Reliability in extremis Reliability in extremis Since the 50s, Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches have been on the wrist of the most daring people on the planet published : 26 Feb 2021 at 04:00 Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbing Mount Everest in 1953. From ocean deep to mountain high, the world was like a living laboratory for Rolex, whose founder Hans Wilsdorf tested his watches in extreme locations while supporting explorers on groundbreaking expeditions. For instance, the Swiss brand equipped the British Everest Expedition with robust and reliable timepieces in 1933. The adventurous spirit peaked in the late spring of 1953, when Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches accompanied Sir John Hunt's team of tenacious mountaineers, who conquered Earth's highest mountain.