First things first: I love this timepiece. What I mean to say is, “I really love this timepieceâ€!
Now for the disclaimer: This model of Rolex watch has been evaluated many times on this forum by much better analyst than me. A simple forum search will quickly validate this statement. My goal with this review is quite simply to give our members an idea of what this particular DSSD, from this particular dealer, has to offer (plain and simple). All of our Trusted Dealers are good, some are even great, and it is not my intention to influence anyone in any particular direction with regard to how they choose to spend their hard earned money.
Enough with that.
Now for some history on the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller:
Rolex has been making water-resistant watches since 1926, when it introduced the world’s first truly impermeable case, the Oyster. In 1953 Rolex presented its first divers’ watch, the Submariner, which had a rotating bezel and a water-resistance level of 100 meters (which it increased to 200 meters just a year later). At the same time, Rolex was developing a watch for even greater depths: the Deepsea Special.
Between 1953 and 1960, the watch took part in several deep-sea expeditions while fastened to the outsides of submarines. The watch’s high point (or, rather, its low point) was on January 23, 1960, when Swiss scientist-adventurer Jacques Piccard and U.S. Navy lieutenant Don Walsh guided their bathyscape, the Trieste, to a depth of 10,916 meters (about 35,800 feet) in the Marianas Trench.
Here's a picture of Piccard and Walsh:
Here's a picture of the Trieste:
Their descent took them to a point just a few meters above the very bottom of the trench, which is the deepest depression in the earth’s surface. The Deepsea Special sustained no damage during the dive. Several Deepsea Special watches were manufactured, although the model was never put into series production. With its semi spherical crystal and thickness of 35 millimeters, it was too big and bulky for daily use, even by today’s standards.
In the late 1960’s, Rolex launched the Sea-Dweller, a modified version of the Submariner that incorporated a new feature: a helium release valve. Its case was so sturdy it could withstand water pressure equal to 610 meters (a level that has since been doubled, to 1,220 meters).
Sea-Dweller Submariner
Then, in 2008, Rolex launched the latest version of the SeaDweller, one that pays homage to the watch that plunged into the Marianas Trench half a century ago. This is the watch I will share with you in this review (the replica version, obviously). Called the Sea-Dweller Deepsea, its water-resistance level, 3,900 meters (12,800 ft.), is the highest of any mechanical watch in the world. Indeed, increasing a watch’s water-resistance is no great trick if you’re willing to make the case as thick as need be, and increase the watch’s total dimensions by a commensurate size. But that’s not the path Rolex took.
The company wanted the Deepsea to be a wearable watch. Its diameter of 43 millimeters and thickness of 18 millimeters, both within the current range of “normal,†are proof of Rolex’s success. Moreover, the Deepsea is also very comfortable to wear, making it an excellent choice for everyday use: a rare quality in an “extreme†sports watch.
Combining such a high level of water-resistance with wearing comfort required a redesign of the entire case. Rolex developed and patented what it calls the “Ring Lock System,†which consists of three pressure-absorbing elements: the 5.5-millimeter thick sapphire crystal, the 3.28-millimeter-thick Grade 5 titanium caseback, and a ring, made of BioDur 108 steel, set inside the case middle as extra support for the crystal and caseback. BioDur 108 has a high nitrogen content, which makes it extremely strong and corrosion resistant. The watch case itself is made of 904L steel. Rather than being screwed on, the caseback is pressed against the inner ring by a threaded ring, which is also made of 904L steel. The materials were selected carefully for their superior hardness and strength. They will not significantly deform under pressure nor will they easily break. BioDur is about three times as strong as the steel used for the case, and Grade 5 titanium — a titanium alloy with vanadium and aluminum — is four times as strong. This complex design makes it possible to create a case that is more than 10 percent thinner than a case made the traditional way would be.
OK! I hear you! “Enough with the history, lets get on to pictures.â€
The following pictures are of a watch I received three months ago. This timepiece has been well worn. My reasons for choosing WBK were twofold: 1. WBK is well known for very good, quality timepieces at reasonable prices, and, 2. WBK is located in the CONUSA so no customs problem and extremely fast delivery. I ordered and paid for the watch on a Saturday night, it was shipped the following Monday, and I received it on Wednesday. Can’t beat that
WBK DSSD
Here are a few pictures of the watch. Enjoy
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Thank you for taking the time to read this review, and as always, thank you RWI.
Ken
