ROLEX’S OBSESSION with the sea has always been unabashed, whether in its relentless search for new materials or a persistent thirst to break new limits in depth since it debut its first waterproof watch close to a decade ago.
Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller
ROLEX’S OBSESSION with the sea has always been unabashed, whether in its relentless search for new materials or a persistent thirst to break new limits in depth since it debut its first waterproof watch close to a decade ago.
At the pinnacle of such nautical odysseys is the ultra-resistant Sea-Dweller, which was born with an impressive waterproofness of 610m in 1978, and on its 50th birthday in 2017, 1,220m.
The Helium Escape Valve
Like its divers, the internal safety valve provides an escape route for the helium, thus allowing the Sea-Dweller to safely “decompress “ and making lengthier excursions like saturation diving possible.
Essentially, the hyperbaric chamber is filled with special breathing mixes composed largely of helium, which gradually penetrates the watch through the gaskets, filling the inner part of the watch case as the pressure inside the case equalises with that inside the chamber.
To prevent the watch crystal from popping out like a champagne cork during decompression, therefore, Rolex’s patented unidirectional valve is automatically activated above a certain level of internal pressure to release the gas from the case while its waterproofness remains impervious. Patented in 1967, this feature became pertinent to diving watches.
The 2017 Sea-Dweller
To mark its 50th anniversary, the Sea-Dweller now reaches new heights at 1,220m and is refitted with Rolex’s newly developed, highly corrosion-resistant 904L steel case enlarged to 43mm.
Aside from its signature Oyster case, Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock and the words “Sea-Dweller” classically inscribed in red on the dial – just like how it was half a century ago – the new timepiece houses a uni-directional rotatable bezel with a Cerachrom insert in ceramic, virtually unaffected by scratches and ultraviolet rays; a Chromalight display with long-lasting luminescence for a readability even in the dark; a Triplock winding crown with triple waterproofness system; an Oysterlock safety clasp that prevents accidental opening; and the Rolex Glidelock and Fliplock extension systems which, together, allow divers to extend the bracelet without the use of tools to a total of 46mm so to fit over diving suits of up to 7mm thick.
