Sir Edmund Hillary’s Rolex Watch Collection To Be Sold

[paul]

Sir Edmund Hillary’s Collection of Rolex Watches Are To Be Sold by Auction.
Sir Edmund Hillary who was made famous by his many expeditions including an expedition on Antarctica in 1955 through 1958 where he wore an Oyster Perpetual Rolex given to him by the high end Rolex retailer from Calcutta – Bosecks.
The watch inscribed, “To Sir E. Hillary from Bosecks Calcutta.” Despite visual damage to the watch that likely happened during one of Sir Hillary’s many expeditions the watch is valued at over twelve thousand pounds.
The Oyster Perpetual was a father to many of the Rolex Explorer brand watched which Rolex has stated it was inspired to release due to the need of Sir Hillary and other explorers like needing a quality watch.
Other watches owned by Sir Hillary are also going to be auctioned off including a Rolex Explorer 1 that was made in 1972. He bought the explorer 1 to commemorate his 1972 failed attempt to climb mountain Cho Oyu on the twentieth anniversary of the date. His Explorer 2 which was nicknamed the “Steve McQueen” was bought in 1973 when he bought it to mark the 20th anniversary of his Everest ascent. It is valued at over twelve thousand pounds.

[lordy]

Apparently the auction was stopped due to an injunction by Edmund Hillarys son. His wife also faces court action because the watches were not meant to be sold and are protected under the Protected Objects Act in New Zealand...so hopefully they might end up in a museum rather than some rich guys collection never to be seen.

[swatch]

Has there been any update on this story? I did a quick search and found nothing, but perhaps someone knows a different way to search that will result in some further information? I think the idea of a museum is a good one.

[lordy]

Yes, his son Peter successfully got a counrt injunction to block the sale of the Rolex collection, and I think I read somewere that Lady June Hillary is in the process of appealing.

[iwearwatches]

(13-12-2010 02:34 AM)lordy Wrote:  Apparently the auction was stopped due to an injunction by Edmund Hillarys son. His wife also faces court action because the watches were not meant to be sold and are protected under the Protected Objects Act in New Zealand...so hopefully they might end up in a museum rather than some rich guys collection never to be seen.

How do they determine what falls under this act though? I'm glad the watches will be shown instead of hidden away, but at the same time, couldn't Edmund Hillary have disposed of his personal property however he wanted?

[seconds]

I would prefer that they keep it on display in a museum as opposed to being stuck in a rich man`s personal collection. I think that along the line however, they will all end up someone in the museums as priceless antiques. The only difference is that we may not get to enjoy them in this lifetime.

[alanshere]

I quite agree with you seconds. It would be much better if the watches were kept in a museum so that Sir Edmund's story would be retold over and over again.

[anotherone]

I also hope they will land in a great museum, on display for everyone to enjoy. I would be disappointed to see them auctioned off.

[onthedot]

I am glad this auction has been stopped, I think Sir Edmund Hillary's watches should be in a museum. Some people are just too money hungry! If the wife wanted money, couldn't she put the watches in a traveling museum showing? I am not sure how those work, though.

[alanshere]

I think it is up to the family to decide what they really want to happen. I am just wondering where the money would go to if the watch was auctioned? Would the family still take the money were all the proceeds to go to them?