In 1967, the Sea-Dweller joined the Milgauss, Daytona, Submariner, and GMT-Master as part of Rolex’s tool watch line up. The Sea-Dweller may on the surface seem redundant to the Submariner, which could at the time reach a respectable 660 feet, more than necessary for most divers. However, Rolex wanted to accompany those pioneers seeking to reach the deepest parts of the ocean. Shortly after, the Sean Dweller was born, for those determined to push the limitations of humanity. In the post-World War II Rolex – A rare and attractive stainless steel wristwatch with date, “tropical” dial, helium escape valve, bracelet, chronometer certificate, punched guarantee card, and inner and outer presentation boxes era, where scientific developments had accelerated with the innovation of the war years, projects such as SEALAB, the underwater parallel to the Space Race, saw its first underwater habitat successfully tested in 1964 (astronaut Scott Carpenter of Mercury 7 was among the four “aquanauts” sent to live for eleven days in the SEALAB I habitat).

Instrumental to the development of the Sea-Dweller was Robert “Bob” Barth, the only member of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit to participate and dive in all three SEALAB missions, and reaching a depth of 1,025 feet. He, in partnership with a Rolex U.S.A. executive, took up the mantle of solving the issue of the team’s Submariners’ crystal popping of due to the build-up of helium molecules. Together, they solved the problem by incorporating an ingenious helium escape valve (HEV) into the left side of the Sea-Dweller case, a revolutionary invention now in use by so many brands today.

The present Rolex Sea-Dweller, bearing the serial number 2’661’427, has been preserved in beautiful original condition and is fitted with a remarkable “tropical” dial that uniformly aged to a stunning milk chocolate brown color. The dial details are characteristic of the Mark II variant of DRSD dials, with the small oval at the base of the coronet and the “D” in “Dweller” aligned with the “I” in “Submariner”. Typical of the earliest of Sea-Dwellers, the current example has the last three digits of the serial numbers engraved on the inside caseback. Moreover, it retains its original accessories, including its guarantee, as well as the hardly ever seen punched chronometer certificate.