Stewart Blacker First Expedition To Fly Over Mount Everest

...Rolex Coolness...

Stewart Blacker

First Expedition To Fly Over Mount Everest

Flying 6 Miles High In The Himalayas In 1933

Wearing Standard Rolex Oyster Snowite Watches

Most Rolex aficionados know Rolex was the first to conquer Mount Everest when Sir Edmund Hillary and his loyal Sherpa, Tenzing Norway were the first members of the Mount Everest climbing team in 1953 to each the summit of Everest. That being said, most people are not aware of how the first expedition to really conquer Mount Everest did so, twenty years earlier in 1933 when they were the first humans to fly over Mount Everest in airplanes.

Stewart Blacker was member of the expedition that first conquered Mount Everest and he and his expedition member did so wearing Rolex watches that looked very similar to the one pictured below.

Stewart Blacker wrote the letter that appears in the Rolex ad below from July 12, 1933 after flying at over 33,000 feet of altitude.

Stewart Blacker took the photo below in 1933, which Rolex incorporated into the Rolex ad seen above, as an illustration. 

It is important to add some context to this story. Rolex was the very first company to patent and bring to market, the worlds first water-proof watch, and it was called the Rolex Oyster. That being said, Rolex first started offering Rolex Oyster watches in 1927, and this expedition that was equipped with Oyster models achieved this great feat only 5 years later!!! Below is a copy of the original letter Stewart wrote to Rolex on June 12, 1933.

This story kind of reminds me of another recent story I published about Stan Barrett, who was the first man to drive on land past the speed of sound—In the sense that in both stories men pushed the envelope of what was possible, with machines they navigated, while wearing Rolex watches on their wrists. Rolex History really is the story of Man and his machines.

Wings Over Everest

1935 Academy Award Winning Documentary

The video documentary seen below, titled 'Wings Over Everest' was made in 1933 and covers all the details of the amazing event. It goes into great detail and offers a first hand perspective of how everything unfolded. It was released to the public in 1934, and in 1935 won the Academy Award for 'Best Novelty Short Subject'. IN the documentary at 14:15 you can see team members wearing their Rolex Oyster watches.

On April 3, 1933, the Royal Air Force Squadron was the first to fly over Mount Everest. Pictured below is Flight Lieutenant David McIntyre, who, which his squadron members, including Stewart Blacker, flew into the history as the first men to fly over Mount Everest—with their trusted Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches keeping their time.

Contextualizing 1933

Let's get in the Rolex Time Machine and travel back to 1933 to better understand the time.

One of the greatest events in the history of cinematography took place in 1933, and that was the release of the original King Kong movie. King Kong literally created the action-adventure category of movies, and in the final scenes of the movie, features King Kong fighting with airplanes that are attaching him. Ironically, this was the most state-of-the-art science fiction at the time. Ironically, while this movie was playing in theaters, the English Mount Everest expedition team was flying airplanes to conquer the highest mountain on earth—while relying on their then technologically amazing Rolex Oyster wrist watches!!!

1927 Rolex Oyster Introduction Advertorial

On an interesting side note, we know that Mercedes Gleitze was the first Rolex Brand Ambassador, and appeared in the Rolex ad seen below on November 24, 1927, which was in the same year Rolex introduced the Rolex Oyster to the marketplace. So basically, this Mercedes Gleitze Rolex ad pre-dates the Everest by six years. In other words, this ad was the very first where Rolex published an advertorial featuring a person who achieved an amazing feat while wearing a Rolex.

1930 Sir Malcolm Campbell Advertorial

The Rolex Magazine ad pictured below, which features Sir Malcolm Campbell, was the next major Rolex ad published on June 18, 1930, which was less than three years earlier than the first flight over Mount Everest ad.  

1935 Sir Malcolm Campbell Advertorial

The next Rolex ad, seen below which again features Sir Malcolm Campbell, was published two years AFTER the conquest of Everest Ad. This is fascinating, as it gives us a first-hand perspective on how excited Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf must have been at the time—to see one person after another pushing the envelope of what was previously thought to be impossible.

...Lume Shot Of The Day... Submariner Sans Cyclops

...Lume Shot Of The Day...

Submariner Sans Cyclops

from Bondtoys in Germany

Crosby, Stills & Nash: Folk Rock Supergroup 6 Decades of Rolex

David Crosby

Belongs To The Ages

1941-2023

I am sad to report that legendary recording artist David Crosby now belongs to the ages. In my mind, David's passing represents the end of an era. So let's hop in The Rolex Time Machine and go back and explore his amazing career achievements.

The Dan Rather interview offers a great deal of insight into David Crosby's fascinating challenges in life, and we see him rocking his Rolex Submariner...

The screen shot below is from the Dan Rather 2015 interview seen above and notice both David Crosby and Stephen Stills are both rocking stainless steel Rolex Submariner models!?!! Talk about great minds thinking alike!!!

Crosby, Stills & Nash

Amazing Folk Rock Supergroup

with Rolex Keeping Their Time

Crosby, Stills & Nash was one of the most popular folk rock supergroups of all time, and as we will soon see, they have been wearing Rolex Submariner watches for four decades. They are pictured below in this first photo in 1969 just before they played Woodstock, and Stephen Stills (center) is wearing his trademark Rolex Submariner which you will see better later in this story.

Crosby, Stills and Nash were best known for their trademark sound which fuses magnificent vocal harmonies with amazing lyrics. All three band members have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and their music literally defended an era.

Judy Blue Eyes

Live at Woodstock 1969

Rolex Submariner

Crosby, Stills and Nash blew everybody's mind when they performed live at Woodstock in 1969, and their version of Judy Blue Eyes is just amazing!!!! As a matter of fact, Woodstock 1969 was the first time they ever performed together as a band, and in my opinion I believe it is one of the greatest live performances ever captured on film!!

An interesting point is that in Judy Blue Eyes, Crosby, Stills and Nash sing the last chorus in Spanish, and they sing:

Que linda me la traiga Cuba,

La reina de la Mar Caribe.

Cielo sol no tiene sangre alli,

y que triste que no puedo vaya,

Oh va, oh va, va.

Translated from Spanish to English they are singing:

"Oh, what beauty Cuba brings me,

The queen of the Caribbean Sea,

Sunny Sky has no blood over there,

And how sad that I cannot go,

Oh go, oh go, go."

The band members from Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young came from 1960s rock bands, The Byrds, The Hollies and Buffalo Springfield. They introduced their first album in 1969 to critical acclaim.

Down By The River

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

On and off over the years, Crosby, Stills and Nash have been joined by Neil Young as seen in the following 1969 video:

BBC Live Performance with Crosby & Nash

This next BBC Concert video was shot live in 1970 and it is really something else to see this live unplugged, acoustical performance!!!!

Stephen Stills is pictured below jamming with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones

Steven Stills was a member of short-lived iconic band 1960s band, Buffalo Springfield who sang the famous 1967 hit titled 'For what it's worth' which you can watch below.

Stephen Stills is pictured below in 1972 sporting his Rolex Submariner

Stephen Stills is pictured again in 1973 wearing his trademark Rolex Submariner

Carry On

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Live At Wembley Stadium 1974

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young are best known for their vocal harmonies and their amazing guitar playing. In this live video of Carry On, shot live at Wembley in 1974, these crispy-critters seriously rock out!!!

In the photo below, taken in 1982, we see Graham Nash on the far left with record industry super-producer, Ahmet Ertegn, and Stephen Stills on the far right.

Teach Your Children

Love The One You're With

Southern Cross

In this next photo taken many years ago we see David Crosby with his wife, and he is wearing his trademark Rolex Submariner.

Here is another photo of David Crosby wearing his trademark Rolex Submariner.

In this next photo we see actress, comedian, and talk-show host, Ellen DeGeneres with David Crosby. Ellen of course is a Rolex fanatic.

In this last image we see Crosby, Stills and Nash today. Their partnership has spanned over 5 decades with David Crosby and Stephen Stills wearing Rolex Submariner watches.

Marrakesh Express

Traveling Twice The Speed Of Sound


Woodstock We Are Stardust

The photo below of Steven Stills was taken in 2022 and shows him rocking his Rolex Submariner. That means he is now a member of the 50 Year Wearing Rolex Club!!! 

The image below of Steven Stills was taken from the recent Dan Rather interview that you can watch toward the top of this story.

In the photos below taken years ago we see Stephen Stills wearing his trademark Rolex Submariner.  It is amazing how many famous guitarists wear Rolex Submariner models.

Pete Conrad

Apollo 12 Astronaut


Pete Conrad

1970 Rolex Day-Date

They say when it rains it pours, and Nick Gould and I have been on a tear recently discovering more NASA Astronauts wearing Rolex watches, and we have some more crazy NASA Apollo Astronaut news coming up, so stay-tuned... 

The image below shows Charles 'Pete' Conrad Jr (foreground) command pilot and Richard F. Gordon., Jr, pilot in the Gemini 11 spacecraft in the white room atop Pad 19 awaiting the final minutes of the pre-launch countdown on September 12, 1966. Liftoff was at 9:42 a.m. (EST).

The next image, seen below shows Charles 'Pete' Conrad on September 15, 1966 exiting the Gemini 11 spacecraft minutes after splashdown.

Pete Conrad took the photo below on the moon during Apollo 12 and we see him reflected on Apollo 12 Astronaut Alan L. Bean's mirrored spacesuit mask.  Bean is holding a container with lunar soil he collected during the EVA on the moon.

At the time, the Apollo 12 astronauts leased matching Riverside Gold Stingray Corvettes with black winds and red, white and blue logos above the gills. Each astronaut also had their initials painted on the car.

Today's story showcases another NASA Apollo Astronaut wearing a yellow gold Rolex Day-Date, and this time it's Pete Conrad from Apollo 12, and it was discovered by Nick Gould!! The first photo below is where Nick ID'd the Rolex Day-Date on Pete Conrad's wrist, almost hiding in plain sight. This is a deeply profound image as it shows Apollo 12's Pete Conrad with Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11) and Neil Armstrong (Apollo 11) in Apollo James Lovell of Apollo 13's living room with James Lovell's wife, 2 daughters and mother as they watch the Apollo 13 fiasco unveiling live.

In this next photo we see Pete Conrad's official NASA portrait taken in 1971 and notice his Rolex Day-Date peaking out under his cuff.

This next photo from the NASA Archives says:

S73-24303 (May 1973) --- These three astronauts have been named by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as the prime crew of the first manned Skylab mission. They are, left to right, Joseph P. Kerwin, science pilot; Charles Conrad Jr., commander; and Paul J. Weitz, pilot. Skylab is a three-part program consisting of one 28-day and two 56-day manned visits spanning an eight-month period. One day prior to the launch of this crew, the unmanned Skylab space station cluster will be launched and placed in Earth orbit. The first manned mission will last up to 28 days.

In these next photos we see Pete Conrad who was a crew member on Skylab 2, which was the first Skylab team to go to space and notice he is wearing his yellow gold Rolex Day-Date which matches his Skylab uniform. This photo was taken during Skylab 2 training in February of 1972.

Update: I heard from MoonwatchUniverse a

after I published this story and they confirmed that Pete Conrad was still wearing his Day-Date in May of 1973...a few days before the launch!

The video documentary from 1975 offers insight into the story of Skylab.



The next two photos were taken after Pete Conrad retired from NASA.