Rolex Forums - Rolex Watch Forum - View Single Post - The original James Bond Rolex: The Ian Fleming Explorer 1016

JacksonStone · 9 December 2016, 03:17 PM

I need to offer a correction of my post, above. (I tried to edit it, but am not allowed to more than 100 minutes after initially posting it.) My assertion that the 1016 first came out in 1963 was based on a number of online resources I found when trying to establish when the model was introduced to the market. Indeed, every website I found that listed an introductory date for the model showed it as 1963 - for example, this one.

However, after doing some more digging, I have found at least one 1016 for sale that certainly seems to date to 1960. The case number is 596XXX; the inside of the caseback lists the model as 1016, and a production date of the fourth quarter of 1960.

Thus, it would seem there is convincing evidence that the 1016 was produced as early as 1960. Moreover, with the corresponding serial number, it suggests Fleming's own 1016 was made that same year, making it entirely possible he acquired it in 1961 or 1962, as Deaton asserts in his article. That pretty much renders void the entire second paragraph of my previous post. I apologize for the misinformation.

Also, here's the Fleming portrait referred to in Deaton's article.

9 December 2016, 03:17 PM	#25
JacksonStone Banned Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Oregon Posts: 5,150	I need to offer a correction of my post, above. (I tried to edit it, but am not allowed to more than 100 minutes after initially posting it.) My assertion that the 1016 first came out in 1963 was based on a number of online resources I found when trying to establish when the model was introduced to the market. Indeed, every website I found that listed an introductory date for the model showed it as 1963 - for example, this one. However, after doing some more digging, I have found at least one 1016 for sale that certainly seems to date to 1960. The case number is 596XXX; the inside of the caseback lists the model as 1016, and a production date of the fourth quarter of 1960. Thus, it would seem there is convincing evidence that the 1016 was produced as early as 1960. Moreover, with the corresponding serial number, it suggests Fleming's own 1016 was made that same year, making it entirely possible he acquired it in 1961 or 1962, as Deaton asserts in his article. That pretty much renders void the entire second paragraph of my previous post. I apologize for the misinformation. Also, here's the Fleming portrait referred to in Deaton's article.