Tenzing Norgay
Sherpa mountaineer, first to the summit of Everest, 1914–1986
One watch, on one documented occasion. More about Tenzing Norgay
Rolex
Explorer 36
36 mm · €7,650
1953
On expeditionThe summit of Everest, 8,848 metres
29 May 1953
Rolex equipped the British expedition and Tenzing reached the top wearing his Oyster Perpetual. The Explorer was launched on the strength of that morning.
On the wrist: An Oyster Perpetual, the model the Explorer was named after weeks later
What Edmund Hillary had on his wrist at the summit is still argued about: Smiths supplied the expedition too, and has as good a claim. Only Tenzing's Rolex is documented by the brand.
Partly documented· checked September 2026rolex.comfratellowatches.comcrownandcaliber.com
The watches above are the closest references in the bezelga catalogue, not the pieces that were on the wrist — those are named in each entry. Nothing here implies that Tenzing Norgay endorsed anything, and no photographs of anyone are reproduced: every page on bezelga uses our own drawings of the watches.