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Rolex Experts! Please teach me about my Great Grandpa's Explorer & Bracelet (Early 1950's)

2K views 23 replies 12 participants last post by  Panerol Forte 
#1 · (Edited)
(I recently posted this in the Public Forum but thought this may be a better place to find experts! Not sure if this is against the rules, Admin - please delete the post you feel is in the wrong forum.)

I was recently going through our family's watch collection with my father and was hoping some expert eyes might be able to shine some more light on this watch than google!

We no longer have box and papers however this is what we know:
He bought the watch new in the early 50's that came with the bracelet that is currently shown in the pictures. The watch is all original and has never been refurbished.

The bracelet has a stamp on it of 4-52. We believe thats referring to 4thQuarter 1952 when the bracelet was made.

In regards to the watch, one side of the lugs says Brevet 6298 and on the other is the serial number: 92XXXX. 6298 is the watch's reference number however it has been difficult to find an exact comparable on the internet, it seems like there were a lot of different 6298's - all with different hands, dials, and any combination of those. Some have the 12 at the top some have the crown, some have 12, 3, 6 & 9. Also, I haven't seen any with this bracelet. Not sure what Brevet is or means. We believe the serial number puts the watch around 1953 - this was a time when the Explorer was first being branded as the Explorer. Stamped on the inside of the back cover is 4-53.

Is this one of the earlier 6298's showing Explorer on the dial? Which bracelet or strap was standard on this watch new?

Thoughts, expert advice, link to comparables all extremely appreciated! Thanks!

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#3 ·
Nice watch! Everything looks original to the watch. You seem to be on track identifying it as a 6298. I could only find one image that matched your watch. I'm sure you probably found the same.

It was listed for sale on 1stDibs website as, "Rolex Stainless Steel Explorer Sir Edmund Hillary Wristwatch Ref 6298"

Your great grandpa had taste! Nice to see what original riveted bracelets look like too.

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#5 ·
Give it some time........You will likely get the most information over on TRF Vintage section where you have the other thread. There are some REAL EXPERTS that frequent over there, but it isn't necessarily a 'hopping' place. Beautiful watch :-!
 
#6 ·
Rolex Experts! Please teach me about my Great Grandpa's Explorer & Bracelet (Early 1950's)

Nice watch. Looks pretty much original or at least period correct. I have read that variations were quite common on older references.
AFAIK, Brevet is French for Patented and refers to the Twin Lock Crown. Your one looks like a service replacement. The original crown would have a cross + on it instead of the line - under the Rolex crown.
Try and upload some bigger pictures on TRF for the REAL EXPERTS, I think they have a post limit before you are able to post pictures.
[emoji106] to your Great Grandpa's watch.
 
#8 ·
Canadian market watch. The early Explorer was a line in Canada. Has nothing to do with the current explorer that Rolex sells today. Similar in style to the watch that Sir Edmund Hillary wore but not the same model. Whoever is selling is trying to use the word explorer on the watch to hype up its sale.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Interesting, as the story goes we believe it was purchased somewhere in Europe, not Canada but could be wrong!

Thanks MarkieB, I think reaching out to Rolex is the next step.

Thank you all!
 
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#12 · (Edited)
In the US, you will find this exact same watch without the "Explorer" on the dial. With it on the dial was for the Canadian market. The true US market Explorers didnt arrive until the late 1950s. Anyone trying to market these early 1950s Pre-Explorer 6298s as anything but a nice early dress watch is spouting nothing but smoke in order to make an extra buck.

Those early 1950s watches that went with the famous explorers didnt say "Explorer" on the dial. It was from those expeditions that Rolex came out with the Explorer years later. It was only a coincidence that the Canadian market was already using the word on their watches.
 
#15 ·
Hmm interesting. I thought I've seen supposed US market "Explorer" branded 6298's from the early 1950's. Does anyone have any tips or contact info for the best way to reach out to Rolex with photos and serial number?

(Additionally, any more information regarding this being a Canadian market watch would be great - from a catalog or comparable, etc. Throughout all my searching I have not found a single model that is exactly the same. Which may mean its not original/has been serviced?)

I agree, regardless of value I will be keeping the watch. 4th generation ownership really is something special.
 
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#16 ·
I'm going to be a realist/pessimist and proffer that Rolex USA is not likely to be of much help. Unless you get really lucky and your inquiry lands on the desk of an employee who takes an interest in the historical aspect of Rolex, you'll likely get a polite letter telling you they don't do historical narratives.

I suggest you give a try at Vintage Rolex Forum's site. There you'll run into a whole bunch of fanatics who will likely offer up the history and facts that will pertain to your watch, giving you the missing information that will round out the history.
 
#19 ·
After getting some additional information from the Vintage Rolex Forum I reached out to a vintage dealer in Canada. He seems to believe it is a Canadian Market Explorer, the give aways being the gold indices and hands. Bizarre as the family is pretty certain is wasn't purchased in Canada! After discussing more, we also believe the crystal has been replaced with almost certainty, however there is the possibility (about 50/50) that the hands may have been replaced as well at the time. Hoping that isn't the case! Very interesting how the story can change and what you can find!
 
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#23 ·
Very interesting! I would love to know that also. It's actually my great-grandfathers watch but no he was not in the military. Believe it or not, we actually have slides from his vacation in the early 50's to Vancouver. Going to go through them shortly and see if we can spot the watch on him or even a picture of it new! I'll of course post anything I see!
 
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