Rolex Deepsea and Deepsea Challenge
The watches in the Deepsea range illustrate Rolex’s unique expertise in waterproofness and resistance to underwater pressure. The ultra-resistant Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea and Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge divers’ watches symbolise the long-standing ties between the brand and deep-sea explorers. Introduced in 2008, the Rolex Deepsea is waterproof to 3,900 metres, while the Deepsea Challenge unveiled in 2022 remains waterproof to a depth of 11,000 metres.
Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea
The Rolex Deepsea exceeds the highest demands of professional divers in terms of resistance to underwater pressure, precision and reliability, while retaining the aesthetic codes and characteristics typical of the Professional watches in the Oyster Perpetual collection.
The launch of this deep-sea diving watch also introduced the Ringlock system, an innovative case architecture that enables it to withstand pressure at extreme depths. Its 44 mm Oyster case is equipped with a helium escape valve.
The Rolex Deepsea in Oystersteel is available with an intense black dial or a D-blue dial and features a unidirectional rotatable bezel with a graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic. In 2024, the brand introduced an 18 ct yellow gold version with a blue dial and a Cerachrom insert in blue ceramic.
Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge
The Deepsea Challenge further reinforces Rolex’s standing as a pioneer of watches for deep-sea diving and its expertise in waterproofness and resistance to underwater pressure.
This 50 mm watch is a new version of the experimental Rolex Deepsea Challenge that accompanied filmmaker and explorer James Cameron into the Mariana Trench in 2012, attached to the exterior of his submersible.
Made from RLX titanium, the Deepsea Challenge is available with an intense black dial and features a unidirectional rotatable bezel with a graduated Cerachrom insert in black ceramic.
Ringlock system
Rolex’s patented Ringlock system is used in the brand’s divers’ watches designed for extreme depths, the Rolex Deepsea and the Deepsea Challenge. The result of continuous research into Oyster waterproofness, this reinforced case architecture combines a thick, slightly domed sapphire crystal, a high-performance compression ring and a case back in RLX titanium.
The compression ring is made of nitrogen-alloyed steel on the Oystersteel Rolex Deepsea and the Deepsea Challenge, while the 18 ct yellow gold Rolex Deepsea uses blue high-technology ceramic – a first for this component.
Helium escape valve
The Oyster case of both models also incorporates the helium escape valve patented in 1967. Acting as a safety valve in the brand’s deep-sea diving watches, it allows excess pressure built up inside the case to escape during decompression phases in a hyperbaric chamber – an essential part of saturation diving – without compromising waterproofness.
Stringent waterproofness testing
Absolute reliability and safety are paramount in deep-sea diving. The waterproofness of every Rolex Deepsea and Deepsea Challenge is tested with a safety margin of 25 per cent, in strict accordance with the standards governing divers’ watches.
The Rolex Deepsea, guaranteed waterproof to 3,900 metres, is subjected to the pressure found at 4,875 metres. The Deepsea Challenge, waterproof to 11,000 metres, is tested under pressure equivalent to a depth of 13,750 metres.
For these stringent tests, Rolex developed a special hyperbaric chamber for the Rolex Deepsea and, with the support of French company Comex, a world leader in underwater engineering and hyperbaric technology, an ultra-high-pressure tank for the Deepsea Challenge.
Superlative Chronometer certification
Like all Rolex watches, the models in the Deepsea range carry the Superlative Chronometer certification. This designation confirms that every watch has undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories and according to its own criteria before leaving the manufacture. The green seal symbolises Superlative Chronometer status and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.
