Rolex Sea Dweller Review – Astonishing Water Resistance

Rolex Sea Dweller – Rugged and Water Resistant

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Rolex Sea Dweller black faceIf you like to dive or just like hanging out near the water, you’ll want a wristwatch that’s water resistant.  Granted, these days, most watches are water resistant to some degree.  Of course, that degree varies a lot.  Most watches are water resistant to no more than 50 meters, which really means you can get it wet and that’s about all.

The Rolex Sea Dweller, on the other hand, offers water resistance of up to 3900 meters.  That’s more than two miles, and it’s actually been tested for far deeper than that.  It’s unlikely that you’re going to ever need to go that deep and if you did, you wouldn’t survive.

But your Rolex Sea Dweller would, because it’s just built that well.  If you simply have to have the watch that’s the absolute best in the world at something, this might be the model for you.

Read on for the full Rolex Sea Dweller watches review.


Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary

Rolex Sea Dweller Watches Build Quality

The build quality can be described accurately in two words: nearly indestructible.  This watch was first introduced in 1967 in response to requests from deep sea divers for a timepiece that was truly water resistant and which wouldn’t quit working or fill up with water at depths of several hundred feet.

Rolex complied, and they’ve since improved the model several times. It’s got an all-stainless steel case and a super-thick sapphire crystal, so it’s going to work and work well for a long time.

Movements

As with most of the company’s product line, this model includes a Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement.  It’s highly accurate and durable and encased in the incredibly watertight case, it’s just going to keep ticking no matter what you subject it to.  It will need occasional maintenance, but it’s going to give you good service for as long as you care to wear it.

Innovation

This watch was first introduced with an advertised water resistance of 2000 meters and was even named after that – the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller Submariner 2000, offering 2000 feet of water resistance.

A later version changed that to the 4000, indicating that it was water resistant to 4000 feet.  A still later model, the DEEPSEA, was advertised as having water resistance to 3900 meters, or 12,800 feet.  The company managed this by making the crystal extra thick, modifying the screw-down crown to make it triple-resistant to water, and by including a helium release valve.

Helium can work its way into the watch during a diver’s decompression cycle; the valve will allow it to work its way out.  There simply isn’t another watch on the market that offers the kind of water resistance that you’ll find in the Rolex Sea Dweller.  Of course, 3900 meters is far deeper than anyone is likely to go, but it’s nice knowing that you’re going to have a watch that’s simply going to run no matter what you do with it.

Click here to shop for the Rolex Sea Dweller at Amazon.com

Styling and Features

Rolex Sea Dweller blue faceThis one hasn’t had a lot of design innovation; it’s mainly a stainless steel watch with a stainless steel bracelet.  You’ll get a date function and a rotating bezel to let you measure elapsed time, and that’s about it for design.

We’ve seen models that were covered with diamonds, and models with black cases, but these have been added by third parties.  The basic model is an all-stainless watch that’s about being sturdy.

Care and Maintenance

The usual extra care required by precision mechanical watches will apply to this particular model.  You’ll need to send it to the company every five years or so to have it serviced.  This involves disassembly and examination for worn parts.  Those are replaced, and the parts are cleaned and lubricated and the entire watch is reassembled and thoroughly tested for water resistance and accuracy.  Then they’ll clean it and polish it and return it to you, good as new.

If you regularly use the watch around water, you’ll want to get it examined by an authorized dealer once a year or so to ensure that it remains watertight.  You should rinse it with tap water and dry it carefully after exposure to salt water.  You should keep it away from extremes in temperature and strong magnetic fields.  Other than this, your watch should run well for years.

Rolex Sea Dweller Watches Warranty

The Rolex Sea Dweller warranty is the standard one issued by the company – two years against defects in craftsmanship and materials.  This is about average for the luxury wristwatch industry, and these are highly precise and well-tested devices that should work well when you receive them.

Rolex Sea Dweller Watch Prices

Rolex Sea Dweller 4000Rolex Sea Dweller prices are at the low to middle range for the company’s products; you’ll typically pay $12,000-$15,000 for one. There aren’t many options, so you won’t expect to see a lot of variation in the price, which is strictly regulated by the company.  We’ve seen the Rolex Sea Dweller with diamonds at about $30,000 or so, but as far as we know, these are third-party modifications and not the standard company issue.

Where to Buy

As Rolex strictly controls both pricing and distribution for their products, you’ll officially have to buy from authorized dealers.  These are mostly high end jewelry stores located in major cities.  It’s difficult, but not entirely impossible, to buy a discounted model, as a few retailers do carry them and offer them for sale at less than full retail.

Rolex Sea Dweller Watches Summary

It goes without saying that the Rolex Sea Dweller is not a watch for everyone.  It’s available only in stainless steel and only with a stainless steel bracelet.  You’re not going to have a lot of choices in terms of how it looks.

On the other hand, it’s got jaw-dropping water resistance and it’s nearly indestructible.  There simply isn’t a watch on the market that can hold up to water better than the Rolex Sea Dweller.  Why not own a watch that’s the absolute best at something?

Click here to shop for the Rolex Sea Dweller at Amazon.com