In 2023, Rolex decided to promote the Deepsea to stand alone as its own series, separate from the Sea-Dweller lineup. This reorganization has established a trio of dive watches that includes the Submariner, the Sea-Dweller, and the Deepsea, with the Deepsea offering the highest water resistance. This characteristic is also reflected in the relatively bulky design of the watches.
Originally, the Deepsea series comprised two models in three styles: the black dial version (ref. 136660-0004), the gradient blue dial known as “D-Blue” (ref. 136660-0003), and the 2022 newcomer, the Deepsea Challenge (ref. 126067), a behemoth with an impressive water resistance of 11,000 meters. The standard models have a water resistance of 3,900 meters. These watches, designed for extremely deep dives, are larger than any other Rolex model, with a minimum case diameter of 44mm and a thickness of at least 17.7mm. In 2024, Rolex introduced a surprising innovation with the Deepsea ref. 136668LB, featuring a gold case paired with a blue Cerachrom bezel and dial, marking the series’ first venture into precious metal cases, thus creating a high-performance version known as the “Blue Sea-Dweller.”
The Sea-Dweller series was quite active in 2022, welcoming the Deepsea Challenge, and the other two models underwent updates to new references (the previous model numbers were the same as those used for the Sea-Dweller, 126660). The term “model update” often brings price adjustments to mind, and indeed, Rolex updated the prices of ref. 136660 after these changes; from the original black dial priced at NT$ 418,000 and the D-Blue at NT$ 428,500, the prices were raised to NT$ 460,000 and NT$ 470,500 respectively. By January 2023, prices had risen again, and by January 2024, another increase followed the pattern, marking about a 20% price increase for the Deepsea models since 2022. The Deepsea Challenge, being an ultra-professional spec watch and the first Rolex made entirely of RLX titanium, was initially priced at NT$ 864,000. This model held its price through 2023 but saw an increase in 2024. The current prices for these models are as follows:
- Ref. 136660-0003 (D-Blue) – NT$ 515,500
- Ref. 136660-0004 (Black Dial) – NT$ 504,500
- Ref. 126067-0001 (Deepsea Challenge) – NT$ 907,000
From this pricing information, we can see that the two standard Deepsea models experienced about a 7% price increase in 2024, and the Deepsea Challenge also had its first price increase, jumping over the NT$ 900,000 mark. Given the practical implications of owning a very thick and large watch (though highly capable), it might seem unrealistic to expect many to spend NT$ 900,000 on such a piece. However, secondary market prices suggest otherwise…
Clean Factory has also launched its own series of Sea-Dweller replicas, perfectly capturing the essence of these iconic dive watches. For enthusiasts wanting to experience the allure of a Sea-Dweller replica, Clean Factory offers a compelling choice with meticulously replicated details and quality.
