One of the most interesting aspects of vintage Rolex is finding little snippets of history where they played a part. A while back, we talked about the Transglobe Expedition and the one-off GMT/Explorer II hybrid made by Rolex specifically for the explorers. Today, we’re digging into another austere expedition, this time, the British North Greenland Expedition.
For two years, from July 1952 to August 1954, 30 British scientists carried out a number of studies on the climate, geology, and glacial activity in northern Greenland. Considering that the majority of the BNGE members were active military, they also got an understanding of the living conditions for military purposes.
If we learned anything in grade school, it’s that Greenland’s name is a bit of a misnomer, given how utterly harsh the climate is. In other words, these gentlemen were roughing it. Normal temperatures ranged anywhere from 70 °F to −50 °F, with extreme outliers down to a record breaking −87 °F. Despite ridiculous conditions, the scientist explorers managed a lot of their travel on foot or by dog sled, and even conquered a number of mountains throughout the region.
Greenland Tudor caseback showing JP Masterson’s engraving — photo courtesy of Guillaume
Doubtless, in order to survive and thrive in this Hoth-like environment, the 30 men required dependable equipment. Lucky enough for them, Rolex, in the form of Tudor, stepped up to the plate. Each scientist received a Tudor Prince ref 7809, with looks very reminiscent of a pre-Explorer I Rolex. Similar to today, Tudors were comprised of Rolex parts with third party movements, a caliber FEF 390 from Fleurier, in this case. According to Captain James Douglas Walker, the Officer in Charge (OIC) of vehicles, his Tudor performed perfectly, despite long periods of time outdoors and even submerged underwater. I think sometimes we forget how robust well-made watches can be when put to the test, this being a first-rate example.
In another instance, LtCdr Richard Brett-Knowles stated Rolex replaced his Tudor, as it wasn’t sufficient for his needs. Instead, he was sent a Rolex prototype PN1, which was received via airdrop roughly a year into the project. This is where the information gets spotty. In another communication, Brett-Knowles mentions he wore his Lemania Navy pilot’s watch, which very well could have been a chronograph. Piecing these bits of info together, if he required a chronograph, and was sent one by Rolex, it’s possible it was a reference 6034. While this is guesswork, the 6034 would likely fit the bill, being waterproof, anti-magnetic, and featuring a chronograph with tachymeter and telemeter scales. Hopefully someone with more knowledge can weigh in while we continue to try to get to the bottom of it. The easy guess is that the prototype was the upcoming Explorer, as the timeline fits just about dead-on for its release.
Longines “Greenlander”
If you were to do some Googling about the watches used in this expedition, one that may come up is a military issued Longines WWW. While it may have been worn in Greenland for purely Royal Navy operations post WWII, it seems as though none were given to the 30 scientists – also according to Brett-Knowles’ account. This doesn’t take anything away from the Longines as an excellent, vintage military watch – Longines was viewed as a reliable and robust watch at the time – but market prices should not factor in the history of the BNGE.
Rolex has played large role in the last 100 years of man’s exploration of Earth (and space), from Everest to the Mariana Trench, and here, with the British North Greenland Expedition. By the general public, Rolex is viewed as a luxury watch reserved for rich showoffs, but a quick dip into history reveals the full story. For many years, Rolex produced the ultimate tool watches, capable of surviving the harshest environments imaginable.
Thank you to VRF member Guillaume for sharing his Tudor issued to the BNGE, as well as some original documentation. His story can be read here. Another ‘thanks’ to MWR Forum member Hal-in-London for sharing his correspondence with LtCdr Brett-Knowles, which can be seen here and here.
Featured photo courtesy of Guillaume from VRF.
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