The Rolex Deepsea and 2 Other Extreme Dive Watches

Written by
Mark Bernardo
December 6, 2018

All divers’ watches share certain characteristics that make them divers’ watches: unidirectional rotating bezels, secure screw-down crowns, higher-than-typical water resistance. Some of these divers’ watches, however, go the extra mile (or fathom), with cases that can descend to 3,000 or even 4,000 meters, chronographs operable at incredible depths, or high-tech depth gauge devices built into their mechanical movements. Below, we take a look at the Rolex Deepsea and six other “extreme” dive watches and what sets them apart from the pack.

1. Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea

Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea D-Blue Edition

The Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea has a water-resistance level of 3,900 meters (nearly 13,000 feet), and it is more than 10 percent slimmer than it otherwise would have been thanks to a special case construction developed by Rolex. It consists of three pressure-absorbing elements: a 5.5 mm thick sapphire crystal, a 3.28-mm-thick caseback made of grade 5 titanium, and an inner ring (on which both of them rest) made of Biodur-108 steel. In 2014, Rolex launched the new Rolex Deepsea D-Blue Edition (pictured above), with a proprietary “D-Blue” dial that is dark blue at the top, and then darkens gradually to black at the bottom. At Baselworld 2018, Rolex upgraded the Deepsea further with new case details and a new “Superlative Chronometer” movement; details are here.

2. Breitling Superocean Chronograph M2000

Breitling Superocean Chronograph M2000

The Breitling Superocean Chronograph M2000 has a chronograph that can be operated at a depth of 2,000 meters underwater. The watch is the first to feature a patented magnetic push-piece system, in which the chronograph controls are operated via the metal of the case. Along with the screw-locked crown and the 4-mm-thick sapphire crystal, these pushers enable the wearer to use the watch at the extreme depth of 2,000 meters (or 6,600 feet) without the risk of water seeping in. Click here to read our “Watch to Watch” article on the Breitling Superocean Chronograph M2000.

SOURCE – https://www.watchtime.com/blog/6-extreme-divers-watches/