When it comes to pushing the limits, we humans have proved quite persistent. For instance, a whopping 8000+ of us have summited the highest peak on Earth – Everest. Hell, 24 of us have even been to the Moon! Think about that: 384 400 kilometers of cold, empty, irradiated space lie between ourselves and the Moon – what could be more difficult to overcome than that? Well… 11 kilometers of water, it turns out.
Just 19 people have been to the Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in the Earth’s seabed, and 16 of them went there in the last two years. In 2012, Canadian director and environmentalist James Cameron became the second person ever to make the descent, and it is his thrilling solo dive that the watch on offer here celebrates.
The Deepsea Sea-Dweller James Cameron is the last limited edition watch that Rolex produced (and will likely ever produce) in collaboration with a celebrity. It is also the largest watch Rolex has ever created, measuring 44 mm in diameter and 18 mm thick. Since it incorporates everything the brand has learned over the last 60+ years, the Deepsea Sea-Dweller boasts a water-resistance rating of 3,900 meters (12,800 feet). In case you needed further proof of its capabilities, the watch can be seen strapped to Cameron’s Deepsea Challenger submersible in several shots of his 2014 film Deepsea Challenge 3D, which chronicles his dive. The blue-to-black gradient dial is said to reflect Cameron’s descent into the all-engulfing blackness of the ocean depths, and the green DEEPSEA script is said to symbolize his courage. The dial is adorned with Chromalight hour indices and framed by a 60-minute unidirectional black Cerachrom bezel, whose numerals and graduations are coated in platinum. The case features the patented Ringlock System architecture with a helium escape valve, and it showcases a mixture of fine hairlines and mirror-polished surfaces. Unsurprisingly, the Oyster bracelet shares the case’s immaculate finishing.
The D-Blue (as it is also known) is powered by the Superlative Chronometer in-house caliber 3135. It is currently ticking well within specs.
The watch was just professionally polished and is in immaculate condition, comes without the original box and papers, and is equipped with its original bracelet with 11 links and diving extension.
Covered by a limited warranty of 1 year, starting on the date of purchase.