For timing those reeeeeeaaaaaally long dives

[Nanuq]

I've heard stories of COMEX divers' ability to withstand extremely long dive durations. Would this be the watch they use for those dives?

[deltatahoe]

only nine more hours till we have to resurface!!

deltatahoe

[elprimerozen]

What the fu.... is that???

[alligoat]

Oops! They forgot to engrave the caseback. Reminds me of the Italian kamikazee pilot who flew 50 missions! Diving with a GMT would be a new experience- at least the GMT hand would tell you whether it was day or night, because it goes w/o saying, you'd be in the dark!

[chefcook]

There were Comex GMTs, but they were 16710 without comex writing on the dial. Only the case back was engraved.

[valerian]

There were Comex GMTs, but they were 16710 without comex writing on the dial. Only the case back was engraved.

The knowledge on this forum leaves me speechless sometimes.

Val.

[panerai153]

Nice 1675! Was that a photoshop project or did someone actually put a COMEX logo on a GMT dial. Maybe the GMT's sold to them were for pilots working for Comex?I bet thoser Comex GMT's with the engraved backs are really collectors items now. WOW, I learn something new here every day.

[chefcook]

The eight 16710 sold Comex were for an Everest expedition in 1997.

[mastergod]

I guess maybe sometimes decompression time is so long that divers want to know if its day or night on the surface.

Anyway, thats the reason for the date on Seadwellers somebody told me once

MG

[panerai153]

Here's the real deal Guys

ROLEX GMT FROM THE COMEX EVEREST OPERATION: 1 OF 8, THE FIRST TO BE SOLD PUBLICLY

We have featured a few Comex Rolexes here on Hodinkee (like this Comex Sea Dweller, and this unused Comex Submariner) but this is perhaps the most rare we've ever come across.

The first thing you'll notice about this watch that makes it different from all other Comex Rolexes is that it's a GMT, not a Submariner or Sea-Dweller, meaning it is NOT a diving watch. Comex is, after all, the deep sea diving group that works with all off-shore oil companies, so it makes sense their watches would be divers. The other attribute you'll notice is missing on this Comex GMT is the name "COMEX" on the face. Having that name on the face of your Rolex is half the fun of owning a piece from this diving company; it acts as a secret seal that identifies you to other real watch fans as someone who "gets it".

However, having a Comex Rolex without the name on the front might be even more fun when talking to real watch guys, although it won't get you noticed quite as quickly when you're out and about.

Anyways, we digress. So why is this watch an aviator's watch and why does it not look like any other Comex Rolex? The short answer is, it was never meant to go under water. This watch was used in Comex's Everest III operation, where eight volunteers went into a hypobaric chamber meant to simulate an ascent on Mt. Everest. Several tests were run on the participants, including those on the cardiac and nervous systems to see how they would fare at 8,848 meters.

The results were eventually published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the report titled "Operation Everest III (Comex '97): Modifications of Cardiac Function Secondary to Altitude-induced Hypoxia, An Echocardiographic and Doppler Study", can be found here.

These Rolexes were given to the eight participants, although it seems that it was not just GMT's given out but Explorers as well (which makes sense due to the model's history with Mt. Everest).

Either way, this watch is very rare and has an incredible history behind it. It comes with the original boxes, guarantees, papers from Comex, and newspaper clippings about the experiment. It is one of those rare occasions when Antiquorum does not publish an estimate, so it is listed as "Estimate: On Request". Although, considering the amounts traditional Comex Rolexes are selling for these days (such as lot 364 in the same auction), we would guess this will go for well over $50,000.