Rolex's new watch that defies the limits

By: Rohit Yadav

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Updated on: 03-Nov-2022

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Rolex already offers a 3,900-meter ($12,950 Deep Sea Sea-Dweller) watch that far exceeds the chances of human survival. (the deepest ocean excursion ever for a saturated diver, bottoming out at 534 meters in 1988). So would you want a watch so big that it almost triples its theoretically experiential capabilities and pushes the limits of wearability to another level? No, but Rolex isn't the only one to turn the immense depth of functionality of its watches into the ultimate in technical flex.

Though there are a number of brands that offer watches with ratings up to 1000 meters or more, Rolex faced real competition when Omega joined the battle in 2019. The experimental Omega Seamaster was sent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, fixed with the vessel of adventurer Victor Vescovo. Not only did this give Omega victory in having the deepest-travelled watch—reaching 10,916 meters, pipping Cameron (10,908 meters) by 8 meters—but Omega developed a commercially available model, too. The Seamaster Ultra Deep Pro, which was launched by Omega earlier this year was priced at around $12000. The watch had a depth rating of 6000 meters, an achievement which Rolex has now triumphed by almost double.

To prove the capabilities of the watch, Rolex put its watches through the toughest of the testing processes imaginable. They worked with Comex, a French specialist in submersible technology. Rolex has been a long time partner with Comex. Comex helped Rolex by building an all new ultra high pressure tank to put the Deepsea Challenge through its paces. Rolex also claims that all the Deepsea Challenge are tested with an additional 25% safety margin. So in reality the watches can survive up to 13750 meters in depth.

The Deepsea Challenge is always huge, with a diameter of fifty millimetres, something that made the experimental watch taken down by James Cameron unwearable because of the burden of chrome steel involved. This new watch, however, is comprised of Grade five titanium, the identical metal utilized in aeronautical engineering, which boasts severe lightness coupled with strength comparable to that of steel, in addition to excessive resistance to corrosion and temperature It makes the Deepsea Challenge, at 251 grams, 30 per cent lighter than the experimental prototype.

In addition to other new features, Rolex Deepsea Challenge also comes with another iconic Rolex invention, the Helium Escape valve. Rolex invented this in 1967, as the name suggests, it releases Helium gas which builds up inside the case to match the intense pressure at extreme depths. This is to ensure the crystal display does not blow off during decompressions.

Watch collectors, Roxel enthusiasts and some extreme diving professionals will want this ultimate marine tool. The Rolex Deepsea Challenge is Rolex’s way of asserting primacy. With the invention of the Oyster case in 1926, Roxel gave birth to the concept of waterproof watches. The company still uses the Oyster cases in their watches and is pushing the industry into uncharted waters (pun intended).