Lot 23
Rolex. A rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch
Precision, Ref.6150, 'Pre-Explorer' Case No.930860, Movement No.16737, made in 1953
Auction: 20 November 2025 from 14:00 GMT
Description
Cal.A296 self-winding 18 jewel movement, matt black dial with gilt print and partial luminescent baton, triangle and quarter numerals, gilt Mercedes hands with long hour hand, centre seconds, stainless steel Oyster case with screw down reverse stamped 1.53 to the inner, screw-down Oyster crown. Case, dial and movement signed.
Dimensions
Diameter 36mm.
Provenance
From the family of the original owner, who was apparently gifted this watch on his 18th birthday in 1954.
Footnote
The Rolex reference 6150 was introduced in 1953 and famously tested by various Everest mountaineering expeditions over the coming years, including the successful summit by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. Earlier the same year, on January 26th 1953, Rolex registered the name Explorer in Geneva. The example offered here, case number 930860 and stamped to the inner 1.53, is one of the earliest examples of the reference to feature the classic Explorer style black dial and, according to our research, the earliest such documented example to have appeared at auction.