The model presented today is undoubtedly one of Rolex's modern interpretations of some of its cult models, which have helped it continue to hold a leading position in the watchmaking industry. On one hand, it continues the tradition of the renowned Sea-dweller, specifically the original one with the dial nicknamed the “Single red”; on the other hand, it now has the iconic “cyclops” on the date (a distinctive feature of Rolex in general), and last but not least, it is the first model of the brand to receive a completely new case size – 43 mm and a wide bracelet. The end result – a new representative in the lineup of the brand's steel models, where demand significantly exceeds supply and which trade on the secondary market at their official price.
The model was first presented at Baselworld 2017 and from the very beginning polarized the opinions of the brand's admirers due to all these new things that the manufacturer incorporated into it. This model began to be offered at authorized dealerships after July 2017, and the one offered today is in fact one of the very first, as it was sold in September 2017 – this makes it even more interesting, as the practice with the brand's rare models shows that the first series are the most sought-after.
I am sure that most of the colleagues reading this forum are aware that Rolex calls its water-resistant cases Oyster. I.e., if this name is present in the name of the watch, it means that you can boldly explore the sea depths - and of course, the Sea-Dweller meets this qualification 100% - developed as the improved version of the Submariner, it offers water resistance of 1220m.
The watch's dial is very clean and easily legible, and the luminescence of the hands and indices facilitates its use at night – it is in a pleasant-to-the-eye bluish color and glows sufficiently bright and long.
Undoubtedly, the Sea-Dweller cannot be compared in popularity with the Submariner, but this is precisely one of the reasons why it is much liked and sought-after. Possessing all the positive qualities and improved characteristics, it provides its owner with another very important feature – it is different! Yes, this is precisely what is liked by people who prefer the Sea-Dweller over the Submariner – because the differences are noticeable to the naked eye – the size of the case, the helium valve, the thicker case, and the wider bracelet distinguish this watch from the Submariner.
Regardless of the fact that the Sea-Dweller is a professional instrument, as was the manufacturer's intention from its very launch, it is clear to everyone that for a long time it has become a luxury attribute – and for a long time this function of it has prevailed over the original reason for its creation. Perhaps for this very reason, Rolex does many things in this model so that the appearance and the overall impression that the watch creates prevail over its functionality. The first thing that makes an impression is the sapphire – Rolex is notorious for the fact that they do not put anti-reflective coating on the crystals of their watches – there are several versions for the reasons, but I like the one most that Rolex does it so that the appearance of their watches does not change for a long time and generations of its owners can enjoy this consistency.
For the case back of the watch, Rolex uses a simple solid case back (as, by the way, in all its models) – in the case of the Sea-Dweller, it has the inscriptions “Rolex Oyster” and “Original gas escape valve” along its edge. As we all know, for its watches Rolex uses noble 904L steel – the difference with the usual 316 L for other brands is in the greater resistance (especially against salt water). It is a widely known fact that Rolex can be called fanatics when it comes to the steel they use – a large part of the metallurgical processes are done in-house to guarantee a consistent quality of the raw material – many watches have passed through my hands, but I can say absolutely categorically that no other brand devotes so much attention and effort to the quality of the final product from the point of view of the case finishing – and as a result, a unique quality and presence cannot but be achieved.
The overall impression is complemented by the watch's diver's bezel – its purpose is clear, to time while you are underwater – trivial, isn't it. As with the previous Sea-dweller, the bezel insert is ceramic. Here again, the material is a special creation and is different from the commonly used materials, which is why Rolex calls it - "Cerachrom." The traditional “pip” at 12 o'clock, and behold the final product – similar to the Submariner, the Sea-Dweller is offered with a three-piece steel bracelet with a profile that tapers towards the clasp – which makes it very comfortable. Where is the difference with previous generations? Mainly it is in the size – the new Seadweller is equipped with a wider bracelet, which is much more balanced for this case size with its 22 mm and also allows the lugs of the new model to be visually thinner than the previous one, bringing it closer to the previous versions (and not least, responding to the criticisms of the ardent fans of the “submariners”), the clasp is equipped with a micro-adjustment system – called Glidelock. The idea is that you can adjust the size of the bracelet within a few millimeters on the fly. We all know that our wrists change their size depending on the weather, humidity, temperature, etc. – well, the guys from Rolex offer a perfect solution for such cases. It is important to know that this Glidelock system is offered only with the Submariner and Deepsea – another big plus for this model.
The other difference is the movement – the new Sea-dweller has the honor of carrying the new caliber 3235, which has an increased reserve of 70 h, a seriously improved automatic winding system in which the rotor is now on a bearing, and its efficiency has been increased by 15%. As for lubrication, the reversing wheels, as one of the problematic areas from the point of view of friction, are Teflon-coated! The new 3235 has 14 integrated patents and more than 90% new components, and it is also twice as accurate as the official COSC chronometer.
The specific example is from the first series of the model – with the so-called “Mark 1” dial – and as is known in the ranks of the brand's collectors, such models are always more sought-after and consequently more valued.
