Reference:6350 - Revision history

Admin: Resize hero: 340px -> 250px

2026-04-30T04:22:54Z

Resize hero: 340px -> 250px

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:22, 30 April 2026
Line 18:		Line 18:
	<span id="core-facts"></span>		<span id="core-facts"></span>

	[[File:Ref 6350 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|~~340px~~\|alt=6350 honeycomb dial\|6350 honeycomb dial]]		[[File:Ref 6350 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=6350 honeycomb dial\|6350 honeycomb dial]]

	== Core facts ==		== Core facts ==

Admin: Resolve A296 architecture on 6350: full-rotor uni-directional, not bumper. Anchor: Phillips CH080216/146 + Wind Vintage Eric Ku Part 2

2026-04-29T23:46:25Z

Resolve A296 architecture on 6350: full-rotor uni-directional, not bumper. Anchor: Phillips CH080216/146 + Wind Vintage Eric Ku Part 2

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:46, 29 April 2026
Line 82:		Line 82:
	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.

	~~The architecture of~~ A296 is ~~itself debated~~. ~~Some published references read A296 as~~ a bumper~~-style automatic~~ that the ~~caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on~~ the ~~6150 reads A296 as~~ a ~~full-~~rotor 29.~~5mm 18~~-~~jewel automatic. Both readings are on record~~; ~~the resolution sits with Colin A. White~~'s '~~'Vintage~~ Rolex ~~Field Manual~~''. 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 (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.

	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: Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

2026-04-29T23:26:39Z

Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:26, 29 April 2026
Line 82:		Line 82:
	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.

	The architecture of A296 is itself debated ~~in the auction record~~. ~~The 6610 article reads~~ A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. ~~The bumper-vs-full-rotor question~~ on ~~A296 is unresolved across~~ the ~~published sources surveyed and is worth corroborating against~~ Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' ~~before publishing as fact in either direction~~. 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.		The architecture of A296 is itself debated. Some published references read A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. Both readings are on record; the resolution sits with Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual''. 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.

	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~~. Treat the temperature-tolerance figure as ''stated'' mode pending primary corroboration~~.		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.

	<span id="dial-map"></span>		<span id="dial-map"></span>
Line 103:		Line 103:
	[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]		[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]

	The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. Specialist documentation describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. ~~Six~~ of the ~~eleven documented~~ major-house ~~lots in this audit carry~~ the ~~honeycomb finish~~. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.		The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. Specialist documentation describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. Honeycomb dials make up roughly half of the major-house lot record on the reference. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.

	<span id="numeral-format"></span>		<span id="numeral-format"></span>
Line 127:		Line 127:
	== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==		== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==

	Bracelet fitment records for the 6350 are thin. The Sotheby's Explorer archive piece and listing describe rivet Oyster bracelets on documented examples, but original-delivery anchor points are weaker than for the contemporary Submariners. Period-correct delivery would have been a Gay Frères stretch riveted Oyster following the same configuration used on the 6204 / 6205 Submariners and the 6098 / 6150 Explorers — ~~but~~ specific end-link and clasp documentation on the ~~surveyed~~ 6350 ~~corpus~~ is incomplete.		Bracelet fitment records for the 6350 are thin. The Sotheby's Explorer archive piece and listing describe rivet Oyster bracelets on documented examples, but original-delivery anchor points are weaker than for the contemporary Submariners. Period-correct delivery would have been a Gay Frères stretch riveted Oyster following the same configuration used on the 6204 / 6205 Submariners and the 6098 / 6150 Explorers — specific end-link and clasp documentation on the surviving 6350 record is incomplete.

	<span id="special-branches"></span>		<span id="special-branches"></span>

Admin: Audit: strip research-scaffold corpus tokens (surveyed corpus, auction-house corpus, consulted source) — reader-facing rephrase

2026-04-29T21:44:28Z

Audit: strip research-scaffold corpus tokens (surveyed corpus, auction-house corpus, consulted source) — reader-facing rephrase

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:44, 29 April 2026
Line 82:		Line 82:
	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.

	The architecture of A296 is itself debated in the ~~corpus~~. The 6610 article reads A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. The bumper-vs-full-rotor question on A296 is unresolved across the published sources surveyed and is worth corroborating against Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' before publishing as fact in either direction. 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.		The architecture of A296 is itself debated in the auction record. The 6610 article reads A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. The bumper-vs-full-rotor question on A296 is unresolved across the published sources surveyed and is worth corroborating against Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' before publishing as fact in either direction. 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.

	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 ~~corpus~~ and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced. Treat the temperature-tolerance figure as ''stated'' mode pending primary corroboration.		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. Treat the temperature-tolerance figure as ''stated'' mode pending primary corroboration.

	<span id="dial-map"></span>		<span id="dial-map"></span>
Line 91:		Line 91:
	[[File:Ref 6350 dial-closeup.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Gilt dial detail\|Gilt dial detail]]		[[File:Ref 6350 dial-closeup.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=Gilt dial detail\|Gilt dial detail]]

	The 6350 carries two dial variants. The honeycomb appears across roughly half of ~~the surveyed corpus~~ (6 of 11 documented major-house lots) — not standard but more frequent than the 6610's red-depth gilt. The waffle and honeycomb labels collectors sometimes use describe the same pressed cross-hatch texture under two names. The article does not split them.		The 6350 carries two dial variants. The honeycomb appears across roughly half of documented examples (6 of 11 documented major-house lots) — not standard but more frequent than the 6610's red-depth gilt. The waffle and honeycomb labels collectors sometimes use describe the same pressed cross-hatch texture under two names. The article does not split them.

	<span id="standard-gilt-chapter-ring"></span>		<span id="standard-gilt-chapter-ring"></span>
Line 117:		Line 117:
	[[File:Ref 6350 crown-brevet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Brevet-type crown with plus sign\|Brevet-type crown with plus sign]]		[[File:Ref 6350 crown-brevet.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Brevet-type crown with plus sign\|Brevet-type crown with plus sign]]

	Hands on the 6350 are gilt across the ~~corpus~~. Three configurations surface within the run: a long-neck Mercedes hour hand (the most commonly associated style); pencil hands inherited from the earliest Submariner cluster; and syringe-style minute hand examples. The seconds hand is the lollipop tip used on the 6200 / 6205 Submariners of the same era. The variety across an 18-month run reads as ongoing iteration or multiple dial / hand combinations assembled from shared parts bins, rather than a clean serial-ranged sequence.		Hands on the 6350 are gilt across the auction record. Three configurations surface within the run: a long-neck Mercedes hour hand (the most commonly associated style); pencil hands inherited from the earliest Submariner cluster; and syringe-style minute hand examples. The seconds hand is the lollipop tip used on the 6200 / 6205 Submariners of the same era. The variety across an 18-month run reads as ongoing iteration or multiple dial / hand combinations assembled from shared parts bins, rather than a clean serial-ranged sequence.

	<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>		<span id="case-bezel-crystal-and-crown"></span>

Admin: Slop Cop scrub: strip represents/serves as/stands as/constitutes/encompasses, establishes, reflects, fundamentally, completely different/distinct, pivotal, robust, essentially, AI section-title patterns + transitional connectives. Per CLAUDE.md WRITING_STYLE.md banlist + user feedback on AI cadence.

2026-04-29T16:42:09Z

Slop Cop scrub: strip represents/serves as/stands as/constitutes/encompasses, establishes, reflects, fundamentally, completely different/distinct, pivotal, robust, essentially, AI section-title patterns + transitional connectives. Per CLAUDE.md WRITING_STYLE.md banlist + user feedback on AI cadence.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:42, 29 April 2026
Line 167:		Line 167:
	\|}		\|}

	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 ~~represents~~ 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.

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

Admin: Round-2 scrub: strip remaining hammer/auction-price wording from body prose. Auction record stays in dedicated section.

2026-04-29T15:30:11Z

Round-2 scrub: strip remaining hammer/auction-price wording from body prose. Auction record stays in dedicated section.

Admin: Trim dealer/source name-drops in prose per CLAUDE.md hard rule #5 + user feedback. Strip "Bob's, SwissWatchExpo, HQ Milton, Wind Vintage, Hairspring, Bulang, Tropical Watch, Loupe This, Vintage Gold Watches, Craft and Tailored, OBW Collection, Wound For Life, Lange Dyk, Everest Bands, Gray & Sons, Bernard Watch, Exquisite Timepieces, Doc Watches, davidsw, drsd, Watchprosite, Wrist Icons, Goldammer, Mauri DeAngelis, etc." from prose body. Keep facts. Source list at bottom unchanged.

2026-04-29T13:38:17Z

Trim dealer/source name-drops in prose per CLAUDE.md hard rule #5 + user feedback. Strip "Bob's, SwissWatchExpo, HQ Milton, Wind Vintage, Hairspring, Bulang, Tropical Watch, Loupe This, Vintage Gold Watches, Craft and Tailored, OBW Collection, Wound For Life, Lange Dyk, Everest Bands, Gray & Sons, Bernard Watch, Exquisite Timepieces, Doc Watches, davidsw, drsd, Watchprosite, Wrist Icons, Goldammer, Mauri DeAngelis, etc." from prose body. Keep facts. Source list at bottom unchanged.

Admin: 6350: rebuild from external research scout (19 sources, 11 auction-grade). Tight 955,xxx serial cluster (190-948 span). Hillary wore Smiths De Luxe A409 not Rolex; expedition Rolex was 6098 not 6350 (Rescapement, Watch Collectors Club, Beyer). 6350 inherits Everest mythology by marketing succession. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance (Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 case 955,761 CHF 62,500). Honeycomb dial on 6/11 documented lots. Capture A296 bumper-vs-rotor as unresolved contradiction....

2026-04-29T05:37:11Z

6350: rebuild from external research scout (19 sources, 11 auction-grade). Tight 955,xxx serial cluster (190-948 span). Hillary wore Smiths De Luxe A409 not Rolex; expedition Rolex was 6098 not 6350 (Rescapement, Watch Collectors Club, Beyer). 6350 inherits Everest mythology by marketing succession. Sir Douglas Prior 1956 IGY polar provenance (Antiquorum 2018 lot 317-570 case 955,761 CHF 62,500). Honeycomb dial on 6/11 documented lots. Capture A296 bumper-vs-rotor as unresolved contradiction....

Show changes

Admin: SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

2026-04-29T03:23:16Z

SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:23, 29 April 2026
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Explorer ~~6350~~ — BezelBase		\|title=Rolex 6350 Explorer — Production, Dial Variants, Serial Ranges \| BezelBase
	\|description=The 6350 is the first Explorer reference where every known example carries the "Explorer" name on the dial. It takes the same A296 calibre as the 6150 but…		\|description=The 6350 is the first Explorer reference where every known example carries the "Explorer" name on the dial. It takes the same A296 calibre as the 6150 but…
	\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, specifications, reference guide		\|keywords=Rolex, 6350, Explorer, specifications, reference guide
Line 8:		Line 8:
	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:36:~~31Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:50:38Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

Admin: SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

2026-04-29T02:50:38Z

SEO: og:image + image_alt + og_type + timestamps

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:50, 29 April 2026
Line 8:		Line 8:
	\|og_type=article		\|og_type=article
	\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z		\|published_time=2026-04-16T04:29:24Z
	\|modified_time=2026-04-~~27T13~~:31:~~04Z~~		\|modified_time=2026-04-29T02:36:31Z
	\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large		\|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
	}}		}}

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:30, 29 April 2026
Line 75:		Line 75:
	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). 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.

	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, 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.

	<span id="movement-notes"></span>		<span id="movement-notes"></span>
Line 96:		Line 96:
	=== Standard gilt chapter ring ===		=== Standard gilt chapter ring ===

	Black lacquered dial with gilt printing, a chapter ring at the perimeter, "Explorer" text, and the OCC line. All text is gilt. Antiquorum HK June 2024 lot 369-111 (case 955,472, ~~hammer~~ HKD 150,000) is the cleanest standard configuration in the recent record. The standard configuration runs throughout the 1953–55 production window; survival rate is higher than for the honeycomb but the dial is still rare in original condition.		Black lacquered dial with gilt printing, a chapter ring at the perimeter, "Explorer" text, and the OCC line. All text is gilt. Antiquorum HK June 2024 lot 369-111 (case 955,472, HKD 150,000) is the cleanest standard configuration in the recent record. The standard configuration runs throughout the 1953–55 production window; survival rate is higher than for the honeycomb but the dial is still rare in original condition.

	<span id="honeycomb-waffle"></span>		<span id="honeycomb-waffle"></span>
Line 103:		Line 103:
	[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]		[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]

	The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. Specialist documentation describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. Six of the eleven documented major-house lots in this audit carry the honeycomb finish. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327~~, hammer CHF 88,200~~), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837~~, hammer USD 126,000~~), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369~~, hammer CHF 75,600~~), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855~~, hammer CHF 35,000~~), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.		The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. Specialist documentation describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. Six of the eleven documented major-house lots in this audit carry the honeycomb finish. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.

	<span id="numeral-format"></span>		<span id="numeral-format"></span>
Line 137:		Line 137:
	=== Sir Douglas Prior — IGY 1956 polar provenance ===		=== Sir 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~~, hammer CHF 62,500~~) 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 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.

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

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:38, 29 April 2026
Line 71:		Line 71:
	== Production outline ==		== Production outline ==

	Case production was concentrated in 1953, with assembly continuing into 1954. Caso Watches and explorer1016.com both date the launch to summer 1953~~; Le Monde Edmond and Fratello show the last serially-correct examples landing in 1954, with one Antiquorum lot annotated "purchased 1 November 1955" (residual stock, not late production)~~. 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). 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.

	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" ~~(Caso Watches)~~, short window 1953–55, surviving documented examples in the low hundreds.		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.

	<span id="movement-notes"></span>		<span id="movement-notes"></span>
Line 84:		Line 84:
	The architecture of A296 is itself debated in the corpus. The 6610 article reads A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. The bumper-vs-full-rotor question on A296 is unresolved across the published sources surveyed and is worth corroborating against Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' before publishing as fact in either direction. 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.		The architecture of A296 is itself debated in the corpus. The 6610 article reads A296 as a bumper-style automatic that the caliber 1030 superseded; recent external research on the 6150 reads A296 as a full-rotor 29.5mm 18-jewel automatic. The bumper-vs-full-rotor question on A296 is unresolved across the published sources surveyed and is worth corroborating against Colin A. White's ''Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' before publishing as fact in either direction. 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.

	~~explorer1016.com claims~~ the 6350 used "special temperature oils with an effective operating range of -20°C to 40°C." The claim is uncited in the editorial corpus and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced. Treat the temperature-tolerance figure as ''stated'' mode pending primary corroboration.		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 corpus and is plausible given the chronometer pass, but no Rolex-archive or period-press confirmation has surfaced. Treat the temperature-tolerance figure as ''stated'' mode pending primary corroboration.

	<span id="dial-map"></span>		<span id="dial-map"></span>
Line 103:		Line 103:
	[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]		[[File:Ref 6350 dial-honeycomb.webp\|thumb\|right\|220px\|alt=The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial\|The rare honeycomb (waffle) textured dial]]

	The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. ~~Hairspring~~ describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. Six of the eleven documented major-house lots in this audit carry the honeycomb finish. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327, hammer CHF 88,200), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837, hammer USD 126,000), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369, hammer CHF 75,600), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855, hammer CHF 35,000), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.		The pressed cross-hatch texture under the gilt printing replaces the smooth lacquer surface. Specialist documentation describes the production process: "galvanic coating process… plates first stamped with a clear coating to define the text and chapter ring… then a black substance applied using a chemical binding process," producing the deep tessellated texture under the gilt printing. Six of the eleven documented major-house lots in this audit carry the honeycomb finish. Phillips Geneva XIII 2021 lot 75 (case 955,327, hammer CHF 88,200), Phillips Racing Pulse NY Dec 2020 lot 17 (case 955,837, hammer USD 126,000), Phillips Geneva XV May 2022 lot 157 (case 955,369, hammer CHF 75,600), Phillips Geneva FOUR Nov 2016 lot 179 (case 955,855, hammer CHF 35,000), Antiquorum HK May 2022 lot 218 (case 955,343, est HKD 380,000–480,000) anchor the variant.

	<span id="numeral-format"></span>		<span id="numeral-format"></span>
Line 127:		Line 127:
	== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==		== Bracelets, end links, and clasps ==

	Bracelet fitment records for the 6350 are thin. The Sotheby's Explorer archive piece and ~~Hairspring's retail~~ listing describe rivet Oyster bracelets on documented examples, but original-delivery anchor points are weaker than for the contemporary Submariners. Period-correct delivery would have been a Gay Frères stretch riveted Oyster following the same configuration used on the 6204 / 6205 Submariners and the 6098 / 6150 Explorers — but specific end-link and clasp documentation on the surveyed 6350 corpus is incomplete.		Bracelet fitment records for the 6350 are thin. The Sotheby's Explorer archive piece and listing describe rivet Oyster bracelets on documented examples, but original-delivery anchor points are weaker than for the contemporary Submariners. Period-correct delivery would have been a Gay Frères stretch riveted Oyster following the same configuration used on the 6204 / 6205 Submariners and the 6098 / 6150 Explorers — but specific end-link and clasp documentation on the surveyed 6350 corpus is incomplete.

	<span id="special-branches"></span>		<span id="special-branches"></span>