THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 1665
YEAR: 1973
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 40MM
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

The Sea-Dweller is, to this day, the only Rolex sports model born out of pure necessity. Unlike the MilSub—which was effectively a modified 5513—the Sea-Dweller was created because the dive watch Rolex had at the time simply could not keep up with the rapidly evolving world of saturation diving.

In the 1960s, underwater research was advancing at a remarkable pace. Rolex found itself in a horological race to the bottom, going head-to-head with Omega. They needed to produce a professional dive watch capable of accompanying saturation divers routinely working beyond 300 metres. Omega won the initial battle with the Seamaster 600, or "Ploprof", developed with assistance from Comex divers. 

But it is fair to say Rolex won the war. Working with the U.S. Navy's SEALAB divers, known as Aquanauts, Rolex first modified the Submariner 5513 with a valve that allowed helium to escape the case during decompression. The solution proved less than ideal, prompting the development of an entirely new case architecture. By 1971, Rolex had formed a partnership with Comex after Omega's relationship with the French diving company came to an end. Rolex agreed to supply watches to Comex free of charge in exchange for detailed real-world testing and feedback.

The ref. 1665 was produced from 1967 until 1983, with the famous "Double Red" variants manufactured between 1967 and 1977. Interestingly, although production began in 1967, the model was not officially available to the public until 1971, with most earlier examples intended exclusively for professional use.

The 3.5m serial watch features the rare and desirable Mk3 dial, and the dial is undoubtedly the star of the show. The. tritium markers have developed a rich, deep patina with no staining, perfectly matched by the hands. The correct regular "5" insert has faded beautifully over the decades. The correct brushed silver date wheel displays gentle ageing throughout. The case and bracelet have been polished in the past but remain in excellent condition, showing only light signs of wear. The original 9315/380 folded-link bracelet, fitted with the correct A (1976) clasp, retains all of its links, with two spare links included in the box. Fully linked, it will accommodate wrists up to 20 cm.

The movement came to us in excellent health and is running at -3 s/d, with 285° amplitude and a 0.2 ms beat error. The watch also passed a 5-bar pressure test with ease.

This is an exceptionally well-priced example of one of Rolex's most iconic and highly collectible sports watches.