Sonning Vintage Watches

Rolex released the Explorer in 1953 to celebrate the conquering of Everest by Sir Edmond Hilary and Tenzing Norgay. Both wore the Explorer prototype in marketing pictures and it showed a Rolex could be worn in the sea and the top of the World. Hilary later said he left his at base camp and wore a Smiths and Tenzing wore his own watch….. The iconic oversize 3, 6 and 9 along with the Mercedes hands dial was born.

This 2005 Explorer has just come back from a full service with Steven Hale Watch Restoration (the U.K.’s top watchmaker who services watches to Rolex standards) and is as near perfect as is possible without being new. The steel case and bracelet are immaculate and the movement is perfect after the full service. Whilst we don’t have the original paperwork we give a lifetime guarantee on the provenance and authenticity as well as a 24 month guarantee from SHWR from February 2025. The bracelet’s a good size but please advise your wrist size when ordering. We have also included a Rolex box, inner and outer, which is in very good condition.

Read More...

The steel case and bracelet are immaculate and the movement is perfect after the full service. The case measures 36mm across, excluding the Rolex signed crown and 44mm long including the lugs. The inside case is signed ‘Rolex Geneva Switzerland’, ‘Stainless Steel’ and the case number ‘2080’.

Read More...

The Movement is signed ‘Rolex Geneva Swiss’, ‘Thirty One 31 Jewels’, ‘Adj. 5 Positions and Temperature’ and the calibre is ‘3130’.

Read More...

As with the majority of pre-owned watches that are 10 years or older, this particular watch does not come with its original paperwork. The watch is 100% genuine and rest assured we provide a lifetime guarantee on the authenticity and provenance of all the watches we sell.

Although there is no original paperwork, we do provide a written invoice and 3 page insurance valuation with the pictures of the watch and all available reference numbers. We also give a 24 month warranty on all our watches from February 2025 via SHWR.

Read More...

Sonning Vintage Watches are one of the largest prestige brand vintage watch retailers on the Internet carrying stock of around £700,000; we’ve sold over 3,000 vintage watches across the world since our formation in 2009. We’re based in Berkshire and Nottingham and spend 1- 2 days a week in London. Whilst we’re an Internet business we do ‘show’ 90% of our watches prior to sale and travel across England to meet prospective buyers.

Read More...

We provide a lifetime guarantee on the authenticity and provenance of all our watches and come with a full printed Receipt of Sale and Insurance Valuation. Purchasing from SVW gives you the protection and reassurance of buying from an incorporated company with outstanding customer testimonials.

We provide a high quality box and use the Royal Mail Special Delivery for the UK and DHL for overseas sales. They are insured for the full purchase value.

See what our customers say – 100% positive feedback on all our sales sites and over 40% of our customers buy again or refer us!

Read More...

We use the Royal Mail’s Guaranteed next day service for UK sales and DHL for all overseas shipping. All our watches are fully serviced, but prior to couriering each one will undergo a 3 day pre-delivery check to ensure the watch is in perfect condition.

Read More...

This is a highly collectable vintage watch from one of horology’s most famous names and will, if history is any judge, provide an excellent financial investment as well as a possession to treasure and enjoy. I will provide an insurance valuation in excess of my asking price. Please appreciate the difficulty of photographing this piece, it looks even better in real life. Subject to your location I’ll happily show the watch.