Rolex Explorer 1016 with gilt dial from 1968

[Haywood_Milton]

For those who prefer things how they used to be, please enjoy this watch that I bought last week :



It's a Rolex model 1016 Explorer 1 with gilt dial, sold in January 1968 for £76-10-0.



The original owner's Oyster bracelet eventually failed, but his wife bought an American Jubilee to replace it.



After much reflection, the owner's son decided to sell it and replace it with a modern piece that he could wear without fear.



So, it will be stopping in Liverpool for a while ! Rare things, gilt 1016 Explorers, but even then they come in a number of different versions with or without chapter rings and with the text at six in different formats.





A very elegant and well-proportioned watch that highlights how much more a piece of jewellery the modern Rolex has become.

H

[Yorkshiremadmick]

What a Stunner
What a pretty watch
What a price £76:50
Thanks for sharing


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[tommyzzj]

That's an unbelievable watch... is that a type 4 dial?

and with original papers... what a gem

[gcleminson]

A very elegant and well-proportioned watch that highlights how much more a piece of jewellery the modern Rolex has become.

H

Don't bite the hand that feeds you :))



Seriously beautiful watch. Took me too long to appreciate these as per usual. Enjoy it!

[M1011]

Nice shots of a very cool watch.

[RAJEN]

Don't bite the hand that feeds you :))



Seriously beautiful watch. Took me too long to appreciate these as per usual. Enjoy it!

Haha!
Spectacular watch!
On a serious note, modern Rolex is a watch AND a piece of jewellery. As prices have escalated and it has become more of a status symbol, it didn’t cease becoming a very robust, accurate and a well made watch. It still does what it says on the dial.

[Haywood_Milton]

That's an unbelievable watch... is that a type 4 dial?

and with original papers... what a gem

Thankyou to you and others for kind comments.

Non-chapter ring Type 4, yes. Position of the text at six is the easiest tell.

Best site for classifying these IMHO is https://explorer1016.com/gilt/non-chapter-ring/ --- my link takes you directly to the gilt dial section.

[JasonM]

Congratulations Heywood, thats beautiful.

[Haywood_Milton]

Thankyou again. Interesting date stamp, demonstrating yet again that there was often a significant lead time between the manufacture of parts and their assembly / distribution / sale :

[verv]

Thats spectacular.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Reminds me I must dig out this little gem that was my fathers.

not quite the vintage of the Explorer but in the same ballpark - thanks for sharing Heywood!

[Haywood_Milton]

this little gem that was my father's.

Wow, can't put a price on that provenance. Classic with the blue dial and still wearable - what a lovely thing for you to have!

[MartynJC (UK)]

Wow, can't put a price on that provenance. Classic with the blue dial and still wearable - what a lovely thing for you to have!

Many thanks. It’s a proper heirloom. Box papers and original receipt for 1978

[Haywood_Milton]

People elsewhere <cough> have asked why the papers say 1025 rather than 1016.

This surprised me, but it appears many are not familiar with the extensive use of strange model "catalogue" numbers, for example :



Definitely a 1016 as we know it, but often the retailer perfectly reasonably recorded the catalogue reference.

[MartynJC (UK)]

Wow, can't put a price on that provenance. Classic with the blue dial and still wearable - what a lovely thing for you to have!

Haywood. Would you happen to know the correct model number for this air-king-date? Is it 5700?

[Haywood_Milton]

Haywood. Would you happen to know the correct model number for this air-king-date? Is it 5700?

Eurekas !

edit : that was a bit obscure, on reflection.

"You have found it!"

[cart3rlfc]

Gorgeous watch!

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[Omegamanic]

Two very nice watches, with paperwork too!

[House]

Fascinating, really good to see watches from that time.

[Rory]

What a Stunner
What a pretty watch
What a price £76:50
Thanks for sharing


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Around £1365 in today’s money!

Cheers
Rory


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[Mick P]

I started in the estimating department at the company in which I was serving my apprenticeship in 1968. You always remember things from when you first started.

The wage rates were as follows

Unskilled labour was 5/6 per hour or in modern money 27.5p per hour which was £11.00 per week for 40 hours.

Semiskilled labour was 6/6 per hour or 32.5 p per hour which was £13.00 per week.

Skilled labour was 7/6 per hour or 37.5p per hour which was £15.00 per week

So for it took 5 weeks gross skilled labour to buy an Explorer which is cheaper in real terms than of today. Also you have to remember that watches in the sixties attracted purchase tax which, if I remember correctly, would be around 40% for jewellery whereas today it only attracts 20% VAT.

Rolex were giving them away back then.

[rushroon]

Both the Explorer and Air King date are stunning. Really enjoy the beauty and perfect proportions of vintage Rolex.

[Crammage]

I started in the estimating department at the company in which I was serving my apprenticeship in 1968. You always remember things from when you first started.

The wage rates were as follows

Unskilled labour was 5/6 per hour or in modern money 27.5p per hour which was £11.00 per week for 40 hours.

Semiskilled labour was 6/6 per hour or 32.5 p per hour which was £13.00 per week.

Skilled labour was 7/6 per hour or 37.5p per hour which was £15.00 per week

So for it took 5 weeks gross skilled labour to buy an Explorer which is cheaper in real terms than of today. Also you have to remember that watches in the sixties attracted purchase tax which, if I remember correctly, would be around 40% for jewellery whereas today it only attracts 20% VAT.

Rolex were giving them away back then.

And you could actually walk in and buy one! /s

Pair of fantastic watches.

[Hood]

Lovely watches
My own 1016 is away for service at the moment and has been away for some time as I wanted the bezel replaced due to a ding in it.
Rolex will only do this on an exchange basis so I am awaiting the part from Geneva before I get it back.

[tommyzzj]

A later matte dial version also with the original papers... a piece of history:)





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[Doug86]

I love seeing these!

[AP1]

Great to see the watches with the paperwork, box but especially the provenance.

[TaketheCannoli]

Now that’s a gilt dial

[gerrudd]

Two beautiful watches. To the OP, a gilt dial indeed. The page from the catalogue is great. I want a "Flush Fit" expanding bracelet. :)

[blackal]

A later matte dial version also with the original papers... a piece of history:)





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Looks similar to my GMT so I would guess that the hands were renewed at some stage? That is a nice level of patina on the markers though

[prexelor]

Selling a family owned watch like this must be a really tough decision.

Some lovely examples in this thread. Just shows how some designs have stood the test of time. I wonder if the designers thought at the time if their work would still be appreciated 50 years later.

[tommyzzj]

Looks similar to my GMT so I would guess that the hands were renewed at some stage? That is a nice level of patina on the markers though

indeed they were - im not too bothered by it tbh, and didn’t want to mess with the lume on the hands (as all previous services were done by Rolex UK, with papers for them as well).

Will probably source some period correct hands at some stage - job for another day!


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[M1011]

I started in the estimating department at the company in which I was serving my apprenticeship in 1968. You always remember things from when you first started.

The wage rates were as follows

Unskilled labour was 5/6 per hour or in modern money 27.5p per hour which was £11.00 per week for 40 hours.

Semiskilled labour was 6/6 per hour or 32.5 p per hour which was £13.00 per week.

Skilled labour was 7/6 per hour or 37.5p per hour which was £15.00 per week

So for it took 5 weeks gross skilled labour to buy an Explorer which is cheaper in real terms than of today. Also you have to remember that watches in the sixties attracted purchase tax which, if I remember correctly, would be around 40% for jewellery whereas today it only attracts 20% VAT.

Rolex were giving them away back then.

Bloomin heck! I can't imagine doing a days work for £2! Was making about 30x that for my first job stacking shelves as a teen, although I imagine relative value was probably similar. Amazing how much it's changed over not-such-a-long period of time

[Neely8]

That Explorer is older than me and in a damn sight better nick. What a beauty; congrats Haywood.

[awright101]

Thanks for sharing. Fantastic watch

[AlexM]

Congratulations on a fine catch Haywood and a stunning one at that.

[yumma]

Wow!!!

[Euan Begbie]

Smart watches!


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[Mick P]

Bloomin heck! I can't imagine doing a days work for £2! Was making about 30x that for my first job stacking shelves as a teen, although I imagine relative value was probably similar. Amazing how much it's changed over not-such-a-long period of time

I was on £2-12 -6 or £2.62.5 for a full week and they deducted 25p for the compulsory purchase of hand tools. Apprentices really did subsidise their training in those days.