In Fleming’s second novel, Live and Let Die (1954). Bond wears a Rolex in this book, which is not surprising, because Fleming himself wore a Rolex Explorer, Reference 1016, on an extensible Oyster riveted strap.
First generation of white lettering and mate dial. 36mm case. The 3-6-9 dial with Mercedes hands is the signature of the Explorer. For 57 years, the Rolex Explorer had always been manufactured in the 36mm. diameter.
Rolex Explorer history began when Tenzing Norgay stepped onto the summit of Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary with a Rolex Explorer strapped to his wrist (although the watch did not yet bear this name). As one of the first watches to reach Everest’s peak, the Explorer quickly became synonymous with the extreme climb.
