Rolex Explorer Ref.1016

60 years ago, Ian Fleming December 17, 1963, London Heathrow airport, British author of the James Bond novels Ian Fleming (1908-1964) checking out an early copie of his latest book “On Her Majesty Secret Service”. Fleming was on his way to “Golden Eye” , his winter retreat bungalow in Oracabessa at the North coast of Jamaica. Unfortunately, it proved to be the last winter vacation enjoying the Caribbean Sea but a stay during which Fleming meet American ornithologist James Bond (1900-1989) author of “Birds of the West Indies”. Fleming was a keen bird watches and owned a 1947 copie of the book, using the author’s Anglo-Saxon name for the hero of his successful spy novels. Fleming offered the ornithologist a copie of “You Only Live Twice”, writing on cover page "To the real James Bond from the thief of his identity. Ian Fleming, Feb 5, 1964 (a great day)." 1963 had been a busy year for Fleming, as the novels became movies he had visited the “From Russia With Love” film set in Istanbul and enjoyed the premiere of this 2nd Bond movie in October 1963. Back in England by spring 1964, Fleming spent his last days enjoying golf & the country side in Kent. Note Fleming wore his Rolex Explorer 1016 wrist watch on a 7206 steel bracelet. The Rolex Explorer was the watch Fleming described in the James Bond novels and after his death, the watch resurfaced in 1981. During the “Fleming 100th anniversary” exhibition, this Rolex Explorer 1016, case number 596851 was on display at the Imperial War Museum from May 2008 to March 2009. (Photo: AP)

1966 Rolex Explorer 1016 where the dial has transformed to a deep red brown over the years.

Another Days with Tropical Dial 😎 . . . #tropical #1016 #explorerdial #giltdial #chapterring #brown #radium #rolex #vintagerolex #vintagerolexmania #explorer #watchesoftheday #watchesofinstagram #patina #oyster #siamnaliga #vintagerolexforum #vintagerolexasylum (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkKpKOupkgg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

EXPLORER1 1016 FAT font. 先日はな引き続きフルセット・フルオリジナルのファットフォントが入荷。シリアル9〜, R, L番にこの文字盤が少し存在します。丸い書体が可愛さ倍増です。 #rolex #1016 #fatfont #goros #ゴローズ #エクスプローラー1 (ENZO SHOP/GALLERY ENZO) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci_4MEKPdcf/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#1016 #114270 #116500 #116500ln #14060 #14060m #14060m4line #instawatch #menswatch #rolex #rolex1016 #rolex114270 #rolex116500ln #rolex14060 #rolex14060m #rolexaddict #rolexaholics #rolexdaytona #rolexero #rolexexplorer #rolexexplorer1 #rolexforum #rolexlover #rolexpassion #rolexsubmariner #rolexvintage #rolexwatch #rolexwatches #rolexworld #rolexwrist https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd0C-WuLiVJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The production of the 1016 spans over 25 years and is therefore the longest lasting reference, alongside the 5513, of Rolex sportsmodels. This example is from the very last batch, made in the very late 80’s. 👴🏽 #amsterdamvintagewatches #rolex1016 #1016 #vintagerolexexplorer #vintagerolex (bij Amsterdam Vintage Watches) https://www.instagram.com/p/CiR43u7t_FR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Rolex Explorer 1016 • #WRISTPORN by @a.complicated.man https://www.instagram.com/p/CgPuxFftT2Z/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

James Bond Rolex watch auctioned for $60,000

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“Dr. No”, The Legendary James Bond Rolex 6538 Auctioned At Worthy For $60,000

By Worthy Staff | Mar 11th, 2016

If there’s one iconic 007 watch, it’s the Rolex Submariner 6538. This model has a special place in Rolex history as the original “Bond Submariner” watch. Though several other Submariner versions, including references 5508 and 6205, have also received the nickname, the 6538 is said to be the original Submariner to be featured in James Bond films.

Lights, Camera, Auction!

A vintage Rolex Submariner 6538 was recently sold at Worthy; and as the story goes, it was on the set of some of the most emblematic James Bond movies. The Rolex 6538, produced between 1954 and 1959, this classic timepiece, we’ve heard, appeared in “Dr. No”, “From Russia with Love”, “Goldfinger” and “Thunderball”. In each film, actor Sean Connery wears the Submariner with several different strap combinations and utilizes it to achieve his mission. Perhaps the most iconic shot of Connery wearing the Rolex watch is in the film “Goldfinger” where he illuminates the watch’s dial with his lighter.

The “Goldfinger” James Bond Rolex

The Rolex Submariner 6538 seen in “Goldfinger” can be seen during the first few minutes of the move, just after Sean Connery wiggles out of his wetsuit and steps into the Latin nightclub. If you’ve seen the movie, then you know that Bond was surreptitiously checking the time, as he has just set a bomb to blow up a concealed heroin laboratory.

Back to the Goldfinger Rolex for a moment. This watch is crafted from a solid block of 904L stainless steel, which is the perfect material for a dive watch that takes you from underwater situations into sultry nightclubs. This particular type of stainless steel is corrosion-resistant, plus it buffs to a soft shine that offers a look similar to that of white gold. The bezel features 10-minute markings for divers to time their decompression stops; for the non-diving Rolex Submariner aficionados, it just looks cool!

Sean Connery as James Bond in “Goldfinger” (1964). In this scene, he illuminates the Rolex Submariner with his lighter.

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That scene brings us to the next twist in the story of this watch. The watch collector who presented this Rolex to us also offered an accompanying vintage lighter – a gift to Robert Sprague, Member of the American Society of Master Projectionists, from Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the well-known the producer of many 007 films. The other names inscripted in the lighter correspond to Lamar Boren, underwater cameraman, Ricou Browning, underwater director, and Jordan Klein, underwater engineer, all of them members of the 1965 “Thunderball” crew.* This lighter is a wonderful piece of Bond history and if any interested buyers are out there, contact us at Worthy to learn more.

Vintage lighter that Albert Broccoli, one of the producers of the 007 films, gave to part of “Thunderball” crew as a gift.

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Ian Fleming & Rolex

It might not surprise you to discover that author Ian Fleming, who wrote the original James Bond spy novels, had a deep-seated passion for Rolex. His personal favorite was a Rolex 1016 Explorer, which also happened to be the original James Bond watch. The Rolex 1016 is no longer in production, but you can view Ian Fleming’s famous Rolex online, and you can see it at the National Watch 7 Clock museum in Columbia, Pennsylvania, where it is displayed alongside some of Fleming’s personal letters.

As you may have guessed, Ian Fleming’s appreciation for Rolex watches overlapped from his personal life into the Bond stories that he wrote. In the original novels, James Bond wears a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, but other details provided are scanty, leaving it up to the reader to decide which actual Rolex the literary Bond wears. The 007 movies fill in the gaps, leaving us with a sense of excitement when we encounter the actual watch worn in the film.

The Original “Bond Submariner”

One of the most prominent and recognizable features of Submariner 6538 is its over-sized crown and lack of crown guards. This “big crown” certainly distinguishes this timepiece from other models in the Submariner family and is a feature collectors look for. This Rolex utilizes a caliber 1030 nickel-finished lever 25 jewels movement. The brown or black gloss dial prominently features luminous dot, baton and dagger markers as well as luminous Mercedes hands and sweep center seconds. The dial and case are topped with a revolving black bezel calibrated for 60 units.

Rolex Submariner 6538 recently auctioned at Worthy for $60,000.

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Despite this model being designated as the “Bond Submariner,” it is more than a movie prop. Rather, it was made in the spirit of the Submariner family with divers or other water adventurers in mind. The 38 mm tonneau shaped Oyster case features a screw back and large screw down crown, giving it the ability to resist water pressure up to an impressive depth of 200 meters or 660 feet.

No wonder why this stellar Rolex attracted more than 700 buyers. This vintage piece was sold for $60,000.

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https://www.worthy.com/blog/knowledge-center/watches/james-bond-rolex-auctioned-at-worthy/

It takes love, passion, knowledge and a lot of talent to cook risotto like this. I could be travelling around the world searching and still not be able to find a better dish. The best dish I’ve ever eaten in Australia. Period. Thank you Chef Luigi @tesorogastronomia for a Michelin Star worthy dish. Thank you Franca and Roberta for your hospitality! Rolex Explorer Radium dial 6610 circa 1957 in Balwyn today. #rolex #andychanfood #delish #daytona #submariner #gmtmaster #timedealer #vintagerolex #16520 #116520 #6610 #lunch #horology #rolexcollectorsaustralia #101031 #restaurant #rolex1016 #watchfam #watchenthusiastsmelbourne #risotto #gourmet #1016 #andychanrolex #rolexcollectors #foodporn #vintageexplorer #italianfood #restaurantguide #rolex6610 #radium @mondanibooks @mondaniweb @mondanidoc @hodinkee @phillipswatches @rolex @rolexcollectorsaus @rolexcollectorsaustralia @rolexcollectorsoz @rolexcollectoraustralia @andychanrolex @timedealerhotmail @visitmelbourne @rolexknowledge @rolexinformation @watchfinderofficial @crmjewelers @bobswatches @watchshow_rolex_israel @rolexworld_ @watchtradingco (at Tesoro Gastronomia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn05jK5LUbV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

3 X Rolex Vintage 1970 Open Guarantee 1016 1655 1675 1680 1665 1019 1601 BLANK

Rolex Watch Deals: Seller: clockwisecounter66 (100.0% positive feedback) Location: DE Condition: Good Price: 825.04 USD Shipping cost: 23.42 USD Buy It Now https://www.ebay.com/itm/204350759092?hash=item2f944120b4%3Ag%3Al1sAAOSwro9kcoRD&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338986816&customid=&toolid=10049&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

火曜 快晴 三六九 #ロレックス #エクスプローラー #エクワン #ヴィンテージロレックス #アンティークウォッチ #1016 #rolex #rolexexplorer #rolex1016 #369dial #369mafia #vintagerolex #rolexporn #watchoftheday #roseandmatchstick https://www.instagram.com/p/CoEKPIMPaiz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

December 2023 PHILLIPS NY auction Rolex Space Dweller Although the Rolex "Space Dweller" never made it into space , it's a wonderful wrist watch with an interesting history. Here's the story how it might have originated:

In May 1963, as NASA started recruitment for the Group III astronauts, Mercury astronaut Leroy Cooper made the last solo spaceflight mission of the Mercury program. Onboard “Faith 7” Cooper orbited the Earth 22 times before a pinpoint splash-down near recovery ship USS Kearsarge in the North Pacific Ocean. During this 34 hours long mission, NASA astronaut LtCol John Glenn was stationed aboard the Pacific radio telemetry tracking ship “Coastal Sentry” off the coast of Kyushu - Japan. Between May 10 and 16, John Glenn, the first US astronaut to orbit the Earth, acted as CapCom (Capsule Communicator) with the Project Mercury communication center at Cape Canaveral in Florida. After the mission, John Glenn and his family spent a 13 days vacation visiting Japanese industrial, historic and cultural sites. Glenn’s goodwill tour brought him to Tokyo, discussing space achievements with science writers, and Nihon university where he received an honorary degree. The Japanese youth met him with great enthusiasm as Glenn’s candidness and openness boosted the US image in Japan. This goodwill tour did not go unnoticed to Rolex, as the Swiss company wanted to release a watch in tribute to the spacefarers as Rolex had commemorated legendary explorations to the summit of Mount Everest and the Arctic. In response to the Japanese fascination with astronauts and spaceflight related science fiction, Rolex launched a small production run of the “Space Dweller”, for which the Swiss patent was registered on February 16, 1966 followed by a US patent office registration on November 19, 1968. Basically, the “Space Dweller” was launched in 1967 as a modified version of their Explorer 1016 model. However, it looks like this model remained a Japan-only special edition as it was not released into Rolex’s complete world market. In 2008, Sotheby’s auctioned a set of 4 separate “Space Dweller” dials which more than probably ended up in 1016 cases as case production dates range between 1963 and 1968. (Screenshot: PHILLIPS NY auction lot 23)

A first-of-its-kind white Explorer 1016 is set to be auctioned this week – here's the fact and the fiction behind these ridiculously rare vintage Rolex dials.

http://dlvr.it/Snr55j

My 3 Smooth Bezels ⚪️🟤🟢 . . . #daydate #118205 #milgauss #116400 #explorer #1016 #tropical #rolex #oyster #siamnaliga #watchesoftheday #vintagerolexforum #vintagerolexasylum (at Bangkok Thailand) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgtC-8LpOMF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=