Rubber B Presents: A Brief Guide to the History of the Rolex Sea-Dweller, Past and Present

As one of the leading producers of custom rubber watch straps, Rubber B is continually driven by our unending passion for the world of horology. We believe that the world of watch collecting is an exciting and educational one, and we strive to make it more inclusive and transparent to everyone by creating an educational forum on the topic.

Oftentimes, this idea takes the form of blog posts, and we love using this blog to help educate people on the wonderful world of watchmaking. That can include posts on a wide variety of topics, including closely learning more about a specific timepiece, focusing on a specific moment or person that is important in watchmaking history, or learning more about how watches are made, and how they work, on a technical level.

Today, we are going to be focusing on the Rolex Sea-Dweller and looking at this timepiece from a variety of different angles. To begin with, we will focus on the history of the Rolex-Sea Dweller and why the watch was constructed in the first place. We will then focus on the technical aspects and design style of the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600, which is the most current iteration of this timepiece. Finally, we will conclude with some interesting information about what the rarest Rolex Sea-Dweller in the world is.

What is the History of the Rolex Sea-Dweller?

To fully understand the history of the Rolex Sea-Dweller, you actually have to go a little bit further back in time and look at an even older timepiece – the Rolex Submariner. The Submariner was arguably the world’s first dive watch. However, in the 1960’s, as scuba diving became more commercialized and divers were able to reach deeper depths, they began to realize that there was a serious problem with their watches.

An important moment in watchmaking history occurred in 1960, when Lieutenant Don Walsh and an engineer named Jacques Piccard were the first to explore the Mariana Trench. They did so using an experimental diving vehicle named the Trieste. A specially made Rolex Deep Sea Special watch had been affixed to the exterior of that vehicle. Remarkably enough, the timepiece managed to emerge from the excursion in perfect working order. The success of this project would only further embolden Rolex to experiment further.
Unfortunately, the deeper a person dives, the more intense the pressure gets from the naturally occurring combination of nitrogen and helium that is found in the ocean. When divers began to surface and decompress from those gases, the pressure from them would blow the crystals clean off of the watches and damage the machinery from the inside out.

In other words, it wasn’t the pressure of diving that would damage these timepieces, but rather decompressing from the dive. This stands to reason, because as any experienced diver can tell you, “the bends” (which is the informal name for decompression sickness) can actually be fatal to humans.

In 1967, a group of French commercial divers working for the company Comex came to Rolex and made them aware that their Rolex Submariner watches were no longer able to survive the excursions they were being taken on.

And because Rolex is the kind of company that constantly feels the need to tackle a challenge whenever they become aware of them, they saw an opportunity to craft a dive watch that could safely decompress after a successful dive – and thus, the Rolex Sea-Dweller was born.

black rubber strap with blue accent for rolex deepsea — VulChromatic Rubber B Strap for Rolex Deepsea

How Did Rolex Accomplish This Challenge?

One of the notable aspects of Rolex’s quiet genius is the fact that, at their core, they offer simple solutions to complicated problems. In this case, Rolex correctly realized that this issue was one of pressurization. If they were able to design a watch that was able to not take on an excess amount of pressurized gasses, it would be able to survive decompression.

Their solution to this was simple and elegant. They installed a release valve on the side of the watch that would allow a diver to release the pressure once they had safely decompressed. And in 1967, Rolex released a specially branded version of the Rolex Submariner, the 5513, that had the pressure valve installed on the side and the Comex logo engraved on the back.

Because these watches spent so much time underwater, people started giving them the informal nickname “Sea-Dweller,” and Rolex would later adopt that nickname for the entire product line of modified watches. These early watches are now prized among collectors and became the prototype for the Rolex Sea-Dweller.

This lead to the Rolex Sea-Dweller becoming one of the most popular dive watches in the world, and the production of its most current iteration, the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600.

What Was the First Rolex Sea-Dweller Watch Produced?

In 1967, the Model 1665, or the Double Red Sea-Dweller, was released to the general public. The timepiece was called the “double red” because of the two lines of double red text on the bottom of the dial. This is notable because later iterations of the watch only had one line of red text on the bottom, and as such, these watches have also become something of a collector’s item as well.

Because the Rolex Sea-Dweller was directly inspired by the Rolex Submariner, it stands to reason that the first iteration of the watch had a lot in common with its direct predecessor. The Rolex 1665 has a date display on the right side of the dial, and it does not have the cyclops glass over the date window that the Submariner had.

The reason for this is that the cyclops glass was glued on under the dial and, like many other components of previous dive watches, would come loose and be blown out under the pressures of deep-sea exploration. Rolex decided that the best way to solve this problem would be simply not to include the piece at all.

There are also multiple versions of the dial that have different variations on the text at the bottom, and the original versions of the first Rolex Sea-Dweller are now known as Mark 0 through 4. Rolex would later issue several replacement dials for these watches, which are known as Mark 5 through 7. It should be noted that the older the Mark number is, the more valuable the watch is to collectors.

What Did Rolex Do With the Sea-Dweller Product Line After the Release of the First Model?

Because of the success, they experienced with the first iteration of the Sea-Dweller, Rolex decided to continue on with the product line. There was a second iteration of the Rolex 1665, and this second version came to be known among collectors as the “Great White” version. While this nickname again had to do with the text on the bottom of the dial, the connotation with one of the ocean’s most apex predators certainly doesn’t hurt either.

There is a notable distinction between the original Mark 0 and the later versions of Mark 1 through 4. There is a distinct line of text on the watch dial known as the Chronometer, and the specific alignment of text on the dial has informally led it to be known among collectors as “the rail.”

Because these watches were produced in very limited quantities, they are highly valued as collectors’ items among long-standing watch connoisseurs. There are two very important things to note with regards to the Great White version of this watch. The first is that the Great White Rolex Sea-Dweller is the last Sea-Dweller watch to have a plexiglass crystal on the dial.

The other has to do with its current market value. Unless you have a Comex version of the Great White, your timepiece will be worth considerably less than the Double Red Sea-Dweller.

Consumers responded to these watches enthusiastically, as it would allow them to more successfully deep-sea dive and be safe at the same time. Rolex would continue to produce a number of versions of these watches over the next several decades, until 2017, when they released the most current iteration, the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600.

What Do You Need to Know About the Rolex Sea-Dweller 126600?

As the most modern iteration of the Rolex Sea-Dweller, the 126600, which was released in 2017, is, in many ways, the ideal hybrid of vintage and modern dive watch.

The watch measures 43 mm in diameter, which makes it slightly larger than the average 41 mm that has become the de-facto industry standard over the last several years. It is made of Rolex’s patented Oystersteel, which is one of the most durable alloys currently available on the market.

The graduated bezel is unidirectional and rotatable, and is made from a scratch-resistant Cerachrom ceramic material. It contains highly visible numerals and graduations, all of which have been coated in platinum.

This timepiece is powered by a 3235 caliber, which is manufactured in-house by Rolex. The movement is perpetual and self-winding, as well as being mechanical. It should also be noted that this watch has a power reserve of 70 hours and a water resistance of 4,000 feet, which is one of the deepest on the market, even by dive watch standards. It also has Rolex’s trademark helium escape valve on the side as well.

In terms of its aesthetic, the two words that come to mind when describing the look of this watch are “polished” and “austere.” This is a watch that would look extremely at home in a professional setting, as its imposing black dial and polished steel bracelet are all business, despite this being a dive watch first and foremost.

What is the Rarest Version of the Rolex Sea-Dweller?

While Rolex Submariners are always popular because they are a Rolex product, no Rolex Submariner is harder to come by than the Tiffany and Co. iteration of this timepiece.

There are a number of reasons why these timepieces are hard to come by, but the most important reason is actually a glaringly obvious one – they weren’t great sellers when initially released.

This has nothing to do with the quality of the watch, mind you, but is more a result of demographic issues. As one could imagine, Tiffany and Co., which is headquartered in New York, had a hard time selling watches to New Yorkers, who are not exactly known for having a lot of prime areas to go deep-sea diving in. As a result, these watches were only manufactured and sold for a relatively limited time.

Because of their rarity, counterfeits of these watches are often sold online, so be wary if you are thinking of purchasing one from a vendor you are not already familiar with.

Are You In Need of a Custom Rubber Watch Strap For Your Rolex Timepiece? Visit Rubber B Today

If you are in need of a rubber watchband for your Rolex watch, visit the Rubber B website today to learn more about all of our custom rubber Rolex watch straps. All of our straps are available in a wide variety of different colors and styles, so we are sure to have something that suits your personal style and meets all of your needs.