Just In Time – Rolex Sea-Dweller 116660

Rolex Sea-Dweller 116660 just in brand new at Gray & Sons! This is one of my favorite watches the 2014 model made by Rolex. One of the quietest, yet most satisfying introductions of BaselWorld 2014 was the watch you see above. This is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller 4000.

Now, you all know the Sea-Dweller as the big brother to the Submariner, but since 2009, there hasn’t been a normal Sea-Dweller, just a Sea-Dweller Deep Sea, which is 44mm in diameter, and good to a downright crazy 12,800 feet. The Deep Sea answered the requests of all those folks who wanted a monster Rolex, but left everyone else a little…how do you say…turned off? So, the re-introduction of a normal Sea-Dweller for 2014 is a great thing, providing a serious dive watch still in the size of the original Sea-Dweller form 1967.

The Sea-Dweller is 40mm in diameter, features a slightly domed crystal, and true to the original, remains void of the cyclops magnifying over the date aperture at 3 o’clock. There is a helium escape valve on the side of the case at 9 o’clock, and the bezel insert is Cerachrom with engraved numerals and graduations.

Water resistant to, you guessed it, 4,000 feet. the new Sea-Dweller is as serious a diver as most could possibly ever need, and it’s in a nice size at 40mm that is very familiar to Rolex lovers. Inside is the spectacularly robust Rolex caliber 3135 with blue parachrom hairspring, an enviable trademark of modern Rolex movements.

The bracelet is a Rolex Oyster with three piece solid links made of 904L steel with the patented Rolex Glidelock extension system, allowing the wearer to extend or shorted the bracelet in increments of just 2mm for up to 20mm. Additionally, since this is a diver, the bracelet has an extension function up to 26mm so that it may be worn on the outside of a dive suit.

Of course, as a vintage Rolex lover, I have to say it would have been very, very cool if they had made the first two-lines of script at six o’clock, reviving the “double-red” moniker. But, beggars can’t be choosers.

Additionally, this new Sea-Dweller is built like an absolute rock, and the increased durability, cyclops-less crystal, plus date make this a really appealing modern day tool watch. In fact, there probably isn’t a more durable daily watch out there today, I’d venture to say.

On- sale  now at Grayandsons.com for $9,500 – Buy Here 

Info via hodinkee.com