An Ode to the Sea Dweller

Being a watch guy involves not only collecting* watches (* – that’s a loaded word, but you get it) but also scouring the Internet on watch forums, Google image searches, and Instagram, drooling over the latest and greatest from the countless watch houses all over the world. Beyond watches themselves, there are accessories like straps and gadgets like winders that just seem to suck the time away. It’s one of my favorite ways to waste time online, and when doing so, it’s hard not to encounter Rolex.

While I’ve never been a huge Rolex guy, I’ve always respected and appreciated GMTs, Submariners, and the original Explorers. I remember one of the first articles that came out around Sid Mashburn, designer and founder of the namesake clothing brand. It talked about his favorite things, and one of them was his Rolex Explorer 1016. I loved it, and at the time, it could be purchased for roughly half of what they’re going for today. Time value of money, am I right? The Rolex Submariners and GMTs are essentially the standard bearers for any Rolex guy, and quite frankly, any watch guy. They look great. They’re 80% watches – in that you can wear them 80% of the time with no issues. Plus, they should continue to grow in value, or at least hold it for the foreseeable future.

And then I found the Sea-Dweller.

Compared to the Submariner: both use the Rolex Calibre 3135 in-house movement. They both feature a 50-hour power reserve. They also have very similar bezels, inserts, and crown. However, here’s where the Sea-Dweller gets fun. First, it can dive up to 4000 feet versus the Sub’s 1000 feet. But, it’s not just that. It’s a bit heavier than the Sub, which won’t let you forget that it’s on your wrist. The Sea-Dweller is a little more expensive than the Sub, but it’s also more exclusive – you don’t see as many.

And if that doesn’t do it for you, then take this into consideration: Tiger Woods wears a DEEPSEA Sea-Dweller. BOOM.