Need help identifying 6150 Explorer

[robsteve]

I am a new member here and figured this is a good place to post a query on my watch. I decided to get out my Dad's old Rolex and put it on for the holidays. After putting it on, I began doing some research on it, with a lot of the Google hits bringing me here.

The is a bit of family history to this watch. It was originally my Grandfather's. He was a commercial diver during WWII and into the 1950's. This may have been what brought him to a Rolex. He died probably in 1953, when my dad was 16 or seventeen. The watch must have been recently purchased and was purchased on payments. My father continued the payments and wore the watch as a daily wearer until his death in car accident in 2001. The watch was recovered at the side of the road at the accident scene, a few days later missing the strap.

I had the watch cleaned and a new strap put on it by the local watch maker which had been servicing it probably since the 1970's. When I picked it up, it had to my surprise , a new Oyster bracelet on it. As far back as I can remember, it always had a Jubilee bracelet on it. The watch maker said that according to the model number or serial number, the Oyster was the appropriate bracelet.

From what I can find on the internet, I think it is probably a dress Explorer, but I am not certain. The case is marked with Brevert 6150 and modele depose 9450**, which dates it as about 1952. This fits the family time line regarding my Grandfather's passing. Just from memory, the dial was refinished probably in the late 1970's. Previous services by Rolex had the dial turn yellow after a few years. The local watch maker sent the dial to somebody in England that specialized in refinishing/cleaning , and it has not yellowed since. I also remember some talk about the movement being put into a new case years ago ( 1950's - 1960's) , but I may have confused it with something else being done such as the face.

I have searched the internet looking for pictures of a watch with a similar dial, but I have not found one. This is the only I have seen with the even Arabic numbers. I am assuming it was a model for the Canadian or North American market. Is this what they call Dress Explorer?

Here are some pictures. When I get some more time, I will try to get some better pictures.

Regards,

Robert