94 - Rolex - Sea-Dweller

Rolex - Sea-Dweller An attractive diving watch with a date display Movement No. 7506101, Ref. 16600, Cal. 3135, Case No. T610509, Dimensions 40 mm, circa 1996, Origin: Switzerland, Original box, Accessories Case: Steel, screw-down back marked 16600, outer engraving “ROLEX OYSTER - ORIGINAL GAS ESCAPE VALVE,” helium valve, screw-down “Triplock” winding crown, long steel “Oyster” bracelet, Ref. 93160 with diver’s extension link, Oysterlock folding clasp V5 (5/1996), total length 180 mm. Dial: Black, applied luminous hour markers (tritium), luminous Mercedes-style hands (tritium). Movement: Automatic. The dial and hands are in perfect condition and coated with tritium; only the hour hand has a micro-crack. The bezel with its tritium dot is in excellent condition. The case is in good condition, despite showing signs of polishing and wear. From around 1967, Rolex developed a diver’s watch in collaboration with the French deep-sea diving specialist COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises) that was intended to withstand harsh underwater conditions and, compared to the existing Submariner—which was water-resistant to a depth of 200 meters—was designed even more for professional use. The first prototype of the Sea-Dweller, upgraded for a depth of up to 500 meters, was introduced around 1967 and is known today as the “Single Red,” reference 1665. It bears the inscription “Sea-Dweller” in red and “Submariner 500 m–1,650 ft” in white. Compared to the Submariner, it had a larger diameter and was equipped with a helium valve to allow the accumulated helium in the case to escape after a longer stay underwater, thereby preventing the plexiglass from being violently pushed out. Only about 12 examples of the “Single Red” are known to exist today. In the same year, Rolex introduced the production version of the Sea-Dweller featuring the double red inscription “Sea-Dweller, Submariner 2000,” known today as the “Double Red Sea-Dweller” (DRSD). It was rated to a depth of 610 meters or 2,000 feet. The serial number range is between 1,700,000 and 5,200,000. In 1977, Rolex introduced the reference 1665 “Great White” as a successor, featuring all-white lettering and omitting the “Submariner 2000” inscription. It remained in production until 1983. In 1978, it was replaced by reference 16660 (Triple Six), featuring a date quickset, sapphire crystal, and an improved double escape valve, rated for water depths up to 4,000 ft/1,220 m. This reference was followed in 1989 by the fast-swinging Ref. 16600 with caliber 3135, followed in 2008 by the Deepsea Sea-Dweller Reference 116660, water-resistant to 12,800 ft / 3,990 m, and in 2014 by Reference 116600, featuring a Cerachrom ceramic bezel. Reference 116600 was replaced by the Sea-Dweller Reference 126600, featuring the improved Caliber 3235, just a few years after its market launch in 2017. Case: very good, slightly worn. Dial: very good. Movement: very good, in working order, cleaning recommended. Please note that leather straps made from endangered or protected species—such as alligator, crocodile, or lizard—are used in our catalog or on our website for illustrative purposes only. For customs-related reasons, such straps cannot be shipped outside the EU.