Rolex Sea-Dweller DeepSea 'James Cameron'

The Deep Sea owes its lineage to a specialist tool watch developed by Rolex to solve a specific problem.

During the ‘60s, French commercial diving outfit COMEX and the U.S. Navy's SEALAB program were both fielding Rolex dive watches. A common issue with the Submariner when used in saturation diving, however, was that the crystals of these watches would come flying off during decompression: Gas expands as pressure decreases, and the helium molecules that had passed through the watch’s seals at depth expanded as the diver reacclimated to surface pressure. As the gas molecules grew and grew, the pressure that they exerted inside the case increased so much that it couldn’t contain the gas, and the crystal was the easiest way out.

Rolex thus developed and patented the helium escape valve, a one-way value that gave the helium molecules a safe path out of the watch during decompression. Initially, the brand outfitted one of its standard Submariner Ref. 5513 watches with the valve, dubbing it the Reference 5514. Eventually, however, the Crown created a new, dedicated model to house this new technology, which it called the Sea-Dweller.

The Rolex Sea-Dweller DeepSea is a contemporary, ultra-deep diving iteration of that very same watch. Launched in 2008, the Reference 116660 used a 5mm-thick crystal to more than triple the previous Sea-Dweller’s depth rating, with a certification of 3,990 meters. In 2014, Rolex released a special edition of the Deep Sea with a blue-black gradient dial in honor of James Cameron’s 2012 exploration of the Mariana Trench. Handsome and completely over the top, it was the type of unbreakable tool watch that only Rolex would develop, and it remains a fan favorite today. 

This particular example, a Reference 136660, features a 44mm stainless steel case with a helium escape valve, a unidirectional rotating dive bezel with a black ceramic insert, a signed crown, a beautiful, luminous blue-black gradient dial with a matching handset, and a matching stainless steel Oyster bracelet with a Glidelock clasp and divers extension.

Of course, a Submariner is more than sufficient for all but the most serious, professional divers. But even if you aren’t a saturation diver, there’s plenty to appreciate about the wildly over-engineered Deep Sea.

In fact, don’t take our word for it…

Though much younger than many of its heavy-hitting horological cousins, Rolex has been at the fore of contemporary watch design virtually since its inception in 1905 by founder Hans Wilsdorf. A veritable marketing genius, Wilsdorf understood the power of story, associating his watches with the most notable and intrepid athletes, explorers, soldiers and politicians of the 20th century. His efforts were clearly successful: Today, the word “Rolex” is nearly synonymous in the minds of millions around the word with “watch.”

From the early waterproof Oyster case of the 1920s through to the ultra-complicated Sky Dweller of today, Rolex models and innovations have captivated a global audience and permeated the zeitgeist unlike those of any other brand. Whether it’s a simple, time-only Air King, a function-first Submariner or a complicated GMT Master II for the jet set, a Rolex commands a certain respect on the wrist and says something about the discerning eye of its owner.

From the swimming of the English channel in 1927 to the scaling of Mt. Everest in 1953, Rolex watches have been associated with adventure for the better part of a century. Despite its association since the 1970s more with luxury and status than with commando operations behind enemy lines or sporting achievements, Rolex still makes one of the most robust timepieces available on the contemporary market. And the company continues to support scientific endeavors around the world.

Interestingly, for most of the firm’s history, Rolex largely did not produce its components in-house, including its movements. (Indeed, hand-wound Daytonas sold today at auction for eye-watering prices feature run-of-the-mill Valjoux movements that feature in watches from hundreds of other brands). It wasn’t until the early 21st century that Rolex became the vertically integrated manufacturing behemoth that it is today, purchasing everything from movement manufacturers to bracelet companies. (Notably, the Crown even forges its own gold.)

Whether one is attracted to the rich history of the brand or simply finds its products notable from an investment perspective, Rolex is a company whose wares are guaranteed to remain a benchmark for horological quality forever.

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