The New Rolex Deepsea
Rolex is unveiling the new Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea. It features a 44 mm case with redesigned lugs and sides and a broader Oyster bracelet, as well as a correspondingly adapted Oysterlock folding safety clasp. This professional divers’ watch is equipped for the first time with calibre 3235, at the forefront of watchmaking technology.
The new Rolex Deepsea is made of Oystersteel and sports a D-blue dial with a deep-blue to pitch- black gradient. This dial was launched in 2014 on a commemorative version of the watch in tribute to the DEEPSEA CHALLENGE exped- ition. On this journey, partnered by Rolex and the National Geographic Society, film-maker and explorer James Cameron descended 10,908 metres (35,787 feet) to the ocean’s deepest point, located in the Mariana Trench.
Like all Rolex watches, the new Rolex Deepsea carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures singular performance on the wrist.
Oyster Case And Ringlock System
A divers’ watch designed for the deep, the Rolex Deepsea is waterproof to 3,900 metres (12,800 feet). Its Oyster case was developed to ensure phenomenal resistance to pressure without compromising the size and thickness of the watch. The resulting Ringlock System, a patented case architecture, allows the Rolex Deepsea to with- stand the colossal pressure exerted at extreme depths. The Ringlock System is composed of three elements: a domed 5.5 mm-thick sapphire crystal, a high-performance nitrogen-alloyed stain- less steel ring, positioned inside the middle case of the watch, and a case back in Oystersteel and grade 5 titanium. The Triplock winding crown, equipped with three seals, screws down securely against the case, completing the waterproofness system and guaranteeing watertight security akin to a submarine’s hatch.
The case of the Rolex Deepsea is also equipped with a helium escape valve, developed and patented by Rolex in 1967, which works to protect divers’ watches created for the deep. It allows excess pressure built up in the watch case to escape during a diver’s decompression phase in a hyperbaric chamber.
In deep-sea diving, absolute reliability and security are of the essence. Each Rolex Deepsea must therefore undergo the necessary waterproof- ness tests required for divers’ watches. To this end, a special hyperbaric test tank was developed in conjunction with COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises, the world-renowned French company specializing in underwater engineering and hyperbaric technologies). Every single Rolex Deepsea is tested to ensure its waterproofness to a depth of 3,900 metres with an additional safety margin of 25 per cent.
High-Technology Ceramic
The unidirectional rotatable bezel of the Rolex Deepsea is fitted with a 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic that allows divers to monitor their underwater and decompression time for their safety. This Rolex-patented insert, made of an extremely hard and corrosion-resistant ceramic, is virtually scratchproof, and its colour is unaffected by ultraviolet rays. The numerals and the graduations are moulded in the ceramic and coloured with platinum using a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process. The bezel’s knurled edge offers excellent grip when manipulating the bezel to set dive time, even when wearing gloves.
Perpetual Calibre 3235
The new Rolex Deepsea is equipped with calibre 3235, a new-generation movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. A con- summate demonstration of Rolex technology, at the forefront of the art of watchmaking, this self-winding mechanical movement offers fundamental gains in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks and magnetism, convenience
and reliability. It incorporates the Chronergy escapement patented by Rolex, which combines high energy ef ciency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic interference. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue Parachrom hair- spring. Manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive paramagnetic alloy, the Parachrom hairspring is up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. It is also fitted with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring its regularity in any position.
Calibre 3235 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Thanks to its new barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of calibre 3235 extends to approximately 70 hours.
The New Rolex Deepsea
Technical specifications:
Case reference 126660 | Bracelet reference 98220 Category: Oyster Perpetual Professional Superlative Chronometer certification
Case
Type: Oyster (monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown)
Safety: Crown guard forms integral part of middle case; Helium escape valve; Ringlock System case architecture with nitrogen-alloyed steel ring
Diameter: 44 mm
Material: Oystersteel
Middle Case: Oystersteel, satin finish with polished sides
Bezel: Oystersteel, unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic; moulded numerals and graduations coated with platinum via PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition)
Case Back: Oystersteel and grade 5 titanium, solid, screw down with fine fluting
Winding Crown: Screw-down, Triplock triple waterproofness system
Crystal: Domed 5.5 mm-thick sapphire
Waterproofness: 3,900 metres (12,800 feet)
Movement
Calibre: • 3235, Manufacture Rolex • Mechanical movement with bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor
Precision: • −2/+2 sec/day, after casing
Functions: • Centre hour, minute and seconds hands • Instantaneous date at 3 o’clock with secure rapid-setting • Stop-seconds for exact time setting
Oscillator: • Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4 Hz) • Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring • Rolex overcoil • Large balance wheel with variable inertia • High-precision regulating via four gold Microstella nuts • Traversing balance bridge • High-performance Para ex shock absorbers
Escapement: • Chronergy with optimized energy efficiency • Paramagnetic nickel-phosphorus pallet fork and escape wheel
Jewelling: • 31 rubies
Power Reserve: • Approximately 70 hours
Dial
Colour: • D-blue (gradient from deep blue to pitch black), lacquer
Hour Markers: • Highly legible Chromalight appliques (long-lasting luminescence, blue glow) in 18 ct white gold
Hands: • 18 ct white gold, highly legible Chromalight (long-lasting luminescence, blue glow)
Bracelet
Type: • Oyster, three-piece solid links
Material: • Oystersteel, satin finish with polished edges
Clasp: • Oysterlock folding safety clasp • Rolex Glidelock extension system
(approx. 20 mm in increments of approx. 2 mm) • Fliplock extension link (26 mm)
The price for the new Rolex Deepsea is EUR 11,200 in black and EUR 11,450 in blue.
