Vintage Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665 "Double Red" - Vintage of the Week Episode 20 | Bob's Watches

In this episode of Vintage of the Week, we're examining a Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 1665. Shop this Rolex and other vintage watches here: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-sea...

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00:00 INTRO
00:09 Wrist Check
01:24 Vintage Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665
01:58 Helium Gas Escape Valve
02:26 Double-Red Dial
03:08 Purpose-Built Watch
03:47 Comparison with the Submariner
04:29 Comparison with the Vintage Rolex Submariner 1680
05:53 Patina
07:40 Case Back Engravings
08:34 Condition
09:19 Comparison with Current Production Sea-Dweller
10:09 Value
10:18 Comparison with Vintage Rolex Submariner 1680 pt. 2
12:01 OUTRO

Are you interested in learning more about the Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 1665, including its history, features, variations, and where to buy it? Check out our complete Rolex 1665 Sea-Dweller buying guide here: https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blo...

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ROLEX SEA-DWELLER 1665.

The Sea-Dweller wasn’t the first dive watch produced by Rolex. In fact, the brand has an impressive history in that realm, introducing the world’s first waterproof wristwatch in the 1920s via the Rolex Oyster and then the Submariner professional diver’s watch in the 1950s.


The Sea-Dweller entered the market in 1967, featuring a Helium Escape Valve, a feature not included with the Submariner.

The Helium Escape Valve, aka HEV, is an innovative mechanism that allows the gasses that accumulate within the case to be released without dislodging the crystal and compromising the integrity of the case itself.

Because of this feature, the Sea-Dweller would evolve into one of Rolex’s most waterproof watches.

Today, the Rolex catalog also includes the Deepsea, a cousin of the Sea-Dweller, with incredible water resistance up to 3,900 meters/12,800 feet. However, that watch didn’t come to market until 2008.

Aside from being the first Sea-Dweller ever produced and the first Rolex model to feature a Helium Escape Valve, ref. 1665 was also the only Sea-Dweller to feature an older-style domed acrylic crystal.

Rolex introduced the flatter scratch-resistant sapphire crystal to the Sea-Dweller collection after ref. 1665 was discontinued.

It also happens to be the only Sea-Dweller not to feature a Quickset function and is the only Sea-Dweller to have a 610-meter depth rating.


VARIATIONS

Every Sea-Dweller ref. 1665 was produced with a stainless steel 40mm case, a matching three-link Oyster bracelet, a bi-directional timing bezel outfitted with a black aluminum insert, and a domed acrylic crystal.

However, several variations of the Sea-Dweller 1665 exist on the secondary market, making it one of the most intriguing vintage watches to collect.

One of the most well-known variations is the Double Red Sea-Dweller, or DRSD. The dial on these watches features two lines of red text, the "Sea-Dweller" logo and "Submariner 2000."

From there, there are several variations of the Double Red Sea-Dweller that vary in the font used and position of the text on the dial. Those are further categorized into several “Marks,” with one additional service replacement Mark dial.

As expected, the earlier Mark dials are the rarest and most valuable.

It’s also important to note that many of the original Double Red dials were replaced by service dials with all white text and are becoming exceedingly difficult to find on the secondary market.

DRSD dials were produced between 1967 and 1977 before Rolex changed the font to all white. Those watches are also known as "Great White" Sea-Dwellers, of which there are also several dial variations categorized into several different "Marks."

The Mark 2 dial is a common variation referred to as the “rail” dial after the layout of the chronometer rating.

The Great White Sea-Dweller was the last ref. 1665 produced and remained in production until 1983.

Reference 1665 was replaced by the "Triple Six" Sea-Dweller ref. 16660, featuring a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, increased water resistance up to 1,220 meters/4,000 feet, a larger Helium Escape Valve, and a uni-directional bezel mounting.

While those are all excellent dive watch amenities to have, they don't quite compare to the unique retro aesthetic of ref. 1665 with its domed acrylic crystal.

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