The ascent of Mount Everest, the ultimate challenge for a watchmaker.

In 1953, Rolex helped immortalise the historic moment when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made history as the first confirmed to summit Everest. The Oyster Perpetual Explorer was born out of that achievement; a strong, water-resistant steel watch with a precise self-winding movement. As a result, it has become one of Rolex's most recognisable watch designs - a true alpine heritage piece for lovers of both adventure and precision.

A rugged, capable and reliable watch, the Explorer was embraced by explorers and adventurers in all kinds of circumstances. But it wasn't just its strength and reliability that made it so popular. The distinctive black dial with luminous hands and indexes gives the Explorer more character than a standard timepiece, making it instantly recognisable as a Rolex