Rolex Sea-Dweller

at 8:13 AM Saturday, June 28, 2014 Labels: , ,



         When the Rolex Sea-Dweller advertence 16600 was taken out of assembly at the Rolex accessories in Geneva, a lot of admirers apparently afford a little tear. Rolex appear the Deepsea Sea-Dweller 116660 as the almsman of the Sea-Dweller but abounding admirers of the above model(s) just added ambrosial than the new able-bodied 43mm Deepsea. I apprenticed the humans who had a anemic atom for the above humans to get one while
they still could in a little commodity (here). In 2009 I wrote “One of the few things that gives me hope, is that they went from advertence amount 16600 to 116660 instead of application 116600. Will there be a 116600?”. Now in 2014, there is a Sea-Dweller advertence 116600. And yes, it is 40mm.


           I will not go into detail about the history of the Sea-Dweller as we accept accounting on this watch abounding times in the past. Instead, we focus on the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 advertence 116600. You could say that Rolex came up with the Sea-Dweller in 1971 (but already developed in 1967) as the aboriginal diver's watch for professionals. The Submariner was already there of course, and could aswell be acclimated by able divers, but was aswell added or beneath a nice sports watch that you could abrasion if you weren't accepting abreast any baptize (except the casual battery or bath).
         The Sea-Dweller was meant for those who aswell capital to do abyssal dives. Rolex came up with the helium escape valve in the 1967 ancestor Sea-Dweller models already, which releases the helium from the watch case as the gas expands during decompression afterwards deep-water assimilation dives. It prevents the watch from damaging but still preserves the baptize attrition of the watch. COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises) chose the Sea-Dweller as the apparatus for their defined afterwards accepting formed with several added companies as able-bodied to co-develop a able diver's watch (an archetype is the Omega Seamaster PloProf, which was aswell developed with ascribe from COMEX).



         It seems that the new Sea-Dweller meets the aforementioned blueprint as the above model, advertence 16600. A 40mm case, a titanium helium escape valve, baptize attrition to 1220 meters (4000 feet), ability 3135 movement and application 904L stainless animate for the case and bracelet. The above differences are the updates that we aswell saw on the Rolex Submariner 116610 and GMT-Master II 116710 models and variations: bowl bezels with Cerachrom inserts, use of Chromalight for calmly and hour markers and thicker case lugs. Although the lugs assume to alter per Rolex sports model. The armlet aswell afflicted in contempo years. The Sea-Dweller 116600 comes on the acclaimed Oyster armlet with Glidelock addendum arrangement and a fliplock addendum link.


        Having endemic a Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 for 10 years myself, I was actual absorbed in aggravating on the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 116600 as the Deepsea Sea-Dweller 116660 did not do it for me. The 43mm case is something I can (easily) handle, but the weight is just not adequate for me. I acquainted a big abatement if I approved on the new Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000. A absolute fit – like the above archetypal – and all the new technology that Rolex has put into it is a big bonus.



         In agreement of looks, it seems to me that Rolex has in fact listened to their followers. Abounding humans prefered the old Sea-Dweller models with the matte accomplishment punch compared to the after 16600 (and Deepsea), and now Rolex fabricated abiding to accept such a punch adapted into the new 116600. 

       Trying to analyze the Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 against the 116600, I in fact acquainted that I was about searching at the aforementioned watch. There was annihilation that should accept been abnormally in my honest opinion. The bezel has become blemish resistant, the armlet has an easier acclimation arrangement and the watch appears to be a bit bigger due to the lugs (but isn't). What I didn't like about the Rolex Sea-Dweller 16600 compared to the Sea-Dweller 116600 was how it appeared on the wrist some times. Even admitting both watches accept a 40mm case diameter, the 16600 just appeared to be a bit too baby compared to the added Rolex sports models. The able-bodied lugs anchored that.
Perhaps this is just the absolute avant-garde Rolex sports watch again. No adorned able center-links like the GMT-Master II and no cyclops as apparent on the Submariner Date model. The price? € 8500.- Euro including taxes.