Mann About Time
ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Tropical Pre Explorer Ovettone Ref. 6298 (1953)
ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Tropical Pre Explorer Ovettone Ref. 6298 (1953)
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As a precursor to the iconic Explorer line, the Rolex Reference 6298 was in essence a prototype watch that was used "on the field" so to speak, by actual explorers doing actual expeditions (imagine that, a Rolex being used as a tool watch...halcyon days to say the least..)
Known as Big Bubblebacks or Ovettones, these were watches that we can place at the pivotal beginnings of the Rolex "Sports" watch - what followed were ever more slender movements and consequently flatter cases, but there is no denying that without these early Everest-era Pre-Explorer watches, the now iconic "younger siblings" would never have come to be - here is a 36 mm stainless steel watch 71 years young that was made to take on all it had thrown at it - the time honoured dial is now a deeply blazing tropical colour as uniform as it is vibrant - the stories this watch could tell....
Manufacturer - Rolex
Year - 1953
Reference - 6298
Movement - Automatic
Case Serial - 930075
Material - Stainless Steel - 36 mm not including crown
Case, movement, and dial signed
Original WAB Bracelet Made in England
The watch has undergone a full service by my trusted watchmaker and is in excellent working order
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I recently had the pleasure of buying a watch from Robin, a vintage watch dealer who truly stands out amongst the crowd. His exceptional communication and genuine passion for watches made the entire experience delightful from start to finish. Robin is not only incredibly knowledgeable but also a wonderful person to chat with, and was very much willing to go the extra mile at all times. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a trustworthy and enjoyable watch-buying experience - I'll certainly be back again in the future...!
I had a great experience buying a watch from Robin @ Mann about time.
Robin really facilitated my purchase journey, and created a climate of trust with his great knowledge of watches, in particular Rolex and Guilt GMT, but also with his high level of professionalism.
I would buy another watch from him with confidence.
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Ive known Robin for many years now , from when he was an art dealer, and when he told me that he’s started selling vintage watches, I knew I was in biiiiiiiig trouble. A vintage watch dealer that you can trust could only mean 1 thing: my bank balance would start dwindling and I was about to embark on an exhilarating ride collecting some of the most iconic vintage timepieces- His taste for chronographs is impeccable , his eye for discovering authentic pieces is truly astouding and his prices are more than fair : Within 2 years Robin’s managed to source 3 grail watches for me; a vintage sub, Pepsi gmt, and a 1016 explorer. He’s the best vintage watch dealer in the game and I cant recommend him highly enough!