ROLEX - SEA DWELLER
SELF-WINDING STEEL TIME-ONLY WATCH WITH BLACK 'DOUBLE RED' DIAL AND DATE DISPLAY AT 3 O'CLOCK
ROLEX
Description
Brand: Rolex
Model: Sea Dweller
Year: 1978
Reference: 1665
Dial: Black
Case No.: 5298XXX
Movement: Self-winding
Cal.: Rolex 1570
Material: Steel
Bracelet: Steel
Size: 40mm
Accessories: Box, card, papers
Notes: Self-winding steel diving watch. Black dial with 'double red writing', buckshot indexes, Mercedes hands with luminescent material. Black bidirectional bezel. Date display at 3 o'clock. Steel Rolex bracelet. Domed plexiglass crystal. Steel case back and screw-down crown.
Launched in 1967, the Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 1665 was
produced to meet the needs of
professional divers who needed a
watch capable of withstanding high underwater pressures
that exceeded the limits of the Submariner,
which, for the ref. 1680, could reach a
rated depth of 220 meters. The Sea-Dweller ref. 1665,
instead, reaches a depth of 610 m (2,000 feet),
tripling the depth of the ref. 1680.
The production process involved Rolex in a
collaboration with divers and scuba divers
to continuously improve the model, making it more resistant to depths and wear. This timepiece
belonged to Fabio Pajoncini Ottaviani, known as "The Duke," who in 2004, in the waters
of Ponza and Palmarola, achieved the precious
record of world deep-sea champion
with the record for self-contained diving.
Unlike other diving models from the Geneva-based brand, the Sea-Dweller features the ingenious
addition of a helium escape valve.
At depth, there are atmospheres rich in helium, whose molecules tend to be smaller
than oxygen and therefore found space in the watch, passing through the crystal and the
rubber gaskets, thus infiltrating the interior. With the increase in ascent pressure,
this often caused the crystal to detach.
The development of the valve was intended to prevent
this problem by allowing gas to escape from the
watch case, thus reducing its pressure.
The very name Sea-Dweller underscores that it was developed
to meet the needs of those who live
—or frequent—underwater.
While the first examples of the Sea-Dweller ref. 1665
featured two lines of red lettering above
the depth value, earning it the nickname
"Double Red," later models offer a
dial without red lettering. The present
ref. 1665 "Double Red" piece, from circa 1978, with a
serial number of 5.2 million, belongs to the
Mk IV variant.
Preserved in excellent condition, it is
one of the highlights of Padel & Paddle.
