Sea-Dweller Intense Black

The Sea-Dweller, launched in 1967, is a technical divers’ watch that was designed for and in collaboration with the pioneers of professional deep-sea diving, who spent extended periods underwater. Initially guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 610 metres (2,000 feet), then, from 1978, to 1,220 metres (4,000 feet), it played a vital role in the exploration of the deep. This ultra-resistant tool watch accompanied the first experimental underwater habitat programmes. Over time, it has become a symbol of the special ties linking Rolex and the world of undersea exploration.

The Sea-Dweller is equipped with a specific technical feature: the helium escape valve, a decisive innovation patented in 1967. This safety valve on Rolex divers’ watches created for great depths allows excess pressure built up inside the case to be released during a diver’s decompression phase in a hyperbaric chamber – a process inherent to saturation diving – without compromising the waterproofness of the watch. The Sea-Dweller’s Oyster case, 43 mm in diameter and guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 1,220 metres (4,000 feet), is a paragon of robustness and reliability. It is equipped with calibre 3235, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex.