Often the setting of myths and legends, the oceans have sparked imagination since the beginning of time. They kindle in man an irrepressible desire for adventure, challenge and even greater achievement, a drive throughout the ages to seek new heights and explore the deep. The new Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea is a product of man's inherit desire to push the boundaries of his dreams and his potential. Waterproof to an extreme depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet), this new-generation diver's watch confirms the supremacy of Rolex in the mastery of waterproofness and demonstrates an ever-present pursuit of excellence.
Waterproof to 3,900meters (12,800 feet)
The Ringlock System is based on a combination of three elements; a high performance nitrogen-alloyed stainless steel ring, positioned inside the middle case of the watch between the crystal and the case back, which withstands the water pressure; A slightly domed 5mm thick synthetic sapphire crystal: and a case back made from grade 5 titanium held tight against the high performance ring by a screw-down 904L steel ring. These three components are set in the middle of a case fashioned from a solid block of corrosion-resistant 904L steel. The Triplock winding crown, equipped with three seals, screws down securely against the case, completing the waterproofness system and offering watertight security akin to a submarine's hatch.
Stringent waterproofness tests
In deep-sea diving, absolute reliability and security are ofthe essence. Each Rolex Deepsea must therefore undergo Rolex's stringent waterproofness tests. 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%.
Helium Escape Vale
The case of the Rolex Deapsea is also equipped with a helium valve. This allows the helium that penetrates the watch during deep-water saturation dives to escape, without harming the timepiece when the gas expands during the decompression stages in a hyperbaric chamber. The case is the product of a perfect alchemy of form and function, aesthetics and technology.
Highly resistantCerachrom bezel insert
The unidirectional rotatable bezel of the Rolex Deapsea is equipped with a black 60-minute graduated Cerachrom insert that allows divers to monitor their time underwater for their safety. The insert, made of an extremely hard and corrosion-resistant ceramic, is virtually scratchproof and its colour is unaffected by ultraviolet rays. The numerals and graduations are engraved in the ceramic and coated with gold or platinum using a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) process patented by Rolex. The bezel's knurled edge offers excellent grip when manipulating the bezel to set dive time.
Legible and functional
Great attention was paid to the legibility of this Professional diver's watch. The Chroma light hour markers and hands are filled with a luminescent material emitting a long-lasting blue glow – lasting up to two times longer than traditional materials. On the bezel, the zero marker of the graduation, in the form of a triangle , is visible in the dark thanks to a capsule containing the same luminescent material.
Bracelet and Clasp
Comfortable and secure, the Deepsea's Oyster bracelet is equipped with an Oysterlock safety clasp, which prevents accidental opening, and with a double extension system that allows the watch to be worn comfortably over a diving suit up to 7mm thick. The Fliplock extension link extends the bracelet by 26mm, while the Glidelock system allows fine adjustments of the bracelet length in 2mm increments for a total of approximately 20mm. Neither of them requires the use of any tools. The Rolex Deepsea is the first watch to feature this bracelet with a double extension system.
