Written by Menswear Style in Fashion History on the 24th July 2015

Imagine yourself submerged under hundreds of feet of water - no skyline, no breeze or shore in sight, just you, and all the fascinating things that live in the depths of the ocean. It is fair to say that it’s easy to get lost in the continuously new and wonderful world that is the deep sea. Perhaps, this is what inspired the foundation of Rolex’s line of diver’s watches. Nevertheless, the birth of the Rolex Oyster in 1926 made the dreamlike experience of traveling to the deep, unknown sea realistic.

Since then, many improvements have been made to Rolex’s diving watches, but they still hold their original appeal and purpose. Their unique characters such as the Oyster case, specially designed bezel and dial, and luminescent features make them one of the most sought after diving watches in the industry.

The Rolex Submariner 

Released in 1953, the Rolex Submariner watches were the first watches that were able to survive up to a 100 meters below sea level. When the Rolex Submariner was designed, it was made specifically for diving and underwater exploration. To ensure that the watch worked properly, it featured a stainless steel bracelet and a strong Oyster case. The Rolex Submariner is said to be the one that revolutionized Rolex’s iconic Oyster case. Since 1953, Rolex has made improvements to the technical aspects of the watch.

Deep Sea Special 

The Deep Sea Special was created in the early 60s. Its purpose was to test the durability of the divers edition Rolex watches. Expected to survive the deepest known trench in the ocean of the time, the Deep Sea Special was attached to the bottom of the bathyscaphe. This submarine was the first to be manned during its dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. On January 23, 1960, Rolex made history as its Deep Sea Special watch surfaced unharmed after a 10,916-meter dive.

The Sea-Dweller 2000 

The pioneer for the professional divers dream watch, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Sea Dweller 2000 is programmed to survive 610 meters underwater. It was created with the help of Comex, and features a helium release valve, which allows the watch to survive under great pressure for long periods of time. When a diver goes extremely deep, especially for long periods of time, they experience saturation or pressure build up. Since helium is the smallest of the natural gases, it could slip into the watch. The helium release valve allows the helium to escape the watch, allowing it to work under water for long periods of time.

The Rolex Deepsea 

Released in 2008, the Rolex Deepsea is an impressive watch with extraordinary strength and innovative qualities. It was built to survive during great deepsea diving explorations and can go as deep, if not deeper, than almost all diving watches. The Rolex Deepsea was modeled after a brave divers solo journey to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. It is a watch of many useful features including a blue luminescent dial display, which radiates a blue light that lasts twice as long as most luminescent lights. This allows divers to see in the dark ocean. It also features a helium escape valve and a ringlock system. The ringlock system is an innovative design that allows the Rolex Deepsea to survive 3 tonnes more than the crystal used on the watch, and a 100 times deeper than a human is capable of surviving.

The Sea Dweller 4000 

A modern twist on the original Sea Dweller, the Sea Dweller 4000 was released in 2014 as Rolex’s latest edition to their professional diving watches. The Sea Dweller 4000 can travel 1,220 meters below sea level, or 4000 feet. It also features all of Rolex’s latest features including the Oysterlock safety clasp, top quality bezel that is scratch proof and ultra-violet resistant, a helium escape valve for saturation diving, and the Rolex glide lock extension system. This watch is optimal for deepsea diving and exploration, especially because it could survive up to 3 tonnes it’s own weight. It is made from 904L steel, which explains its exceptional strength.

Time is crucial when it comes to conquering the deep, blue sea. As this timeline has shown, Rolex has offered top quality luxury diving watches for decades, and is the number one choice for professional divers. Rolex’s diving collection has withstood the tests of time, exploration challenges and have time, and time again shown us that they are one of the top brands, if not the top brand, for diving watches. Besides, as Rolex says, they’re “probably the only divers’ watch you can wear with a tuxedo.” A Rolex is more than a watch; it is an investment, an extension of your wrist. Don’t be without one the next time you venture into the deep, blue sea.

We look at the history of the Rolex Submariner Watch, featuring the Rolex Sea Dweller and Rolex Deepsea models.