The year 1953 marked the first attempt by humans to climb to the peak of famed Mount Everest, a challenge mankind had always dreamed of taking on. Sir John Hunt led the British Himalayas Expedition Team in the daring journey to reach the top of the tallest peak in the world. However, despite the number of first-rate climbers and hikers on the expedition team, only two of them—Sir Edmund Hillary and a Tibetan Sherpa by the name of Tenzing Norgay—successfully reached the peak of Mount Everest.
With the success of reaching the peak, there also came increased notoriety for Rolex, who had selected Tenzing Norgay to wear their newest prototype, the Rolex Explorer Model 6098, on the dangerous but rewarding endeavor. The new timepiece had been specifically designed to withstand extreme conditions, and Rolex duly regarded the expedition as the ideal chance to show the media and the world the new Rolex Explorer Model 6098 and all that it was capable of, proving to everybody that it would withstand severe conditions that no other watches could in years past. This truly was the chance to show consumers, competitors, and business partners that Rolex was indeed the most dependable timepiece on the market.
The two brave explorers and the Rolex Explorer made it to the summit of Mount Everest, an astounding and nerve-wracking 29,035 feet, on May 29, 1953. They had demonstrated that determination and willpower can drive men to do extraordinary things and attested to the durability and reliability of both man and timepiece. With the successful mission came fame and status for Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay, and the Rolex Explorer as the world celebrated their victory and a huge step for humankind. The human explorers gained fame and a permanent place in history, while the Rolex Explorer was made famous internationally.
The grand and amazing success for the prototype of the Rolex Explorer Model 6098 led to a new and improved version of the famed Rolex model. The second Rolex Explorer was named the Rolex Explorer II and was designed to be able to withstand even more extreme conditions than its famous and well-reputed predecessor that had been worn on the grueling and highly demanding expedition. However, people worldwide still associate the words “Rolex Explorer” with the Rolex Explorer Model 6098, the timepiece that paved the way for a wristwatch for even the most daring and bold of mankind’s explorers.
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