Reference:6350 - Revision history

Admin: Fix author misattribution: the Perpetual Movement Part 2 piece is by Charlie Dunne, not Eric Ku (per src-windvintage-perpetual-part2 and Reference:6552); byline reformatted to the editorial-exception shape

2026-08-08T18:07:11Z

Fix author misattribution: the Perpetual Movement Part 2 piece is by Charlie Dunne, not Eric Ku (per src-windvintage-perpetual-part2 and Reference:6552); byline reformatted to the editorial-exception shape

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:07, 8 August 2026
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	The 6350 runs caliber A296 in chronometer-rated configuration. A296 is the self-winding caliber that powered every early Rolex sport tool of the period: the 6098/6150 pre-Explorers, the 6350 itself, and the 6200 / 6204 / 6205 first-generation Submariners. Specifications converge across editorial and auction-house catalogs at 18 jewels (some sources count 19 for the later 6200 spec including added shock part), rhodium-plated finish, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. The 6350-specific tuning is the chronometer regulation — Rolex fine-tuned movements on this reference for chronometer pass and earned the OCC dial mark.		The 6350 runs caliber A296 in chronometer-rated configuration. A296 is the self-winding caliber that powered every early Rolex sport tool of the period: the 6098/6150 pre-Explorers, the 6350 itself, and the 6200 / 6204 / 6205 first-generation Submariners. Specifications converge across editorial and auction-house catalogs at 18 jewels (some sources count 19 for the later 6200 spec including added shock part), rhodium-plated finish, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. The 6350-specific tuning is the chronometer regulation — Rolex fine-tuned movements on this reference for chronometer pass and earned the OCC dial mark.

	A296 is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual at 29.5mm and 18 jewels — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber. The bumper attribution that briefly attached to A296 in earlier dealer copy traces to the bubble-back caseback geometry (the thicker autowind module) rather than to a different rotor system. The 1030 that succeeds A296 introduces bidirectional winding via the butterfly rotor and a thinner module — the thickness change is what eliminates the bubble-back profile (Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146 frames the A296→1030 swap explicitly as a thickness change; Wind Vintage ~~/ Eric Ku~~, ''How Rolex Became Rolex: The Automatic Perpetual Movement Part 2''). Some 6350s now wear caliber 775 — Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 (Douglas Prior) and Antiquorum 2009 NY lot 223-84 both list 775. This is service-replacement, not original delivery, and matches the standard Rolex period service-cal swap pattern.		A296 is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual at 29.5mm and 18 jewels — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber. The bumper attribution that briefly attached to A296 in earlier dealer copy traces to the bubble-back caseback geometry (the thicker autowind module) rather than to a different rotor system. The 1030 that succeeds A296 introduces bidirectional winding via the butterfly rotor and a thinner module — the thickness change is what eliminates the bubble-back profile (Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146 frames the A296→1030 swap explicitly as a thickness change; Charlie Dunne, writing at Wind Vintage, ''How Rolex Became Rolex: The Automatic Perpetual Movement Part 2''). Some 6350s now wear caliber 775 — Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 (Douglas Prior) and Antiquorum 2009 NY lot 223-84 both list 775. This is service-replacement, not original delivery, and matches the standard Rolex period service-cal swap pattern.

	Specialist registries claim the 6350 used "special temperature oils with an effective operating range of -20°C to 40°C." The claim is uncited in the editorial coverage and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced.		Specialist registries claim the 6350 used "special temperature oils with an effective operating range of -20°C to 40°C." The claim is uncited in the editorial coverage and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced.

Admin: Rule 5: strip dealer names from prose and auction table (Hairspring, Collectors Square) — generalised to non-dealer phrasing, figures preserved; dealer links retained in Sources

2026-08-08T18:00:49Z

Rule 5: strip dealer names from prose and auction table (Hairspring, Collectors Square) — generalised to non-dealer phrasing, figures preserved; dealer links retained in Sources

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:00, 8 August 2026
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	Case production was concentrated in 1953, with assembly continuing into 1954. Caso Watches and explorer1016.com both date the launch to summer 1953. Monochrome (Geelen) reads the run as 1953–1954; Hodinkee Reference Points gives 1953–1955; the Field Manual confirms the 1953 start without specifying an end. The published spread is narrow, no large contradictions to capture.		Case production was concentrated in 1953, with assembly continuing into 1954. Caso Watches and explorer1016.com both date the launch to summer 1953. Monochrome (Geelen) reads the run as 1953–1954; Hodinkee Reference Points gives 1953–1955; the Field Manual confirms the 1953 start without specifying an end. The published spread is narrow, no large contradictions to capture.

	Documented case numbers cluster tightly in the 955,xxx range. Phillips Geneva XIII lot 75 (case 955,327), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343), Phillips Geneva XV lot 157 (case 955,369), Antiquorum HK June 2024 lot 369-111 (case 955,472), Antiquorum Geneva Nov 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761), Phillips NY Racing Pulse lot 17 (case 955,837), Phillips Geneva FOUR lot 179 (case 955,855). ~~Collectors Square aggregates~~ the documented low at 955,190 and the high at 955,948 — a ~760-unit numerical span. The numerical span does not equal the production count (Rolex case batches were not contiguous) but is consistent with a small, single-batch run.		Documented case numbers cluster tightly in the 955,xxx range. Phillips Geneva XIII lot 75 (case 955,327), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343), Phillips Geneva XV lot 157 (case 955,369), Antiquorum HK June 2024 lot 369-111 (case 955,472), Antiquorum Geneva Nov 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761), Phillips NY Racing Pulse lot 17 (case 955,837), Phillips Geneva FOUR lot 179 (case 955,855). Aggregated dealer listings put the documented low at 955,190 and the high at 955,948 — a ~760-unit numerical span. The numerical span does not equal the production count (Rolex case batches were not contiguous) but is consistent with a small, single-batch run.

	Total production volume is unknown. Phillips, Sotheby's, Le Monde Edmond~~, Hairspring~~, Caso Watches, and Watchprosite collectively decline to publish a hard figure. Order-of-magnitude qualitative consensus reads "limited production, very few survive", short window 1953–55, surviving documented examples in the low hundreds.		Total production volume is unknown. Phillips, Sotheby's, Le Monde Edmond, Caso Watches, and Watchprosite collectively decline to publish a hard figure. Order-of-magnitude qualitative consensus reads "limited production, very few survive", short window 1953–55, surviving documented examples in the low hundreds.

	<span id="movement-notes"></span>		<span id="movement-notes"></span>
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	\| Sotheby's archive \|\| — \|\| 2023 \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, Mercedes/syringe hands, presentation box \|\| USD 48,260		\| Sotheby's archive \|\| — \|\| 2023 \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, Mercedes/syringe hands, presentation box \|\| USD 48,260
	\|-		\|-
	\| ~~Hairspring~~ retail \|\| — \|\| — \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, pencil hands, rivet Oyster \|\| USD 175,000 ask		\| Dealer retail listing \|\| — \|\| — \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, pencil hands, rivet Oyster \|\| USD 175,000 ask
	\|}		\|}

	The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. ~~The Hairspring~~ retail ask of USD 175,000 is the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.		The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. A retail ask of USD 175,000 marks the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.

Admin: Move the Douglas Prior honorific correction out of the provenance narrative into its own closing note

2026-08-08T17:29:58Z

Move the Douglas Prior honorific correction out of the provenance narrative into its own closing note

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:29, 8 August 2026
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	=== Douglas Prior — IGY 1956 polar provenance ===		=== Douglas Prior — IGY 1956 polar provenance ===

	The Douglas Prior 6350 is the strongest single provenance lot for the reference. Antiquorum Geneva November 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761) carries Royal Society Antarctic Expedition / IGY 1956 polar provenance — Prior took the watch to Halley Bay in 1956. Douglas Roland Otway Prior was never knighted; the honour was the Polar Medal, announced in June 1957, and Antiquorum's own catalogue note styles him plainly while reserving "Sir" for Vivian Fuchs and Edmund Hillary. The "Sir Douglas Prior" that circulates in dealer and auction copy traces to the lot title on that same Antiquorum page, which its own note contradicts. The watch was returned to Rolex post-expedition and re-gifted with a letter referencing the serial. The lot now carries caliber 775 as a service-replacement. The Prior 6350 is the documented polar provenance the reference inherits — distinct from the contested Hillary / Tenzing claims that attach to the 6098 instead.		The Douglas Prior 6350 is the strongest single provenance lot for the reference. Antiquorum Geneva November 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761) carries Royal Society Antarctic Expedition / IGY 1956 polar provenance — Prior took the watch to Halley Bay in 1956. The watch was returned to Rolex post-expedition and re-gifted with a letter referencing the serial. The lot now carries caliber 775 as a service-replacement. The Prior 6350 is the documented polar provenance the reference inherits — distinct from the contested Hillary / Tenzing claims that attach to the 6098 instead.

			Douglas Roland Otway Prior was never knighted; the honour was the Polar Medal, announced in June 1957, and Antiquorum's own catalogue note styles him plainly while reserving "Sir" for Vivian Fuchs and Edmund Hillary. The "Sir Douglas Prior" that circulates in dealer and auction copy traces to the lot title on that same Antiquorum page, which its own note contradicts.

	<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>		<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>

Admin: Fix: Douglas Prior was never knighted - remove false "Sir" honorific from 8 places (SEO description, intro, movement note, section heading + anchor, section prose, auction table, market prose, Sources link). Antiquorum lot 317-570's own catalogue note calls him "Douglas Roland Otway Prior" with the Polar Medal (announced June 1957) and reserves "Sir" for Fuchs and Hillary; only its lot title carries the typo. Polar Medal fact added.

2026-08-08T17:28:12Z

Fix: Douglas Prior was never knighted - remove false "Sir" honorific from 8 places (SEO description, intro, movement note, section heading + anchor, section prose, auction table, market prose, Sources link). Antiquorum lot 317-570's own catalogue note calls him "Douglas Roland Otway Prior" with the Polar Medal (announced June 1957) and reserves "Sir" for Fuchs and Hillary; only its lot title carries the typo. Polar Medal fact added.

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-08-04T00:22:40Z

SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:22, 4 August 2026
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	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-07-~~18T12~~:56:~~57Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-08-04T00:14:11Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-08-04T00:14:11Z

SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:14, 4 August 2026
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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6350 Explorer}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6350 Explorer}}
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Explorer 6350 — First 'Explorer' Dial, 1953–1955 \| BezelBase		\|title=Rolex Explorer 6350 — First 'Explorer' Dial, 1953–1955 \| BezelBase
	\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.		\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.
	\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest		\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest
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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-06-~~29T01~~:21:~~29Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-07-18T12:56:57Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Klaudiusz: Internal linking: related references + component links

2026-07-18T12:56:57Z

Internal linking: related references + component links

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:56, 18 July 2026
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	The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (Sir Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. The Hairspring retail ask of USD 175,000 is the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.		The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (Sir Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. The Hairspring retail ask of USD 175,000 is the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.


			== Related references ==

			* [[Reference:6098\|Explorer 6098]] — 1952–1953
			* [[Reference:1016\|Explorer 1016]] — Gilt to Matte (1963–1989)
			* [[Reference:14270\|Explorer 14270]] — First Sapphire (1989–2001)
			* [[Reference:114270\|Explorer 114270]] — 2001–2010
			* [[Reference:214270\|Explorer 214270]] — 2010–2021
			* [[Reference:6150\|Explorer 6150]] — Early Explorer-Dial Oyster

			See also the [[Reference:explorer\|Explorer family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-06-29T01:22:51Z

SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:22, 29 June 2026
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	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-06-~~28T23~~:37:~~42Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-06-29T01:21:29Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-06-29T01:21:29Z

SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:21, 29 June 2026
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	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-06-~~04T04~~:41:~~53Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-06-28T23:37:42Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

2026-06-28T23:37:42Z

SEO: clickable title + og:image + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:37, 28 June 2026
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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6350 Explorer}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 6350 Explorer}}
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex 6350 Explorer ~~— Production,~~ Dial ~~Variants~~, ~~Serial Ranges~~ \| BezelBase		\|title=Rolex Explorer 6350 — First 'Explorer' Dial, 1953–1955 \| BezelBase
	\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.		\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.
	\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest		\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest
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	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-~~29T05~~:05:~~00Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-06-04T04:41:53Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:28, 8 August 2026
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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Explorer 6350 — First 'Explorer' Dial, 1953–1955 \| BezelBase		\|title=Rolex Explorer 6350 — First 'Explorer' Dial, 1953–1955 \| BezelBase
	\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. ~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.		\|description=The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953-1955. Tight 955,xxx serial cluster, A296 fine-tuned for COSC, gilt chapter-ring and rare honeycomb dials. Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance.
	\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest		\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, A296, honeycomb, OCC, Officially Certified Chronometer, Hillary, Everest
	\|image=Ref 6350 hero.webp		\|image=Ref 6350 hero.webp
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	<small>[[Reference:explorer\|Explorer]] -> '''6350'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:explorer\|Explorer]] -> '''6350'''</small>

	The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953–1955 and the reference where the Explorer name lands on a consistent production dial. It runs the same caliber A296 used in the 6098 and 6150 but fine-tuned for chronometer rating, earning the "Officially Certified Chronometer" line on the dial. Hillary's Everest watch was a Smiths De Luxe A409, not a 6350; the Rolex on the 1953 expedition was a 6098 (Rescapement; The Watch Collectors' Club; Beyer Watch Museum). The 6350 launched in summer 1953, after the May 29 summit, and inherits the Everest mythology by marketing succession rather than direct provenance. The reference does carry one documented polar example — ~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior's 1956 Royal Society Antarctic Expedition watch (Antiquorum 2018, case 955,761).		The 6350 is the chronometer-rated Explorer of 1953–1955 and the reference where the Explorer name lands on a consistent production dial. It runs the same caliber A296 used in the 6098 and 6150 but fine-tuned for chronometer rating, earning the "Officially Certified Chronometer" line on the dial. Hillary's Everest watch was a Smiths De Luxe A409, not a 6350; the Rolex on the 1953 expedition was a 6098 (Rescapement; The Watch Collectors' Club; Beyer Watch Museum). The 6350 launched in summer 1953, after the May 29 summit, and inherits the Everest mythology by marketing succession rather than direct provenance. The reference does carry one documented polar example — Douglas Prior's 1956 Royal Society Antarctic Expedition watch (Antiquorum 2018, case 955,761).

	<span id="core-facts"></span>		<span id="core-facts"></span>
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	The 6350 runs caliber A296 in chronometer-rated configuration. A296 is the self-winding caliber that powered every early Rolex sport tool of the period: the 6098/6150 pre-Explorers, the 6350 itself, and the 6200 / 6204 / 6205 first-generation Submariners. Specifications converge across editorial and auction-house catalogs at 18 jewels (some sources count 19 for the later 6200 spec including added shock part), rhodium-plated finish, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. The 6350-specific tuning is the chronometer regulation — Rolex fine-tuned movements on this reference for chronometer pass and earned the OCC dial mark.		The 6350 runs caliber A296 in chronometer-rated configuration. A296 is the self-winding caliber that powered every early Rolex sport tool of the period: the 6098/6150 pre-Explorers, the 6350 itself, and the 6200 / 6204 / 6205 first-generation Submariners. Specifications converge across editorial and auction-house catalogs at 18 jewels (some sources count 19 for the later 6200 spec including added shock part), rhodium-plated finish, straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance with shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. The 6350-specific tuning is the chronometer regulation — Rolex fine-tuned movements on this reference for chronometer pass and earned the OCC dial mark.

	A296 is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual at 29.5mm and 18 jewels — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber. The bumper attribution that briefly attached to A296 in earlier dealer copy traces to the bubble-back caseback geometry (the thicker autowind module) rather than to a different rotor system. The 1030 that succeeds A296 introduces bidirectional winding via the butterfly rotor and a thinner module — the thickness change is what eliminates the bubble-back profile (Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146 frames the A296→1030 swap explicitly as a thickness change; Wind Vintage / Eric Ku, ''How Rolex Became Rolex: The Automatic Perpetual Movement Part 2''). Some 6350s now wear caliber 775 — Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 (~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior) and Antiquorum 2009 NY lot 223-84 both list 775. This is service-replacement, not original delivery, and matches the standard Rolex period service-cal swap pattern.		A296 is a full-rotor uni-directional Perpetual at 29.5mm and 18 jewels — Rolex never produced a bumper caliber. The bumper attribution that briefly attached to A296 in earlier dealer copy traces to the bubble-back caseback geometry (the thicker autowind module) rather than to a different rotor system. The 1030 that succeeds A296 introduces bidirectional winding via the butterfly rotor and a thinner module — the thickness change is what eliminates the bubble-back profile (Phillips Geneva Watch Auction FOUR lot 146 frames the A296→1030 swap explicitly as a thickness change; Wind Vintage / Eric Ku, ''How Rolex Became Rolex: The Automatic Perpetual Movement Part 2''). Some 6350s now wear caliber 775 — Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 (Douglas Prior) and Antiquorum 2009 NY lot 223-84 both list 775. This is service-replacement, not original delivery, and matches the standard Rolex period service-cal swap pattern.

	Specialist registries claim the 6350 used "special temperature oils with an effective operating range of -20°C to 40°C." The claim is uncited in the editorial coverage and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced.		Specialist registries claim the 6350 used "special temperature oils with an effective operating range of -20°C to 40°C." The claim is uncited in the editorial coverage and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced.
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	[[File:Ref 6350 papers.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Original chronometer certification papers\|Original chronometer certification papers]]		[[File:Ref 6350 papers.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Original chronometer certification papers\|Original chronometer certification papers]]

	<span id="~~sir-~~douglas-prior-igy-1956"></span>		<span id="douglas-prior-igy-1956"></span>
	=== ~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior — IGY 1956 polar provenance ===		=== Douglas Prior — IGY 1956 polar provenance ===

	The ~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior 6350 is the strongest single provenance lot for the reference. Antiquorum Geneva November 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761) carries Royal Society Antarctic Expedition / IGY 1956 polar provenance — Prior took the watch to Halley Bay in 1956. The watch was returned to Rolex post-expedition and re-gifted with a letter referencing the serial. The lot now carries caliber 775 as a service-replacement. The Prior 6350 is the documented polar provenance the reference inherits — distinct from the contested Hillary / Tenzing claims that attach to the 6098 instead.		The Douglas Prior 6350 is the strongest single provenance lot for the reference. Antiquorum Geneva November 2018 lot 317-570 (case 955,761) carries Royal Society Antarctic Expedition / IGY 1956 polar provenance — Prior took the watch to Halley Bay in 1956. Douglas Roland Otway Prior was never knighted; the honour was the Polar Medal, announced in June 1957, and Antiquorum's own catalogue note styles him plainly while reserving "Sir" for Vivian Fuchs and Edmund Hillary. The "Sir Douglas Prior" that circulates in dealer and auction copy traces to the lot title on that same Antiquorum page, which its own note contradicts. The watch was returned to Rolex post-expedition and re-gifted with a letter referencing the serial. The lot now carries caliber 775 as a service-replacement. The Prior 6350 is the documented polar provenance the reference inherits — distinct from the contested Hillary / Tenzing claims that attach to the 6098 instead.

	<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>		<span id="historical-market-and-auction-record"></span>
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	\| Antiquorum HK \|\| 369-111 \|\| 2024 \|\| 955,472 \|\| black gilt chapter ring \|\| HKD 150,000		\| Antiquorum HK \|\| 369-111 \|\| 2024 \|\| 955,472 \|\| black gilt chapter ring \|\| HKD 150,000
	\|-		\|-
	\| Antiquorum Geneva \|\| 317-570 \|\| 2018 \|\| 955,761 \|\| ~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior IGY 1956, cal. 775 \|\| CHF 62,500		\| Antiquorum Geneva \|\| 317-570 \|\| 2018 \|\| 955,761 \|\| Douglas Prior IGY 1956, cal. 775 \|\| CHF 62,500
	\|-		\|-
	\| Sotheby's archive \|\| — \|\| 2023 \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, Mercedes/syringe hands, presentation box \|\| USD 48,260		\| Sotheby's archive \|\| — \|\| 2023 \|\| — \|\| honeycomb, Mercedes/syringe hands, presentation box \|\| USD 48,260
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	\|}		\|}

	The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. The Hairspring retail ask of USD 175,000 is the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.		The 6350 trades as one of the rarer Explorers. Honeycomb examples in original condition cluster CHF 75,000–125,000 at the major houses, with the Phillips Racing Pulse 2020 result of USD 126,000 standing as the modern-era benchmark. Standard chapter-ring gilt examples sit at the lower end. Polar-provenance lots (Douglas Prior) sit in their own tier above the standard market. The Hairspring retail ask of USD 175,000 is the upper bound of the dealer market for a clean honeycomb.


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	* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080122/157 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Phillips Geneva XV lot 157] (Phillips, 2022)		* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080122/157 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Phillips Geneva XV lot 157] (Phillips, 2022)
	* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080120/17 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Phillips Racing Pulse NY lot 17] (Phillips, 2020)		* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/NY080120/17 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Phillips Racing Pulse NY lot 17] (Phillips, 2020)
	* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-317-570 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 317-570 (~~Sir~~ Douglas Prior)] (Antiquorum, 2018)		* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-317-570 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 317-570 (Douglas Prior)] (Antiquorum, 2018)
	* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-369-111 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 369-111] (Antiquorum, 2024)		* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-369-111 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 369-111] (Antiquorum, 2024)
	* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-351-218 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 351-218] (Antiquorum, 2022)		* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-6350-explorer-lot-351-218 Rolex Explorer 6350 — Antiquorum lot 351-218] (Antiquorum, 2022)