Over the years, the Rolex Sea-Dweller has become a true icon in the world of dive watches. When Rolex introduced the Deepsea Sea-Dweller (DSSD) back in 2008, purist collectors didn’t respond positively. Although the watch was extremely capable, boasting an almost ridiculous 3,900-meter depth rating, it came at the price of a thick and oversized 44-millimeter case. This year at Baselworld, Rolex unveiled the newest addition to the Oyster collection, the Reference 116600 Sea-Dweller, dubbed the Sea-Dweller 4000 for its 4,000-foot depth rating. While this new addition to the collection might represent an aesthetical regression, it also displays Rolex taking a step back in the right direction.
Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000
If the Sea-Dweller 4000 is the successor to a past Rolex reference, it is without a doubt that of the 16600. Rolex has returned to their tried and true 40mm case size for a sleeker and more functional design. I never expected Rolex to give in to the ever-increasingly popular trend of oversized watches — given the release of the DSSD — so it’s nice to see them getting back to a more conservative size. It’s also worth taking note that the case seen on the 116600 appears to have more tapered lugs than the SubC — albeit, likely not tapered enough to appease the Rolex traditionalists. Alas, if only they would have re-introduced lug holes to the case – a guy can dream!
The 116600 also incorporates a helium escape valve into the 904L steel case, a technical detail seen on Sea-Dwellers since their inception. Helium escape valves (HEV) serve the purpose of releasing helium molecules as divers return to standard atmospheric pressures after long periods of time at great depths, in efforts to prevent the crystal from pushing out. The HEV is a function real divers will most likely never need to use, let alone desk divers. In fact, some divers get downright aggressive in their feelings about the HEV, as they seem to pop up on every new dive watch. Nevertheless, its still reassuring to know that the Sea-Dweller can handle whatever you might throw at it.
Two aspects of the modern Rolex divers that I truly love are the Cerachrom bezels, and the patented Glidelock extension, as seen on the DSSD. Both of these features have been integrated into the Sea-Dweller 4000. Not only is the micro-adjustable Glidelock extension useful for divers when fitting the watch over a wetsuit, but it also proves extremely pragmatic in common daily use – especially in the warmer months, when your wrist size can really fluctuate.
Rolex’s new 116600 is a watch we here at Wound For Life are truly excited about. In addition to being extremely capable and influenced by past iterations, the Sea-Dweller 4000 will sit nicely between the Submariner and the Deepsea Sea-Dweller in the Oyster collection. Arrival to Authorized Dealers is expected to be very soon, at an anticipated price of approximately $10,000.
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