1028
Rolex
Ref. 1665
Sea-Dweller, “Double Red Tropical MK II”
A very attractive and rare stainless steel diver’s wristwatch with center seconds, date, gas escape valve, MK II tropical dial and bracelet
Full-Cataloguing
- Gorgeous tropical dial
- Correct dial and “thin case” for a MK II example
- Bezel has aged to a light grey hue
Robust, attractive, and purpose-built, the Double Red Sea‑Dweller has become a cult favourite among both vintage Rolex collectors and professional divers. Engineered for extreme depths, it features a helium escape valve—essential for safe decompression after long spells in saturation diving. Although the reference 1665 was officially launched in 1971, unofficial production began as early as 1967. The much‑coveted “double red” dial printing ceased in 1977 and was replaced by white text until the reference ended production in 1981.
Among the various 1665 dial variants, the “Mark II” examples are especially prized for several distinctive traits. Most notably, the dial displays two crisp red lines reading “Sea‑Dweller, Submariner 2000”, with a noticeably smaller font on the second line. Subtle idiosyncrasies—such as slightly distorted coronet spikes and an almost closed “O” beneath the crown—add to its desirability.
This example, bearing a serial around 1.7 million, is fitted with the correct “thin case” and is offered in excellent condition for its age, having been carefully maintained over the past five decades. The last 3 digits of the case number are correctly engraved inside the caseback. The bezel has mellowed to an attractive light‑grey tone, while the dial has developed a beautiful tropical patina—qualities that further enhance its vintage appeal for collectors.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.