By coincidence Rune Gjeldnes was born in 1971 -- the same year that Rolex introduced the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II.
The Norwegian was destined to be one of the greatest modern-day explorers. In 2006, he became the only person to cross the three big ice sheets -- Greenland, Arctic Ocean and Antarctica -- unaided.
Military training as a Navy SEAL groomed him for extreme adventures. Gjeldnes and SEAL colleague Torry Larsen were the first to cross Greenland lengthways, unsupported, in 1996. Likewise, they carried out the first and unsupported crossing of the Arctic Ocean in 2000.
The Rolex-sponsored Antartica crossing, named The Longest March, took place from Nov 3, 2005, to Feb 2, 2006. This time around it was an unaided solo expedition, but Gjeldnes was accompanied by the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II.
Covered almost completely in ice, Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place on Earth, with six months of daylight in summer and six months of darkness in winter.
A watch is therefore crucial for an explorer to be able to structure the days and make regular, coordinated progress. The Oyster Perpetual Explorer II enabled him to follow a crucially important routine.
"Time on expeditions is everything and nothing. During the first month, we count the days. After that, we concentrate on the goal as opposed to what day it is," Gjeldnes noted.
"That said, time and punctuality dictate how the entire day is organised. Getting up on time, packing up on time, and following the most effective trekking routine. And, at the end of the day, we need to know what time to stop, set up camp and eat -- all done as quickly as possible to ensure we get enough rest."
To keep time on his side, he needs a trustworthy watch that is robust enough to endure extreme environments.
"Each minute counts in hostile environments -- a precise watch is indispensable. It's also useful if it displays the date, like the Explorer II. Even though we tend to lose the notion of a calendar on an expedition, it's always nice to know whether it's the 20th, say, as opposed to the 23rd," he said.
During The Longest March, on Dec 24, Gjeldnes didn't miss celebrating Christmas, as he put up decorations and listened to White Christmas.
Gjeldnes joined fellow Norwegian Erling Kagge in pulling off a hat trick.
Kagge and Børge Ousland were the first to reach the North Pole without any outside assistance in March 1990. On his own and unsupported, Kagge then became the first to reach the South Pole in 1993, and again unaided, he reached the top of Mount Everest in the following year.
As a result, Kagge is the first person to reach the so-called "three extremes" -- with the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II on his wrist.
