Purchased new in January 1960 (as per the guarantee) by Mr Alan Bridewell, and clearly worn with care for the following six decades, the present Rolex Explorer Ref. 5504 (36 mm case, not to be confused with the 34 mm ref.  5500) comes complete with original box, and incredibly, original card swing tag.

Accompanied by service papers from 1964, this is a time capsule exactly as we collectors wish to unearth

The reference 5504 used the same case as the reference 6610, which was the predecessor to the long serving and well known icon, the reference 1016. It is worth noting that these 1950s trailblazers are infinitely more rare than the 1016, and bear a far closer tie to Sir Edmund Hillary and the "Pre Explorer" steel cased chronometer he wore to summit the world's highest peak 

Manufacturer - Rolex

Year - 1958

Reference - 5504

Movement - 1530 Automatic

Case Serial - 281873

Material -  Stainless Steel - 36 mm not including crown

Case, movement, and dial signed

Original radium dial with gilt and silver lettering - some patina to the surface which has a soft and even mottle from time

20 mm stretch rivet bracelet, stamped Ref. 875088 (as per guarantee card, which appears to have been written according to the bracelet reference upon purchase in 1960, and not the case serial - not uncommon for retailers at the time who simply handed guarantees out as a form of receipt, unaware of how critical they would come to be all these decades later)

The watch comes fully serviced by our trusted watchmaker and is keeping excellent time