes, one about the same size as an "Air King" and one a little bigger than a Bubbleback. By the Late 1960's the smaller one was dropped leaving nothing to fill the void between the current Datejust and the Lady's model. In 1970 this changed however with the introduction of the 2030 movement. This was a scaled down version of the 1030 movement and was immediately fitted to a series of watches universally known as the "Mid Size". These watches were perfect 80% replicas of the Oyster Perpetual and the Datejust were available in all the metal and dial variations shared by their big brother. They have proved to be one of Rolex's success's as they were very popular in the Europe, South America and Asia. Because they were an in between size they also appealed to large women or small men to whom the standard sizes did not appeal.
At the end of the 1980's the Datejusts were fitted with the sapphire mineral crystal glass. The purpose of this was two fold. Firstly it was more aesthetically pleasing as it slimmed the look of the Datejust and it also rendered the glass virtually scratch proof, which was extremely practical.
The success of the Datejust is phenomenal. From a flagship model when it was first released to one of their entry level models now, it still retains the prowess and exclusiveness that have made it famous.
©= secondtimeround
thx!
ich liebe das forum...!!!! :D
... und ich liebe Google :D
(und das Forum natürlich auch ;) )
Hatte wir hier nicht mal einen Link zu einer asiatischen Seite,
auf der alle aktuellen Modell- und Zifferblattvarianten aufgeführt waren ?
Die Seite such ich immer noch, gerade wegen der ZB.
Hat vielleicht jemand den Link ?