Today's a pretty special day for me -- a watch I'd been after for a while finally came in the mail. It's a 1963 Explorer 1016 with a Type 3 exclamation point dial and an exceptional history. I can't tell the tale with more aplomb than the gentleman who sold it to me (after wearing it daily for the last 55 years) so I'll let him do the talking:

"... I bought the watch in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia just after I arrived there to work with the Lands and Survey Department of Sarawak. My wife also flew out from the UK to marry me out there. I was actually in the British Army and we were working for the Lands and Surveys Department. It was during the confrontation time with Indonesia, one of the small wars we have had and we needed better maps. The watch was actually used in astronomical observations to fix some of our positions so it played an important role. It has been used quite frequently in other surveys around the world, including Canada where I spent two and a half years on an exchange posting, with some of the time spent in the Yukon and in Alert in the North West Territories - quite close to the North Pole. I have also spent a year based in Washington DC and travelled all around the world from there helping to set up the GPS system. After leaving the army I spent several years in the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia. When I retired I spent eleven years spending time in South Africa and the UK. We left South Africa for good in 2014 and now live in..."

He's in the process of writing down a more formal history and finding pictures of him in those various places. I can't believe he somehow kept the original papers and sales receipts, as well as the service papers from the later 1960's, throughout his travels. And somehow, under the assemblage of scratches, the dial has nary a mark on it.

Here are a few pictures. Enjoy --

Andrew

 

WOW

 

That’s an incredibly well preserved find. Patience has its rewards. Congratulations and wear in good health. - KK

 

Gorgeous watch. Awesome story. Wear and enjoy it in good health!

 

That's a wonderful-looking vintage piece, with everything you could want.

 

very nice

 

Really nice. Congratulations!!

 

With that watch having been to so many parts of the world, it has truly lived up to its name Explorer. I can only imagine it would have been tough for the owner to let it go but it's gone to somebody that respects its history. Thank you for sharing the story.

 

Awesome watch with a great provenance, may you have more adventures to add.

I'm a retired field Geologist and, in 1989, was gifted a 14270 from my Grandfather. Still have it and all the damage one might expect from 23 years of rock cracking... It's the only watch I'll never sell.

 

KaBoom! What a great set with provenance.

 

You know the rules...picture please!

 

Awesome pick up! Keep adding to it's history!

 

On my short list. Amazing. Congrats

 

Wow. Awesome history. The paperwork makes this such a great score.

 

Great watch and history.... of all the places he mentions I can’t believe both he and the watch survived Washington.


PS. Wear it in good health and let it continue exploring...

 

Hah!

Excellent story and congrats. Wonder why the guy sold it at this point?

 

A rare bird indeed. Congrats, wear it in good health ! (!)

 

Love it. That's a watch with earned character.

 

It sounded like he and his wife wanted to enjoy their retirement with the extra funds.

 

Great provenance and a well travelled piece. Enjoy wearing that terrific watch.