Smiths deluxe gold boxed everest dial 1955 vintage watches. Last year the device was successfully tested on mount everest at the smiths medical high altitude laboratory at namche bazaar, nepal at 3,400m, 11,154 ft as part of the caudwell xtreme everest study cxe, a medical research project conducted by case. The movement was designed by richard good and peter amis in london and built at the bishops cleeve factory. I think that the everest written in black on the smiths dial is a nice subtle touch. Of course, the smiths of 2011 looks nothing like the smiths of 1953 but it is a reminder that a british watch accompanied sir edmund hillary on that historic climb. Remembering 1953 old time radio golden age of radio. See also john hunt, the ascent of everest london, 1953, 284. The company says it is the first time an entirely englishmade watch has been up everest since 1953, when sir edmund hillary and tenzing norgay summited everest carrying smiths watches. The complete watch looks as though its been hardly ever worn, the case retains 99% of its original chrome plate. The dial is signed everest, which smiths reserved for the top tier of their watches, it refers to the fact that edmund hillary carried a smiths watch on the historic first ascent of everest in 1953 he also carried a rolex and to the frustration of both brands he didnt appear to actually wear either of them. It got into its stride in september when the summer holidays were over and the himalayan committeethe sponsors of the expeditioncould meet to take basic decisions. The smiths brand is emblazoned on the dial just below the 12 oclock index.
For more information about smiths english wristwatches see the short note in my website glossary, and my illustrated article on smiths english wristwatches in the april 2003 issue of antique collecting. In view of rolexs appropriation of all things hillary and everest, and their muscular approach to zeno, i have to smile at the combination of smiths brand, explorer looks, and the glimmering shadow of everest on the dial. Alan hinkes obe born 1954 uk, first briton to climb all 8,000m summits claim is disputed. The smiths everest pays tribute by taking its looks from the 1016 and its name from the smiths. Stewart, british reaction to the conquest of everest, 33. Preparation planning for everest 1953 started as soon as the cho oyu expedition returned to england in july 1952.
Other members of the expedition also wore the watch. Noel bowman the swiss foundation for alpine research, which sent out two expeditions to everest in 1952, was determined to continue its research programme, in spite of the fact that everest had been climbed by hillary and tenzing in may 1953. The expedition reconnoitred various possible routes for climbing mount everest from nepal concluding that the one via the khumbu icefall, western cwm and south col was the only feasible choice. The smiths everest prs25, a wallet friendly watch forum. Smiths spans the planet with operations in more than 50 countries. It is bold and legible, but not so large as to look out of place on the otherwise austere dial. Description for sale is this rare smiths delux 15 jewel everest watch, 1953. Later claims that he wore a rolex originated from the fact that rolex also sponsored the expedition, hillary owned a rolex and. George band had to take a year out from studying at cambridge university to go on the 1953 expedition. Edmund hillary wore a smiths deluxe watch when he climbed everest in 1953. This reintroduction is a completely new watch, built from scratch and incorporating improvements over the original.
In 1953, the notyetsir edmund hillary became the first man to summit mount everest along with expedition partner tenzing norgay. This list of climbers and mountaineers is a list of people notable for the activities of mountaineering, rock climbing. You see, in 1953 when sir edmund hillary and sherpa tenzing norgay made their historical climb to the summit of everest, they had with them. Rare smiths everest automatic wrist watch, released to commemorate hillarys everest expedition. The british mount everest expedition of 1953 was the first expedition that made it to the summit of mt. The 1951 british mount everest reconnaissance expedition ran between 27 august 1951 and 21 november 1951 with eric shipton as leader. Its a suitably mischievous conflation of elements and a.
Stewart, british reaction to the conquest of everest, 323. For collectors, the made in england smiths watches are the most desirable. The expedition was lead by colonel john hunt, who was hired by the everest organizing committee. The watch has a 25jewel automatic movement which is working nicely. Everest if conquered for the first time by edmund hillary and tenzing norgay.
The everest model name is below the hands, done in a stealthy gloss black text. The hands of the smiths are also somewhat polarizing. Edmund hillary, an explorer, and tenzing norgay, a nepalese mountain climber, were the pair who got to the top. The definitive example of one of the or so smiths supplied wristwatches actually confirmed worn by sir edmund hillary to the summit is illustrated in the george white account of the clockmakers of london worshipful company of clockmakers collection. Freeware system information, system diagnostics and benchmarking solution for home pc users. Almost everyone is familiar with the name of one of the watches which was worn by hillary and tensing when they reached the summit of everest in 1953 but. Smiths everest automatic david penneys antique watch. There are around 23,000 of us, all over the globe, working together to create the future. I mentioned that id recently picked this up over here. This is the actual watch used in the 1953 advert, said by smiths on the original expedition receipt to have been chosen by the team, as usual there are some differences, the hands are straight not the dauphine ones sometimes found excellent investment if you want a near as possible model to the advertised one. It offers the worlds most accurate hardware information and diagnostics capabilities, including online features, memory benchmarks, hardware monitoring, and lowlevel hardware information. Whether youre new to the subject, or an aficionado of everest literature, theres something for you in mick conefreys new book on the 1953 ascent of everest. Everest home edition is a freeware hardware diagnostics and memory benchmarking solution for home pc users, based on the awardwinning everest technology. On the morning of 2 june 1953, the day of queen elizabeths coronation, the first news broke that everest had finally been conquered.
News of the expeditions success reached london in time. The case is a polished and brushed large size case with screw down crown. This fine watch is in good unrestored condition and is the version used by smiths to promote thier sales on the conquest of everest by sir edmond hilary in 1953. This splendid book covers the story from the early reconnaissance expeditions, to the aftermath of the 1953 ascent. The swiss expedition to everest and lhotse, 1956 albert eggler translated by e. Later claims that he wore a rolex originated from the fact that rolex also sponsored the expedition, hillary owned a rolex and and far as i can ascertain a rolex was worn by tenzing norgay, who stepped onto the summit before hillary, so validating the claim that rolex was first to the top. Finally, watches marked everest was smiths belated attempt to cashin on the success of hillary in 1953. The ghurka team has been planning a return to everest. The prs25 is the first time factors watch to use the new miyota 9015 automatic movement. The royal gurkha regiment soldiers were the first to summit everest since. Remembering the everest expedition financial times. I might download it and make it my macbook desktop, facebook profile. And he did so with a rolex on his wrist, an oyster perpetual that would prove to be the ancestor of the explorer.
New zealand, first ascent everest 1953 with tenzing norgay. The 53 hunt everest expedition was supplied with both rolex and smiths watches. The company offered this model in several dial layouts, and our hunch is that, as the profile of smiths watches rises among the collector fraternity, that it is the exact watch for sale here, with this distinctive layout used on the 1953 everest ascent timepiece, that will become the most sought after among its type. Smiths medical is now optimizing and miniaturizing the prototype for patients. The chrome plated case is in great condition, some even wear. Everest 1953 is a supremely engaging tale of not just the story of the expedition, but also the context surrounding it. This case style, although described as waterproof, is really only water resistant and all smiths. Led by colonel john hunt, it was organised and financed by the joint himalayan committee.
Unboxing the smiths everest 36mm from time factors duration. It is a good starting point for collecting pc information and is worth an initial look. This one is a homage the smiths achievement of that era in name as well as a design. The new smiths everest from time factors, available now. Arriving at a sheltered area at 11am, on 26 may 1953, they decided to change the. At 1pm, they emerged on to everests south summit, at 28,740 feet, just 300ft from. The 1953 british mount everest expedition was the ninth mountaineering expedition to attempt the first ascent of mount everest, and the first confirmed to have succeeded when edmund hillary and tenzing norgay reached the summit on friday, 29 may 1953. While ill never work on one, i have an interest in the smiths line, except for the empire model which appears to be flimsy. Offered by rollinixsmithswatches is an outstanding example of a rare, 1953 smiths deluxe a214. From 1953 onwards many different models were advertised by smiths as being everest watches, or as worn on everest. The latest examples right up until smiths ceased watch production contained outsourced movements. Everest ultimate edition is a complete pc diagnostics software utility that assists you while installing, optimizing or troubleshooting your computer by providing all the pc diagnostic information you can think of about your system from hardware devices and installed drivers. Smiths deluxe a403 1953 everest range watch serviced. Both the ratchet wheel and the rotor are signed smiths imperial, which is absolutely correct and just how it should be.
Tinkering with a smiths everest chrisn jul 26, 2015. In an interview with the author, charles wylie recalled that smiths and rolex gave watches to each of the climbers. The face is in superb, vintage condition with original bubble hour hand in gilt. Description for sale is this very fine and rare smiths 15 jewel deluxe everest watch, model a409 dating to 19534. The smiths everest was worn by sir edmund hilllary in his 1953 ascent of mount everest. The grand old place is full of 1953s mementos boots that climbed on everest then, goggles that prevented snow blindness, mugs and crampons, scrawled messages, maps, ice. The space age is still a few years from beginning, but in many very real ways, the future begins in 1953. The first chevy corvette rolls off the assembly line. Smiths medical, the medical arm of the giant smiths group, on a miniaturised system for. The mount everest rolex expeditions 1952 and 1953 rolex. Smiths deluxe a403 1953 everest range watch serviced smiths everest offered is a rare smiths deluxe everest range a403 watch from 1953. But he had built up some impressive mountaineering credentials in his student years and at 24 years of age became the youngest member of john hunts team. Finally, watches marked everest was smiths belated attempt to. Rare smiths 15 jewel deluxe everest watch a409 circa 1953.
The expedition characters will always be the stars of this worldchanging event, and the author adds a slightly sad perspective from today for. Rare smiths everest gents automatic wrist watch la66418. The first successful ascent of everest 60 years ago in. The main attraction of this watch is that it is similar to the smiths watch worn by sir edmund hillary and tenzing norgay on the succesful british everest expedition of 1953. Click here to download our media pack to learn more about print and. A decade or so after that event smiths decided to brand their best watches with the word everest on the dial a fad that lasted for a couple of years maybe 196365. Drawing on firsthand interviews and unprecedented access to archives, this is a groundbreaking new account of that extraordinary first ascent. The smiths watches produced by time factors are not in any way connected with the smiths watches produced by smiths group plc until 1979. And weve been at the heart of modern life for almost 170 years, pushing boundaries, driving progress and delivering excellence. A new book published by the royal geographical society this week celebrates the 60th anniversary of the first successful ascent of mount everest. It has grown up and pay for siblings now at finalwire ltd which will do everything everest home edition does and more, and are up to date with new drivers, devices etc.