Vintage 1960s Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016 "Top of the Matterhorn" Print Advertisement
Approximately 8.5 x 11 inches.
This vintage 1960s Rolex Explorer Ref. 1016 original print ad is among the most coveted pieces in mid-century watch advertising. The dramatic black-and-white image dominates: a climber's weathered, rope-scarred hand pressed flat against rock face, the Explorer riding the wrist with quiet authority. The headline — 'We built the Rolex Explorer because there isn't any watch repair shop on top of the Matterhorn' — is copywriting at its purest, communicating precision engineering without a single wasted word. Fewer than twelve examples of this magazine advertisement are known to exist, making it an extraordinary collectible ad for any serious horological or mountaineering archive.
What you see is what you get; the ad in the photo is the exact one that'll come to you. Listed sizes are close, but treat them as ballpark, not gospel.
Not feeling it? Send it back within 30 days in the same shape it arrived and we'll refund you in full. No drama.
Go with custom framing and we'll reach out to design something that does the piece justice. We have examples from our own offices and from current clients to give you inspiration.
Every unframed ad rides safe: acid free sleeve, stiff backerboard behind it, another board up front, all tucked into a rigid photo mailer and sent USPS with 3-day tracking. It'll get to you the way it left us.