Rock. Freaking. Solid. The Rolex Deepsea is about as tough as it gets for a fine watch. If you’re looking for a watch that’s beautiful and super rugged at the same time, you’ll want to give this one a serious look.
The Roots
Every aspect of the Rolex Deepsea was designed to be the king of professional dive watches. The entire project was inspired by James Cameron’s 2012 record breaking solo dive to the lowest known point on earth. James Cameron, the famous Canadian filmmaker, piloted the “Deepsea Challenger” alone to a depth of 35,787 feet. The dive was conducted at the Marina Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
The event was eventually made into a 3D movie, and was in partnership with the National Geographic Society and Rolex.
The Watch
The Deepsea is essentially a REALLY souped up Submariner. The watch has a bigger first impression than the Sub, and definitely feels more solid than it’s counterpart. It’s a tool designed specifically for professional divers, and it’s made to go extremely deep. The Deepsea is water resistant up to 12,800 feet.
Dial
Easily the Deepsea’s most striking feature, the dial is patterned to represent Cameron’s dive by fading from a rich blue color to black. It’s surrounded by a black ceramic bezel (made from Cerachrom), and covered by 5mm thick sapphire crystal.
Luminesence
Equipped with the Chromalight display, the Deepsea’s luminesence lasts twice as long as standard luminescent materials. In addition to the markers on the dial, the zero marker on the bezel also glows.
Case and Bracelet
The Deepsea uses 904L stainless steel, which is a special blend made exclusively by Rolex. To account for extreme depths while diving, the case back is made out of titanium. Titanium is an alloy that is strong, but still flexible enough to adjust as pressure pushes the watch components closer together. The Oyster bracelet features the Rolex “Gridlock Extension System”. This allows divers to adjust the watch over their suit quickly and easily.
Helium Escape Valve
The helium escape valve is probably the coolest feature of the Deepsea (that admittedly you may not use very often). When professional divers go to extreme depths, they are placed in a decompression chamber afterwards. Helium is part of the mix of gases used in the chamber. In normal watches, the helium could be enough to pop the crystal off of the watch, but the Deepsea has a special valve that allows helium to escape as needed!
The Technical Specs
Model Case – 44mm Oyster Steel
Diameter – 44mm
Material – 904L Steel
Bezel – Unidirectional rotatable 60 minute with black Cerachrom, all details in platinum
Winding Crown – Screw down, Triplock
Water Resistance – 12,800 feet
Dial – D Blue
Clasp – Folding Oysterlock with Glidelock system
Bracelet – Oyster, three piece
Calibre – 3135
Power Reserve – 48 hours
Movement – Perpetual, self-winding, mechanical
Final Thoughts
If you want a watch that has a nice visual pop and wears a little bigger, you’ll love the Deepsea. Because it’s one of the more recent designs from Rolex, it uses the very popular Cerachrom bezel that has been rolling out on their most popular watches lately. The use of ceramic means less scratches and wear over time, especially since it’s paired with the scratch-proof sapphire crystal.
If you are interested in purchasing your own Rolex Deepsea, give us a call or fill out the contact form below. Check out our Facebook page for box openings and watch reviews by our in-house watch expert Sergio Nuncio!
