[Video] A Deep Dive Into The Rolex Sea-Dweller

Checked out the video, but going in I thought that any Squale 1521 or Yema Superman is a splendid Dweller replacement, and I was not dissuaded. Granted, I’d rather have a Dweller than a Sub, but the ridiculous notion of marketing watches that do 4000m depth is just grating. The vanishingly small amount of people that ever venture below 200m left aside, for 99,9999% of the planet a skin diver will suffice.

In light of the fact that the Dweller is large, cumbersome and somewhat gauche, I’ll pick a 39mm skin diver with French charm over that huge lump of steel any day. But if I ever really, really wanted something that screamed “toolwatch”, I’d pick up a Sinn UX or Seiko Emperor Tuna. In quartz. Because that’s the movement of choice if you want reliability and shockproofing.

I love this guy, funny as hell!

Nice resume! 116600 for me. Classic form factor but improvements to functionality in the movement, bracelet and lume. I also have a real fondness for the Great White. The modern 43mm monstrosity is an abomination. Rolex could have swung 43mm as an improvement to an instrument watch, but then dashed that excuse with the Cyclops – it leaves the Sub (no date) as the last true dive tool in the catalogue. I doubt the ‘because they could’ cyclops argument – the feedback for poor ‘Dweller sales was always that ‘real Rolexes have a cyclops..’ so I suspect it was a commercial decision. The current ‘Dweller is more Sub+ for the large of wrist and for emerging markets where bigger is always better. I think they originally eschewed the cyclops because it made the crystal even thicker and optical distortion was a problem. A diver in a bell might need to know the date as he’d be down for multiple days, but it was never a frequent need in the way of the desk diver. It will be interesting to see where the model goes – I think it could gain a unique character in the range by returning to the ‘pure tool roots: Ti, matte face, big lume, Oysterflex band with Glidelock clasp… Make that 42mm and the Sub could return to 40mm!