Of the various ongoing trends in the watch world, ever-improving power reserves in mechanical timepieces are among the most practical. With collectors often owning a variety of pieces they like to change in and out on a daily basis, owning a mechanical timepiece that’s still running after it’s been put down for a few days is a luxury that many appreciate.

For a long time, exceptional power reserves were frequently reserved only for watches within the mid to high range of manufacturing and pricing, but in the past few years especially, that is beginning to change. There are now plenty of watches in the sub-$3,500 price category available with three-day or better reserves. We put together a list of six of these pieces, which includes offerings from Baume & Mercier, Christopher Ward, Certina, Hamilton, Tissot, and Oris.

Certina DS-1 ($650+)

Certina is a brand best known by most for its popular dive watch, the Certina DS PH200M, which we recently went hands-on with last month (and which you can read more about here). In addition to that popular diver, however, the brand also has some hidden gems in its catalogue, one being the 80-hour power-reserve-equipped Certina DS-1.

The DS-1 is available in a number of different colorways, in all-steel or two-tone cases, as well as silver, black, gray, and blue-accented dials. All of them share the same movement: the 3-day+ Powermatic 80. The automatic mechanism is derived from a base ETA 2824-2, which by slowing down its frequency to 21,600 vph from the standard 28,800 provides the movement an almost doubled reserve, at 80 hours.

The brand currently prices the watch at about $650; depending on the dial color it can frequently be found via an authorized dealer for a couple hundred less. Certina.

Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium ($775+)

Certina’s Swatch Group sister brand, Tissot, uses its own application of the Powermatic 80 movement in the Tissot Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium, the first in Tissot’s extensive collection to use that movement.

It was actually through the initial news of this Tissot watch that we learned the Powermatic 80 caliber not only has a reduced frequency, but also makes use of various silicon parts, including for its spring barrel which, according to the brand, results in more efficient operation without a major sacrifice to the ultimate timekeeping ability of the watch.

Like the DS-1, the Gentleman Powermatic 80 Silicium is available in an array of dial colors and case materials, though it is the steel, blue-dial model and two-tone crème-dial edition that seem to most frequently catch the eyes of collectors. Pricing begins at $775 for steel models on leather straps, and rises up to $1,495 for two-tone examples on metal bracelets.

You can find this watch and a number of other more recent releases containing the Powermatic 80 in Tissot’s online store here. Tissot.

Hamilton Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto ($1,245+)

The final Swatch Group watch we have on our list is the Hamilton Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto, which like the previous two watches also features a 3-day+ power reserve (aka 80 hours), though in this instance accomplished via the Hamilton Caliber H-13.

Like the previous two models, the Jazzmaster is a relatively classical-looking timepiece, though with some additional features accounting for its higher price tag. Among these, we find a number of new dial colors including sunray silver, black, crème, and blue, all with a power-reserve indicator on the dial in addition to the date window.

While not confirmed by information from the brands, it has been speculated the H-13 automatic movement inside the Jazzmaster is a Hamilton-modified Powermatic 80 (itself, as mentioned, derived from the ETA 2824-2), especially because Hamilton also falls under the Swatch Group umbrella. Nonetheless, with classic looks, an 80-hour reserve, and a price point just topping $1,000, the Hamilton watch can surely draw attention to itself in its own right.

The Jazzmaster Power Reserve Auto is offered directly through the Hamilton website here, with prices starting at $1,245 for a steel model on a leather strap, and only going up slightly to $1,495 when the watch is placed on a five-link metal bracelet instead. Hamilton.

Christopher Ward C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition ($2,170)

British watchmaker Christopher Ward might not be the brand you think of first when it comes to timepieces with great power reserves, but the brand’s in-house Caliber SH21 movement with its 120-hour power reserve and COSC-specification timekeeping ability is nothing to scoff at.

The caliber comes standard in a handful of Christopher Ward’s watches since its initial release in 2014, including the racing-inspired C1 Morgan 3 Wheeler Chronometer ($2,050) and C1 Morgan Aero 8 Chronometer ($2,685), as well as the Bauhaus-style C1 Grand Malvern Small Seconds ($1,540).

Our choice for this list is the C65 Trident Diver SH21 Limited Edition, which is a luxurious take on the brand’s signature C65 Trident Diver design, and one highly limited to only 150 pieces. Equipped with a five-day power reserve, chronometer certification, 150-meter water resistance, and a solid vintage-inspired design, all in a 41-mm steel case and a blue dial — there is a lot to like about the model.

While currently stock is very limited as a result of its limited production run, some models are still available directly through CW, here, priced at $2,170. Christopher Ward.

Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic ($2,990+)

The Baume & Mercier Clifton Baumatic was much discussed upon its release, and for good reason. With a COSC chronometer certification, a five-day power reserve, magnetic protection, extended service intervals, and a very classical design, the watch has had a lot to offer since its initial introduction in 2018 and subsequent expansion in 2019.

Pricing for the standard Clifton Baumatic — that is, a time-and-date model — begins at $2,990 for either a dégradé blue, dégradé grey, or silver dial on a leather strap, and climbing slightly to $3,190 if you prefer it on a five-link metal bracelet. Depending on the case material and additional complications, prices on Baumatic models range up to $12,200. Baume & Mercier offers a number of models for purchase now directly though its online store, which you can find here.

Want to learn more about the Clifton Baumatic? We had one in for a watch test last spring; you can read the results here. Baume & Mercier.

Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 ($3,500)

If the previous models each generated discussion upon their releases, then Oris’ unveiling of its Calibre 400 movement — and shortly thereafter the new Aquis Date models that contained it — sparked serious conversation throughout the watch community.

Not only was Calibre 400 the first self-winding in-house movement produced by Oris, but the movement, and thus the new watch that contains it, come equipped with a five-day power reserve, serious antimagnetic properties, a 10-year warranty, and an astonishing 10-year service suggestion. All of this came together with the already widely praised design of the Aquis Date and its 300-meter water resistance, culminating in a high-value proposition that is likely to find its way into the collections of collectors young and old.

The Oris Aquis Date Calibre 400 costs $3,300 for the 43.5-mm version on a rubber strap and $3,500 on a metal bracelet, though it is highly anticipated other sizes and models containing the movement will become available in 2021. The watch is available both directly through Oris, here, and via authorized dealers globally. Oris.

What do you think of our list, and would you want to add any of these watches to your collection? Are there any watches we’re missing that fit this category? Let us know in the comments below!

Comic Hero: Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon

In 2021, AP’s President François-Henry Bennahmias announced the collaboration between his watchmaking company and the Marvel comic book franchise. The first watch to emerge from this partnership is the Royal Oak Concept Black Panther Flying Tourbillon. This model didn’t exactly win over the fans of traditional watches, but one of its achievements is undeniable: it faithfully depicts the animalistic superhero Black Panther, who was most recently portrayed by the late Chadwick Boseman. Clad in a high-tech suit and wearing clawed gloves, the Black Panther’s hand-painted white-gold figure seems to be getting ready to pounce. His lower body elastically embraces both the shaft of the main hands at the center of the dial and the tourbillon cage at 6 o’clock, while the skeletonized barrel is clearly visible under the superhero’s right arm. The 42-mm case of the Royal Oak Concept model series is made of titanium; the bezel and crown are made of scratch-resistant ceramic. Complicated hand-wound manufacture Caliber 2965 heroically keeps time inside the case. This comic-inspired wristwatch is limited to 250 timepieces. Price is upon request.

Stun Gun: Hamilton Ventura Elvis 80 Skeleton

Today’s Ventura automatically winds itself, but Hamilton created it in 1957 as the world’s first battery-powered wristwatch — and gave it a nearly triangular case. As in the early days, a stylized zigzag voltage line traverses the dial of some new models to symbolize the former electrical power supply. Elvis Presley was the Ventura’s most famous fan: he wore the original model not only in private life, but also in the 1961 film, Blue Hawaii. One of the latest Ventura models is the watch shown here, which not only attracts attention thanks to its modern reinterpretation of the case shape, but also with its skeletonized dial and its combination of elegant rose-gold plating and a sporty rubber wristband. ETA’s automatic Caliber Powermatic 80 ticks inside the 42.5-mm-by-44.6-mm stainless-steel case. The Ventura is by far the most accessibly priced watch in our roundup of crazy timepieces: it sells for an affordable $1,795.

Transparency Artist: MB&F Horological Machine No. 9 Sapphire Vision

Max Büsser and Friends have opened their streamlined Time Machine Number Nine to the eyes of mechanics-savvy viewers. For this, the Geneva-based think tank used an extremely complex sapphire crystal cover with multiple curves and domes. A symmetrical architecture is created inside the rear of the transparent sapphire shell by a hand-wound manufacture movement with two balances. It collaborates with a centrally positioned planetary differential, which averages the time kept by the two movements and thus ensures optimal timekeeping. The vertical dial shows the hours and minutes. MB&F builds models in rose and white gold, each with two differently colored movement bridges. Each of the four model variants is made in a strictly limited series of five watches. Each timepiece is priced at $440,000.

Breaking Tradition: Hublot MP-09 Tourbillon Bi-Axis 5 Days Power Reserve 3D Carbon

The design of this “Masterpiece” (MP) from Hublot carries all visual habits to the absurd. The bezel breaks out of its conventional circular shape at the 6, where it also slopes downward to approach the back of the case. This creates a unique “hanging jaw,” where a tourbillon rotates on two axes, and keeps on turning for five full days after the watch has been fully wound. The running autonomy is shown by a large-format inscription at the 7, while the current status of the power reserve is indicated at the 3. The skeletonized, three-dimensional main dial is enclosed by a skeletonized semicircular date display with two arcs of numerals. The crazy frame for manufacture hand-wound Caliber MHUB9009.H1.RA.B is formed by a 49-mm-wide and 18-mm-high case made of so-called “3D carbon,” a composite material that Hublot makes from multiple layers and can shape into even the most complex forms. The MP-09 is made in four series of eight watches each: in yellow, green, blue and red. Each watch sells for $200,000.

Shining Piece: Roger Dubuis Excalibur Single Flying Tourbillon “Glow Me Up”

This Geneva-based manufacturer is known for its tourbillons and double tourbillons, but it also likes to experiment with new forms of gem-setting. The latest result is this creation, which looks like a jewelry watch by day, but becomes colorfully avant-garde at night. Glowing diamonds? You’ve never seen anything like this! The appearance is striking, but the technical background is not that complicated. The settings of the 60 baguette diamonds along the bezel are filled with differently colored Super-LumiNova, so the gemstones glow in different colors at night. Luminous material is also applied to the star-shaped movement bridge, the rim of the tourbillon and the outer ring of the nearly non-existent dial. This results in a unique light spectacle of at night. When the sun rises, this timepiece transforms back into a technically sophisticated but visually almost demure jewelry watch. Each of the eight 42-mm rose-gold watches encases in-house hand-wound Caliber RD512SQ and sells for $215,000.

Flaming Beacon: Urwerk UR-220 SL “Asimov”

The Geneva-based manufacturer Urwerk has been making a name for itself for years with its satellite displays. Now these moving and rotating display blocks for the hours also start to light up. And that’s not all: in addition, luminosity usefully highlights the numerals on the arcing minutes scale, along which the glowing hour numerals sweep, and also accentuates the brand name on the plate as well as the power-reserve display, which appears on two indicators at the upper left and right. Despite the new and radiant optics, the patented hour display remains the most astonishing feature of this new watch. A skeletonized arm serves as the frame for the hour cone on this display. The hour cone turns its correct side upward as it quickly moves back to the beginning of the minutes scale, where it’s picked up by the hour hand and gradually carried forward along the scale. After the frame hand has completed one hour-long task, it hurries back to the start of the scale and picks up the next hour cone. Hand-wound manufacture Caliber UR-7.20, which runs for 48 hours after it has been fully wound, is responsible for this function and for several other technical tricks. The case, which measures 43.8 mm by 53.6 mm, is made of 81 layers of TPC carbon composite. Urwerk uses a special manufacturing method to give the case a concentrically circular texture. The price for so much innovative spirit? $168,000.

A version of this article first appeared in the WatchTime 2022 Special Design Issue, on sale now.

Hamilton Khaki Pilot Air-Glaciers

Hamilton has a long aviation heritage dating back to 1918, when the pioneering pilots of the day relied on the precision of its watches and navigation instruments. In 2022, the Swiss brand with American roots announced its partnership with Air-Glaciers, one of the most advanced helicopter rescue organizations in the world. Carrying out more than 3,000 missions a year in the Swiss Alps from six bases, the performance and precision of their equipment is paramount to the success of each mission.

In 2022, Hamilton announced its partnership with Air-Glaciers. Designed with direct input from their helicopter pilots, the Khaki Pilot Air-Glaciers takes to the skies in a lightweight 42mm titanium case with a blue dial.

The second hand is inspired by a helicopter rotor blade and stands out against the background. The Arabic numerals and indices and the skeletonized hour and minute hands are coated with Super-LumiNova for nighttime readability. The layout is inspired by historic pilot’s watches, where the important minute display was prominently displayed on the outside and the hour ring on the inside. A day of the week and date display are also integrated at 3 o’clock.

Water-resistant to 100 meters, the pilot’s watch is powered by Hamilton’s self-winding H-30 automatic movement with a Nivachron anti-magnetic balance spring and an 80-hour power reserve.

The special edition comes with an additional suede nubuck strap and exclusive packaging, the Ruck Case R40 by Pelican.

The Khaki Aviation Pilot – Air Glaciers Edition retails for $1,395.

To learn more, visit Hamilton, here.

Stowa Verus 40 Baumuster B

Stowa, a traditional watch manufacturer based in the German Gold City of Pforzheim, has been producing aviator watches for decades. Today it offers a wide range of pilot watches, including the Flieger Verus collection, available in diameters from 36mm to 43mm. The Flieger Verus 40 now welcomes the new Flieger Verus 40 Model B. Fans of the genre know what the B stands for, it denotes the historic “Baumuster B” layout, where the minute track is on the periphery and the hour track is on the inner circle, as opposed to “Baumuster A” which has a standard layout. Stowa introduced the “Baumuster B” around 1942.

This dial of the latest addition to the Flieger Verus squad is therefore characterized by the prominent outer minute track and the smaller inner hour circle. As is crucial for a pilot’s watch, it is clearly readable from all angles. Thanks to the long-lasting Superluminova BGW9 coating, which emits a light blue glow, nighttime readability is also guaranteed.

The case measures 40mm in diameter and has a modest thickness of 10.2mm. Water-resistant to 50 meters, its exhibition caseback reveals the mechanical movement ticking inside. Stowa offers the Flieger Verus 40 Model B with the Sellita SW200 automatic movement in the basic or top version and with the Sellita SW210 manual movement in the top version.

The watch is available with a black leather strap or a mesh strap, with prices starting from approximately $850 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Stowa, here.

Laco Kiel Sport

Laco, also based Pforzheim, draws back on a long history of aviation watches, too. In fact, the company, which celebrates its 100th anniversary next year, was also among the five manufacturers commissioned to produce “B-Uhren” watches for the pilots of the German Luftwaffe in the 1940s. In modern times, Laco takes to the skies with aviator watches that combine the charm of vintage with the latest technology at an attractive price point.

The new Kiel Sport chronograph is a good example of this product strategy. Measuring 43mm in diameter and water-resistant to 100 meters, the selfwinding chronograph based on the Sellita SW 00 has a dark sand-blasted stainless steel case with a unidirectional ceramic bezel and a big crown.

The matte black dial, covered by a sapphire crystal, has the functionality of a pilot’s watch, with prominent Arabic numerals, markers and the indispensable triangle at 12 o’clock coated with Superluminova C3. The blued hour and minute hands are also luminescent. This functionality is complemented by the day and date display at 3 o’clock. The Kiel Sport comes with a black calfskin strap.

Pricing is marked at $2,390.

To learn more, visit Laco, here.

No wonder tools designed to be worn on the wrist have been in high demand since the rise of the wristwatch. Originating from military timepieces and field watches of the first half of the last century, tool watches are built to last and to withstand the elements, shocks, and other unfortunate happenings in the daily life of a watch enthusiast. Despite their rugged nature and uncompromising focus on functionality, modern tool watches have no shortage of subtle details and sparkle with refinement, as these three pieces prove.

Today we look at three new tool watches to hit the market, with offerings from Bremont, Hamilton, and Mühle-Glashütte.

Bremont Terra Nova Chronograph

Bremont’s new Terra Nova watch line is in the tradition of the field watch, designed in the style of soldiers’ watches from the early 20th century. Both pocket watches and wristwatches, as used in WWI and WWII, had large luminous numerals and robust cases that were non-reflective thanks to their matte surfaces.

The Terra Nova 42.5 Chronograph echoes these design elements, but with the addition of a stopwatch function and a rotating compass bezel. The case is made of highly corrosion-resistant 904L stainless steel and, as the model name suggests, measures 42.5mm in diameter; the bidirectional rotating bezel has a ceramic insert and, together with the sapphire crystal, effectively protects the front of the watch from scratches. The water resistance is 100 meters, which is in line with other modern field and tool watches on the market. The Terra Nova 42.5 Chronograph is powered by the Sellita SW510 self-winding movement with 56 hours of power reserve, which displays the stopped minute and running seconds in typical bicompax layout at 3 and 9 o’clock. There is also a date indication at 6 o’clock.

Pricing is marked at $5,400.

To learn more, visit Bremont, here.

Hamilton Khaki Field Expedition

Hamilton’s Khaki Field Expedition is a tool watch par excellence, with a ten-bar pressure resistance, an easy-to-read luminous dial, a sturdy strap or bracelet and an automatic movement with an 80-hour power reserve. Thanks to its bidirectional rotating compass bezel, it is also perfect for trips into the backcountry. Hamilton is now adding new variants to the range: there are dials in black, white and blue, NATO straps in green, blue and gray, and a metal bracelet.

The stainless steel cases are available in diameters of 37 and 41mm, each measuring 11.5mm thick. This makes the Khaki Field Expedition also an ideal watch for couples. Both sizes are powered by the H-10 with an anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring.

Pricing starts at $945 for the variants with NATO straps. The executions on a metal bracelet retail for $1,045.

To learn more, visit Hamilton, here.

Mühle-Glashütte Sportivo Compass Date

With the Sportivo collection, Mühle-Glashütte unveiled a new watch family this year, comprising of the Sportivo Compass Date, Sportivo Travel GMT, and Sportivo Active Chronograph, each produced in stainless steel cases with a diameter of 42.5 millimeters and a water-resistance rating of 30 bar (300 meters). 

As is typical of the Glashütte brand, the new Sportivo watches are powered by automatic movements equipped with Mühle’s own shock-resistant woodpecker regulation and personalized rotor. The Swiss made calibers, which are regulated to chronometer standards, each come to life through a transparent case back. The three watches feature luminescent dials protected by a thick anti-reflective sapphire crystal. They are attached to a resilient canvas-rubber strap.

Designed for outdoor hiking activities, this Sportivo Compass Date comes with a bidirectional rotating compass bezel that allows the determination of the cardinal points. It features a ceramic inlay and frames the blue gradient dial that has an impressive embossed texture. The watch is driven by a personalized SW 200-1 caliber and offers second-stop and quick-date functions.

Pricing is marked at approximately $2,500 when converted to USD.

To learn more, visit Mühle-Glashütte, here.

Back to the Forties: IWC Big Pilot’s Watch 43

IWC downsized the case of its Big Pilot’s Watch from 46 to 43 mm, thus making this watch more wearable. But the most important change took place on the dial, where the Schaffhausen-based manufacture omitted both the date display and the circular power-reserve indicator, making this watch more minimalist, more symmetrical and, above all, more similar to the original model from 1940. The changes also downsize the price from $12,900 to $8,400. These savings might well persuade potential buyers to accept the shorter power reserve, which has been reduced from the previous seven days to a still-above-average 60 hours. Manufacture Caliber 82100 with automatic winding provides the power and upholds IWC’s high standards. The movement can even be viewed through a sapphire crystal in the back of the case, while its big sister has a solid steel back. The new pilots’ watch is also available with a blue dial and with a stainless-steel bracelet or a rubber strap.

Power Gauge: Omega De Ville Trésor Power Reserve

Instead of eliminating an additional function in this watch, Omega simply omitted a window in its dial. A date window would have marred the perfect symmetry created by the vertical arrangement of the two subdials. The upper subdial displays the power reserve (with a maximum of 72 hours or more), while the lower subdial shows the passing seconds. These displays are powered by manufacture Caliber 8935, which also opts to make do without automatic winding. However, the essential characteristics of a Master Chronometer caliber remain. The movement keeps time with chronometer-worthy accuracy, and thanks to exclusively antimagnetic components in the movement such as a silicon hairspring, it can withstand magnetic fields of up to an intensity of at least 15,000 gauss. The 40-mm watch in yellow or Sedna gold costs $17,500; the stainless-steel version is priced at $7,600.

Mechanical Minimalist: Hamilton Intra-Matic Chronograph H

Hamilton dispenses with commonly seen additional features to create a coherent retro watch. This 40-mm steel model not only lacks a date display but also an automatic winding mechanism. ETA, which manufactures the movement, achieved this functional reduction by deriving hand-wound Caliber H-51 from automatic Valjoux Caliber 7753. In this way, Hamilton comes as close as possible to replicating its own Chronographs A and B from 1968. The “A” version had dark counters on a light background and the “B” variant used the opposite color scheme. The new Intra-Matic Chronograph H is available in both versions; the “H” means hand-wound. The wristbands also fit well with the overall concept. Buyers can chose between a model with a monochrome, subtly grained leather strap priced at $2,045 that has the sporty elegance of the late 1960s, or one with a steel-mesh Milanese bracelet at $2,095.

Material Miracle: Rado Captain Cook High-Tech Ceramic

In 2021, Rado not only spiced up its popular Captain Cook with a ceramic case, but also introduced a new caliber that follows the no-date trend, thus creating attractive symmetry. The R734 automatic caliber is a version of ETA’s Caliber C07 with skeletonized surfaces, decorative finishes, more elaborate adjustment and a new type of Nivachron hairspring made from a titanium alloy that resists magnetism. The movement is an essential part of the design because it is not only visible through the sapphire crystal in the caseback, but also through the tinted sapphire crystal dial. Here, the omission of a date display makes a positive contribution: a date window and a fully visible date ring would have obstructed the view of the partially skeletonized movement. Rado upholds tradition and puts a little anchor at the dial’s 12 o’clock position to show that an automatic movement powers this watch. The freely swinging balance, which is elegantly regulated by two weights, oscillates behind the anchor-shaped symbol. Rado’s 80-hour power reserve and water resistance to a depth of 300 meters add to the usefulness of this newcomer. The practicality is further enhanced by the use of scratch-resistant and hypoallergenic ceramic, a material that Rado pioneered when it first made ceramic usable for watchmaking in the 1980s. The bezel and crown are rose-gold PVD-coated stainless steel, which in combination with black ceramic creates a sporty and elegant two-tone look. This eye-catching version of the 43-mm retro divers’ watch costs $3,700.

The Elegance of the Thirties: Longines Heritage Classic

Longines is a pioneer of the retro trend in watches. As early as the 1980s, this Swiss brand brought back pilots’ watches from the 1920s and ’30s with great success. And today Longines continues to maintain its Heritage collection with tasteful expertise. But Longines’ designers didn’t always have the courage to eliminate a date display, which had long been regarded as a necessity for a watch to be saleable. But lately, Longines has been more consistent in its retro design, as shown by this newcomer and several other models inspired by Longines’ models from the 1930s, a decade when watches didn’t have date displays. And to be honest, a dial would never look as handsome as it does here if it had a window at 3 o’clock or in the subdial for the seconds at 6. The 38.5-mm steel case houses high-performance automatic Caliber A31.501 with silicon hairspring and three-day power reserve, which is supplied exclusively by Longines’ sister company ETA. In exchange for a purchase price of $2,150, the Heritage Classic stylishly carries its wearer back to the 1930s.

Expedition Participants: Rolex Explorer

The Explorer has always done without a date display and, therefore, also Rolex’s Cyclops magnifying lens. But the classic model looks different in 2021 because Rolex has downsized its case from 39 mm to 36 mm, which was common until a few years ago, and has equipped it with a latest-generation manufacture movement. Automatic Caliber 3230 delivers 70 hours of power instead of the previous 48. The Chronergy escapement teams up with an optimized blue Parachrom hairspring to provide increased protection against magnetic fields. The steel version of the new Explorer costs $6,450, while the two-tone version in stainless steel and yellow gold is available for $10,800. The Explorer lettering has been repositioned from the 6 to the 12 o’clock position on the black dial. The case size corresponds to the dimensions of the first Explorer from 1953, which was launched in the same year as the first successful ascent of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Rolex supplied the watches worn by the climbers who participated in that historic expedition.

A version of this article appears in the WatchTime 2022 Special Design Issue, on sale now.