Rolex Deepsea Guide: A Timeline of All Models

The Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller, now known only as the Deepsea, is Rolex’s line of dive watches capable of handling extraordinary depths that even a Submariner can’t. The standard Deepsea, which has been part of the Rolex lineup for over 15 years, can withstand the pressure of being over 2.4 miles deep. But Rolex has also made some exceptional watches–like the latest titanium Deepsea Challenge–that can handle being at the deepest point in the entire ocean (almost 7 miles). And that’s not just theoretical. Twice, special Rolex Deepsea watches actually went to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. Here’s our guide to every Rolex Deepsea model ever made, from the first prototypes to the current production models.

Rolex Deepsea Timeline

1953 – The first Deep Sea Special prototype accompanies Swiss physicist and explorer Auguste Piccard on a journey 3,150 meters under the sea with no issues. The watch featured a stainless steel case with a comically massive domed crystal designed to withstand extreme pressures. The Deep Sea Special was not quite a one-of-one; at least five prototypes exist and at least two of those are two-tone watches.

1956-1959 – Rolex wrote the word “Deepsea” on a handful of 34mm Oyster Perpetual ref. 6532 models. It was merely a branding exercise; aside from the name they’re no different than standard Oyster Perpetuals of the day.

1960 – The third Deep Sea Special prototype accompanied the bathyscaphe Trieste on its historic dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, reaching a depth of 10,916 meters (35,814 feet). Christie’s once sold a Deep Sea Special that they claimed was the one to reach the bottom, but Perezcope disproved that narrative.

2008 – Rolex launched the first Sea-Dweller Deepsea, a production model featuring a 44mm stainless steel case. Collectors often call it the “DSSD.” Every standard Deepsea model so far is 17.7mm thick with a water resistance up to 3,900 meters (12,800 feet). Ref. 116660 is powered by the Caliber 3135 movement. And like every Deepsea since, the caseback is made of titanium for maximum strength and minimum thickness.

2012 – Rolex created the Deepsea Challenge prototype for James Cameron’s deep-sea expedition, boasting a 51.4mm diameter, 28.5mm thickness, and water resistance to 12,000 meters (39,370 feet), made from 904L stainless steel. South Park won a Prime Time Emmy for their episode about Cameron’s journey. Incredibly, Rolex only had 53 days to design and create the watch, so they used the standard Deepsea as a template. They used a standard movement, and the same dial size–they basically just increased the size of the mid-case and sapphire crystal to handle the needed levels of pressure. The majority of the hard engineering was already in place.

2014 – Rolex introduced the Sea-Dweller Deepsea D-Blue Dial variant to the existing 116660 model, commemorating James Cameron’s deep-sea expedition with a gradient blue-to-black dial. The word “Deepsea” written in neon green was a nice touch.

2018 – The Sea-Dweller Deepsea (Ref. 126660) was updated with the Caliber 3235 movement, a wider bracelet, and redesigned lugs and sides of the case, improving its aesthetics and comfort.

2022 (Spring) – The current stainless steel Deepsea (Ref. 136660) was introduced, featuring a larger date window, slimmer bezel, and an updated titanium caseback, along with the removal of the diver’s extension link. It’s fairly common for owners of older models to remove the diver’s extension for comfort reasons, and Rolex clearly noticed that. The clasp, naturally, still has Glidelock so it does have some quick adjustability.

2022 (Fall) – Rolex released the Deepsea Challenge (Ref. 126067), the first production model Rolex made of titanium, featuring a 50mm case, 23mm thickness, and water resistance to 11,000 meters (36,090 feet). It’s powered by the Caliber 3230 movement.

2024 – Rolex unveiled the first solid gold Deepsea model, incorporating a blue ceramic compression ring (rather than steel) in the Ringlock system. The word “Sea-Dweller” was also dropped from all Deepsea models.

Deepsea Sea-Dweller Specs

The regular Deepsea Sea-Dweller model has retained the same size and depth rating since its 2008 debut. The gold Deepsea was one of the more exciting 2024 Rolex releases, which aligned with the removal of the word “Sea-Dweller” from the Deepsea lineup. Aside from that, the changes have been mild and evolutionary.

Spec	Sea-Dweller Deepsea (2008)	Sea-Dweller Deepsea (2018)	Deepsea (2022)
Reference Number	116660	126660	136660, 136668
Year Debuted	2008	2018	2022 (Gold option added 2024)
Case Material	Steel	Steel	Steel or 18k yellow gold
Case Diameter	44mm	44mm	44mm
Case Thickness	17.7mm	17.7mm	17.7mm
Water Resistance	12,800 ft (3,900m)	12,800 ft (3,900m)	12,800 ft (3,900m)
Movement Caliber	3135	3235	3235
Notes	First production Sea-Dweller Deepsea. D-Blue dial variant introduced in 2014.	Updated movement, wider bracelet	Larger date window, slimmer bezel, updated titanium caseback. “Sea-Dweller” removed from name in 2024.
Market Price (July 2024)	$9,400 (Black) $11,750 (D-Blue)	$10,700 (Black) $13,900 (D-Blue)	$13,000 (Black) $16,350 (D-Blue) $67,500 (18k gold)

Other Dive Watches:
Rolex Submariner Alternatives
All About the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver
Tudor Pelagos Collector’s Guide
A Guide to Omega Dive Watches

Rolex Deepsea Challenge Specs

Rolex has now made three generations of Deepsea watches designed to be able to go to the bottom of the deepest part of the ocean. Only the newest one is a production model.

Spec	Deep Sea Special (1960)	Deepsea Challenge (2012)	Deepsea Challenge (2022)
Reference Number	N/A	N/A	126067
Year Debuted	1960	2012	2022
Case Material	Stainless steel	904L stainless steel	RLX titanium
Case Diameter	42.7mm	51.4mm	50mm
Case Thickness	36mm	28.5mm	23mm
Water Resistance	35,814 ft (10,916m)	39,370 ft (12,000m)	36,090 ft (11,000m)
Movement Caliber	1570	3135	3230
Notes	Attached to Trieste bathyscaphe for Mariana Trench dive	Attached to James Cameron’s submersible for Mariana Trench dive	First titanium Rolex, only production watch rated >20,000 ft.
Price (July 2024)	N/A	N/A	MSRP: $25,950 Market: $42,500

Rolex Deepsea Price

The MSRP for a new steel Rolex Deepsea starts at $14,250. The D-Blue dial costs $310 extra. The list price of the solid gold version is $58,000 while the Deepsea Challenge is $27,300, although both of those watches can sell for $10,000-$15,000 more than that on the secondhand market. Meanwhile, the cheapest oldest Deepseas (ref. 116660) start around $10,000 used.

116660 vs. 126660 vs. 136660: Telling Them Apart

The 126660 and 136660 have a newer movement (Caliber 3235 instead of 3135) with a longer power reserve (around three days instead of two) than the 116660. That’s why the 116660 is the only Deepsea without a crown between “Swiss” and “Made” at the bottom. The 136660 has no diver’s extension, and it also has a slightly larger date window. Aside from that, one of the easiest ways to tell the generations apart is the casebacks. The 136660 is clearly different from the first two, and the 116660 has more spaced-out text than the 126660.

Rolex’s ability to make watches with preposterous depth ratings is unmatched. The production watch with the second-highest depth rating, the Omega Ultra-Deep, is “only” rated to 20,000 feet–a bit more than half of what the Deepsea Challenge can handle. And if you have fairly large wrists and you want a stainless steel sports model without spending a long time on a Rolex waiting list, a Deepsea is a great choice.

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