130 Rolex Extremely Well Preserved and Very Rare, Explorer, Automatic Wristwatch in Steel, With Black Honeycomb Dial, Reference 6350
Estimate: €50,000 – 100,000
Sold (Premium)€136,500
Model: Explorer
Reference: 6350
Case Material: Stainless Steel
Bracelet Material: Stainless Steel
Year: 1953
Movement: Automatic
Caliber: A296
Case N°: 955526
Dimensions: 36 mm
Signed: Dial, movement and case
The story begins in 1952 when a number of climbers traveled to the Tibet and China border as part of a research trip in preparation for the 1953 assault of Everest and Rolex wanted to help in this venture giving them its first prototype Explorer in a 36 mm steel case called Big-Bubbleback. During the early days of the Explorer, launched in 1953, Rolex was unsure of the model’s potential and for this reason the Explorer name was affixed to a number of watches not immediately recognizable as Explorer. The present lot is a reference 6350 model is itself an improvement of the ref 6150 which was an earlier model with only the word “precision” on the dial. This second version is the one equipped with the Explorer name on the present lot, remarkable for its quality and beauty. As one of Rolex’s most popular sports watches, the Explorer is easily recognizable by its black dial with the luminous triangle at 12, luminous Arabic numbers at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock and luminous baton numbers for the remaining hours. This example, moreover, is not a normal Explorer, in fact, it comes with an unusual Honeycomb dial, in the vintage Rolex world—the 6350 Honeycomb, is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful and collectable models to own. The dial is completed by the OCC firm at six o’clock, the outer chapter ring for the minutes and the beautiful lollipop second-hand and pencils for the minutes perfectly preserved. Equipped on a three bodies stainless steel case with screw back very well preserved, like it left the factory long time ago, the ageing of the radium is defiantly fascinating gaining a brown color capable of striking the passionate and surprise the neophytes, a true magical piece for any collection.