August 27, 2025
The History of Mountaineering Watches and the Ascent of Everest
- The Start of the Sports Watch
- Everest's Call to Timekeeping
- The Biggest Watch Fight
- The Contested Summit
- The Legacy of the Everest Watches
Table of Content
The Start of the Sports Watch
The modern sports watch did not emerge overnight—it was the result of gradual innovation shaped by practical demands. Soldiers, aviators, and athletes all needed reliable ways to track time in active, hands-on environments. For centuries, people relied on pocket watches, but by the early 1900s, it became clear that a hands-free solution was essential. During the Boer War, some soldiers began strapping pocket watches to their wrists, which later became wristlets, an improvised but effective adaptation for combat situations.
British soldiers soldered metal lugs on their pocket watches to accommodate leather straps
Image credit: Times Ticking – “The Second Boer War and 'Wristlets'” https://www.timesticking.com/the-second-boer-war-and-wristlets/
This shift signaled a broader need, and watchmakers soon responded. In 1904, Cartier introduced the Santos de Cartier, designed specifically for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, allowing him to check the time mid-flight without fumbling for a pocket watch. This change from a pocket item to a wrist tool became widespread by the First World War. Watches were now exposed to mud, water, and constant impacts from battle, so they had to be built much stronger. Features like more durable glass and lumed dials for seeing in the dark became a must-have. The war changed the wristwatch from a fashion accessory into a tool built for purpose. This shift was so huge that after the war, watchmakers started selling these sturdy timepieces to the public, saying they were the choice of sportsmen, creating a new image that linked being tough with being athletic.
1937 Ad Elgin Sports Man Fisherman Winding Wrist Watch - ORIGINAL SPM1
Image credit: Period Paper – “1937 Ad Elgin Sports Man Fisherman Winding Wrist Watch - ORIGINAL SPM1” https://www.periodpaper.com/products/1937-ad-elgin-sports-man-fisherman-winding-wrist-watch-original-advertising-095629-spm1-347
The shift to durability as a key concern of prospective buyers created an arms race between watch companies to demonstrate the strength of their designs. This would eventually lead to the ultimate test.
Everest's Call to Timekeeping
After failing to be the first to reach the North and South Poles, Britain set its sights on what was called the "third pole"—the highest mountain on Earth. Mount Everest, as named by British surveyors, became the ultimate symbol of a final unconquered frontier. The expeditions were seen as a way to project British strength and resilience on the world stage. They were a grand adventure, a scientific endeavor to map the Himalayas, and a way to showcase British expertise in exploration and mountaineering. The quest to be the first to the top of the world was a matter of immense national pride and a final expression of imperial ambition.
The 1953 British Mount Everest expedition, led by Colonel John Hunt, was a carefully planned attempt to reach the planet's highest point. Among the climbers were New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay, who would ultimately become the first to successfully summit the peak. The climbers faced a harsh environment that pushed both their bodies and their gear to their limits. The "Death Zone" above 8,000 meters (approximately 26,246.72 feet) above sea level is a brutal place with uniquely punishing conditions. With the base camps around Everest being around 5,200 meters (approximately 17,060 feet) in altitude, a significant amount of the climb up Everest is in the Death Zone. The oxygen level in the Death Zone is too low (about a third of what is found at sea level) for humans to survive for long without supplemental oxygen. At this height, the body experiences severe hypoxia, leading to dangerous symptoms like confusion, swelling of the brain and lungs, and organ damage, while also contending with extreme cold and high winds. This made every breath and every second of the journey a matter of survival.
In this extreme environment, a watch was far more than just something nice to wear. It was a vital tool for the climbers, helping them plan their moves and, most importantly, keep track of their oxygen supplies. Every second on the oxygen tanks mattered, and accurate timekeeping was key to making sure they had enough air to reach the top and get back down safely. This made the trip a huge real-world test for any watch that dared to go there. Hillary and Norgay's success on Everest cemented their place in history and became a powerful symbol of human endurance. Their legendary climb also brought unprecedented attention to the reliability of the tools they carried, especially the watches that helped them survive the world's most extreme conditions.
Mount Everest
Image credit: BBC – “Can Mount Everest really be climbed in a week?” https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250428-can-mount-everest-really-be-climbed-in-a-week
The Mechanical Gauntlet
The tiny, complex parts inside a timepiece are designed to work closer to sea level, so designing a mechanical watch to withstand the conditions on Everest presented a unique set of technical challenges. This expedition would be a high-stakes proving ground for how these designs would work in a place with low air pressure and freezing temperatures.
The biggest problem was the extreme cold. The temperatures on the mountain could make the special oils and greases that lubricate the movement's hundreds of tiny parts get thick and sticky. This would cause the parts to drag, making the watch run slowly or even stop completely. This challenge required watchmakers to use alternative solutions.
Low air pressure also caused a problem. While watches cannot directly measure altitude like modern ones with pressure sensors, the huge difference in pressure between the inside and outside of the case could test how well the seals held up. All of these extreme conditions meant that these timepieces were not just normal products but were part of a real scientific effort. The trip was just as much about gathering data on how people and their gear performed at the very edge of what's possible as it was about reaching the top.
The Biggest Everest Watch Fight
The 1953 British Everest Expedition holds a special place in watch history, not just for the achievement itself, but for the fierce and often-conflicting claims that came from the two watch brands involved. The trip was equipped with watches from both the famous Swiss brand, Rolex, and the British company, Smiths. Rolex had a long history of supplying watches to expeditions in the Himalayas, seeing the trips as a chance for publicity and a way to test its Oyster Perpetual watches in tough places. Smiths, a British company that had proven itself during the Second World War by making instruments for planes and the military, saw a golden chance to promote itself. The result was a confusing situation where some members of the team, including Colonel John Hunt and others, were seen wearing a watch on each wrist, speculated to be one of each.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual "Pre-Explorer" Ref. 6098 and the Smiths De Luxe A409
Top Image credit: Hodinkee – “Found The Rolex Sir Edmund Hillary Wore To The Peak Of Mount Everest (Live Pics & Details)” https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/found-the-rolex-sir-edmund-hillary-wore-to-the-peak-of-mount-everest-live-pics-details
Bottom Image credit: Whittakers & Biggs – “Lot 1133A: Sir Edmund Hillary Interest - An early 1950s Smiths Deluxe A409 Everest expedition wristwatch,” https://auctions.whittakerandbiggs.co.uk/catalogue/lot/1a4c92136141ec05ffe1eb7f8e2a2c79/03fb17253e217cb8c6e9239d719a5d9f/two-day-online-auction-including-furniture-ceramics-g-lot-1133a/
The Everest Prototypes: A Tale of Two Watchmakers
By the time the British Everest expedition was being planned, both Rolex and Smiths were key players in the world of rugged watches. The expedition was a massive operation, and a range of watches from both brands was provided to the climbers and support team. The extreme conditions of Mount Everest—with temperatures dropping to -40°F, reduced air pressure, and punishing physical shocks—were the ultimate test for these timepieces.
What specifically made them capable of enduring such a grueling expedition?
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Ref 6098 "Pre-Explorers":
Rolex had been using high-altitude expeditions as a testing ground for its watches for over two decades. In fact, climbers had to return their prototype watches to Rolex after they got back for "further extensive testing." The specific watch on the wrists of the climbers was an Oyster Perpetual, a pre-production prototype that was the direct ancestor of the now-famous Explorer.
- Screw-Down System:
Rolex's key innovation was its patented Oyster case. The "screw-down" system was a technological marvel for its time. Think of a screw-in case back like a jar lid—it twists on and provides a simple seal. Rolex's system, however, was like a miniature submarine hatch. The crown, bezel, and case back all screwed down into the case body, compressing multiple gaskets and creating a superior, hermetic seal that was impenetrable to water and dust. This was crucial on Everest, where moisture from snow or condensation could spell disaster for the movement.
Unscrewing a screw-down case back
Image credit: User SGK on Watchuseek – “Tevo Dive Watch” https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/tevo-dive-watch.805189/
- A New Movement:
This prototype was powered by the Calibre A296 movement, which had 18 jewels. Jewels in a watch are tiny synthetic rubies that act as bearings to reduce friction between moving parts. Generally, the more jewels, the less wear on the movement. The 18-jewel count indicated a high-quality, reliable movement built to withstand repeated shock and keep accurate time. This movement required a special "bubble-back" case to accommodate its large, self-winding rotor. While the climbers wore these on Everest, Rolex's engineers were already perfecting a new, flatter movement, the Calibre 1030. This new movement was what allowed them to create the first true Explorer (Ref. 6610) with a much flatter case, making it more comfortable and less likely to snag on climbing gear.
Image credit: Fratello – “Fratello’s Top 5 Rolex “Pre-Icon” Models” https://www.fratellowatches.com/fratellos-top-5-rolex-pre-icon-models/
The Smiths De Luxe A409:
The Smiths De Luxe A409, the watch purportedly worn by Sir Edmund Hillary to the summit, was a product of the proud British watchmaking industry.
- Denison Case and Screw-In System
The Smiths watch was housed in a high-quality "Aquatite" case made by the Dennison Watch Case Company, a renowned British manufacturer. This case used a "screw-in" case back, providing a reliable waterproof seal. It was a well-made and trusted design for the era, but it lacked the integrated, full-system sealing of the Rolex Oyster case. The Smiths watch also featured a domed acrylic crystal, which was a common feature of watches at the time. Its rounded shape was durable and provided a clear view, but it was not as scratch-resistant as the sapphire crystals of today's watches.
Although this is the Smith's De Luxe A404 Case Back, the Smith's De Luxe A409 used for the expedition use the same case back.
Image credit: Selling Antiques – “Smiths 15 Jewel Everest Model A.404, Circa 1954” https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/482461/smiths-15-jewel-everest-model-a404-circa-1954
- Reliable Movement:
A hand-wound, 15-jewel lever-escapement movement powered the watch. A 15-jewel movement was the standard for a fully jeweled and reliable timepieces of that era. This was a significant detail, as it meant the watch's most critical components were protected from the friction that could cause a loss of accuracy. For a climber, every second counts, and the reliability provided by a jeweled movement was a matter of life or death. The Smiths movement, though simpler (15 jewels vs. Rolex’s 18), was hand-wound—meaning fewer moving parts and less risk of rotor failure in extreme cold.
Although this is the Smith's De Luxe A404 movement, the Smith's De Luxe A409 used for the expedition used the same movement.
Image credit: Selling Antiques – “Smiths 15 Jewel Everest Model A.404, Circa 1954” https://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/482461/smiths-15-jewel-everest-model-a404-circa-1954
- Specialized Lubricants:
To keep the lubricating oils in the watch from thickening and becoming sticky in extreme cold, the Smiths De Luxe A409 was equipped with a specially formulated low-temperature lubricant. Without it, the oil could gum up, causing the tiny moving parts to drag and the watch to run slowly or even stop altogether.
The Contested Summit
Hillary and Norgay reached the top on May 29, 1953, at about 7:00 a.m. London time—but radio silence followed for nearly five hours. The first formal notice, prepared in elaborate code by The Times correspondent and relayed to the British Embassy, mentioned nothing about watches. With no photographs from the summit itself, the question of what was worn at the top remains unresolved.
The publicity race began immediately. On June 2—perfectly timed to Coronation Day for Queen Elizabeth II—Rolex ran a full‑page advertisement in The Times declaring that an Oyster Perpetual had reached the summit. The company's ad agency had an ad on page three of The Times on June 2 with the headline "7 times on Everest." It clearly said a Rolex had a "long and central role" in the climb and "was on the summit with Tenzing and Hillary". Smiths answered on June 3 with its own headline claiming the British‑made brand was now “On Top of the World!”
Rolex's Ad after the announcement of the successful climb of Mount Everest
Image credit: Author Pierre-Yves Donzé on Europa Star – “Smiths 15 Jewel Everest Model A.404, Circa 1954” https://www.europastar.com/the-watch-files/archives-heritage/1004114362-understanding-the-history-of-rolex-through-europa.html
Smiths Ad following the announcement of the successful climb of Mount Everest
Image credit: Redditor Illegaleyes on r/Watches – “[Smiths] The Everest Watch
” https://www.reddit.com/r/Watches/comments/1lsm4x6/smiths_the_everest_watch/?share_id=XjM1eAttA8y0HgSxuTrqH&utm_content=2&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
For decades, Rolex maintained that both Hillary and Norgay wore its watches on the summit. Norgay had been given a Rolex in 1952 for a Swiss expedition and is widely believed to have worn it again in 1953, often said to be a gold Datejust. Hillary, for his part, was loaned a 1950 Rolex Oyster Perpetual test model, an early prototype that would inform the Explorer, and Rolex advertising leaned heavily on this connection.
However, evidence points to a Smiths De Luxe on Hillary’s wrist. In a Smiths advertisement, Hillary is quoted: “I carried your watch to the summit. It worked perfectly.” He later gifted that very watch to the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, and it is now on display with the Science Museum Group. Some reports even state that Hillary left his Rolex at Base Camp and relied on the Smiths for the final push.
The Legacy of the Everest Watches
Smiths had every right to share the spotlight. Their watch was purportedly worn by Edmund Hillary himself, yet the brand never managed to capitalize on the achievement. As the quartz crisis swept through the watch industry in the 1970s—driven by the rise of inexpensive, highly accurate Japanese quartz watches—Smiths, like many traditional manufacturers, struggled to adapt. Demand for mechanical watches plummeted. While Rolex pivoted and leaned into luxury, Smiths chose to exit the watch business entirely, focusing instead on its other sectors like oil, gas, and medical equipment. The brand faded from the market, its Everest legacy largely forgotten until recent revival by modern enthusiasts.
For Rolex, on the other hand, the Everest expedition led to one of the most iconic watches ever made: the Rolex Explorer. Though debate lingers over which watch was actually worn at the summit, Rolex masterfully turned the moment into a mythic brand story. The Explorer—with its easy-to-read black dial and rugged construction—embodied the spirit of exploration and survival. By naming it "Explorer," Rolex created more than a watch; it built a symbol of adventure and toughness that transcended the specific details of the event. This is a powerful example of how marketing and storytelling can transform a piece of equipment into a cultural icon.
