Amazing Vintage Rolex Double Red Sea-Dweller

By the end of the 1960s, Rolex had gained a great reputation for making watches that could withstand harsh marine conditions. However, thanks to new experiments in saturation diving – a method of replacing nitrogen in an air mixture with helium, allowing commercial divers to work at greater depths and stay underwater for longer periods of time – a new kind of dive watch was needed, one that could bear the unique tests of such deep-sea diving.
The long hours spent in a pressurized chamber can force helium molecules into a diver’s case. During decompression, the trapped helium expands, often generating enough force to cause the crystals to eject from their respective replica watches. Rolex’s solution to this problem is the Sea-Dweller, which installs a gas release valve on the side of the case that allows the trapped helium to safely leave the watch during decompression. Although early prototypes of the Sea-Dweller were built, the Rolex Sea-Dweller was officially unveiled in 1967 as the model 1665.
Production of the Reference 1665 Sea-Dweller continued until the early 1980s, during which time it underwent a number of minor changes. During the first decade of its production, fake Rolex printed the Submariner and Sea-Dweller names in red ink on the dial of the Reference 1665 Sea-Dweller when it was produced. The dials of these “Double Red Sea-Dweller” watches (often abbreviated as DRSD) were often replaced by Rolex service centers with later versions that had white text and no Submariner name at all. As a result of this practice, the original “Double Red” dials have become quite rare and valuable among collectors today.
While it is not impossible to find a Double Red Sea Dish, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find one with the original dial still in pristine condition. This particular Reference 1665 Double Red Sea-Dish has managed to survive all these years without any inadvertent damage to its dial from bent hands, moisture intrusion, or careless watchmakers. In addition, the tritium hour markers have developed a rich antique bronze color, which only adds to the well-preserved and unmistakable vintage aesthetic of this watch.
The Reference 1665 Double Red Sea-Dweller is the first commercial iteration of Rolex’s most capable line of professional sports watches and marks many firsts – both for the replica Rolex brand and for the dive watch industry as a whole. Its rich history, timeless design, and unmistakable vintage aesthetic make the Rolex Double Red Sea-Dweller a true classic and a popular target for serious collectors wishing to own an iconic piece from dive watch history.