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What reference is the watch Sir Edmund Hillary wore on Everest?

  1. devnull Sep 14, 2015

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    It is this one:

    https://www.hodinkee.com/blog/found...o-the-peak-of-mount-everest-live-pics-details

    But I can't find the reference number and there seems to be a few Oyster Perpetual chronometer models around that time. Was it a Super Oyster or a standard screw down? I would not mind hunting one down.

    Some of you might have seen this article

    https://www.outdoorjournal.com/feat...verest-in-1953-putting-a-controversy-to-rest/

    While being chiefly concerned with Rolex vs Smiths (spoiler alert: Smiths were the first to the summit), an Omega also makes an appearance:

    "Griffith Pugh, the scientist behind their success, wore his own Omega CK2287 chronometer."

    As he was the team's physician I wonder if he had a pulsometer scale?

    Some more Omega-specific info here:

    https://www.intlwatchleague.com/showthread.php?28685-An-Omega-on-Everest-in-1953!
     
    Edited by a mod Aug 2, 2021
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  2. dennisthemenace Hey, he asked for it! Sep 14, 2015

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    I had heard he was actually wearing a Smiths watch and Rolex reps slapped one of their watches on his wrist after his descent.
     
  3. Davidt Sep 14, 2015

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    I thout it was widely accepted he wore a Smiths
     
  4. devnull Sep 14, 2015

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    You two realize that you are in fact talking me out of buying a watch. You people should be ashamed. ;)
     
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  5. Davidt Sep 14, 2015

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    Au contraire. Now you need to buy two.
     
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  6. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 15, 2015

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    I thought he took both up. The Smiths because it was his preference and the Rolex because of sponsorship and testing.
     
  7. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 15, 2015

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    I stand corrected, here it is:
     
    Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 12.10.03 PM.png
  8. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 15, 2015

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    although Hodinkee has some more interesting articles about it. And this is, if it was worn up there, the model worn: (credit to Hodinkee)
     
    Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 12.13.16 PM.png
  9. pitpro Likes the game. Sep 15, 2015

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  10. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Sep 15, 2015

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    I thought it was a ref. 6098. Going to have to sell mine if this proves not to be the case....
     
    Edited Sep 15, 2015
  11. pitpro Likes the game. Sep 15, 2015

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  12. devnull Sep 16, 2015

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    I see 6084 is the reference that was presented to him after he came back form Everest. Can anybody confirm that this was the same reference worn on the Everest climb?
     
  13. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Sep 16, 2015

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  14. Davidt Sep 16, 2015

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    I can't remember where I read this but I once saw an article which stated that Rolex sponsored the '52 expedition (which didn't make the summit) but not the '53 one. As such the team were wearing Smiths watches in '53. Once their success was confirmed Rolex then presented them with watches after the event.
     
  15. devnull Sep 16, 2015

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  16. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Sep 16, 2015

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    You will see 6098 Oyster perpetuals marked both precision and officially certified chronometer.
     
  17. LarryG not KennyG, not OG, just LarryG Sep 16, 2015

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  18. davidswiss Sep 16, 2015

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    Hillary wore a Smiths deluxe on the climb and presented it to Clockmaker's Company Museum at the Guildhall in London where, I believe, it's still on show. He was given a Rolex later but he didn't wear it on the first scramble up to the top of the world. I believe Tensing wore a Rolex that had been given to him by one of the climbers on the failed Swiss expedition the previous year.
     
  19. dennisthemenace Hey, he asked for it! Sep 16, 2015

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    Nah! he took a Smiths and a Rolex with him , but actually he wore neither of them on the climb.
     
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  20. davidswiss Sep 16, 2015

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    I don't think he had a Rolex. Rolex gave him one when he was in England after the return from the Nepal. Smiths gave 15 watches (I think) to the expedition and were sponsors. The only reason a Rolex was there was because Tenzing had one as a gift from the Swiss expedition in '52. I'm pretty sure that Rolex would have made huge publicity from then until now if they actually had the watch that Hillary wore on the 1st climb. They imply that it was there but Hillary would never say anything and I suspect that was because he was paid by Rolex not to answer the question.