The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Good question. Now that you mention it, I didn't see one, either.

Not every dive watch needs a helium escape valve. The valve is needed when helium seeps into the watch case in helium rich environments by penetrating the gaskets, because as the watch returns to the surface the pressure is less and the helium expands, so blowing the crystal off. However, there are a few saturation diving watches that can prevent helium from entering the case in the first place by using gaskets that don't let helium penetrate into the watch. Hence, no helium in the watch to expand and no need for a helium valve. I guess this Rolie has that construction.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

That begs the question, if it's possible to keep helium from penetrating in the first place, why does any watch have a helium valve?

Because it's a much more cost effective solution.

Wow. I never would have expected so many Negative Nancy's here.

Rolex building this watch is similar to the way an auto manufacturer like Ford or Chevrolet or Fiat or Alfa Romeo participates in auto racing. They don't build race cars to sell to the public, but many technologies they create for racing cars wind up in production cars.

The making of the piece also ties into Rolex's partnership with National Geographic - which is a great audience for Rolex. Look at how much more attention the brand is getting by doing something cool!

I'd rather see a watch manufacturer like Rolex take risks and bring technology to a new level that may be available in the future to all of us vs. adding goofy colors and rubber bezels like some other desperate manufacturers.....

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PAM359, Omega PO Big Size, 1951 Omega Seamaster, Rolex Sea Dweller

I love it and I think it's a shame Rolex are not intending make it a production (or at the very least Limited Edition) piece.

It would be too big for me but I'd love to see one in the flesh, which I never will if there is only going to be one.

51.4mm isn't that ludicrous. We sell quite a few Chronomatic 49s and 50mm U-Boats.

I agree that it would sell out fast.

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I completely agree. I know the crystal puts some people off, but there's really no other way of doing it (at least not with conventional watch-making methods - i.e. not using an oil-filled case).

As I said in one of my posts above, it's a hell of a lot better looking than the CX 20000, plus I think the super-thick crystal is a nice nod to the past.

I think it's great, and it's a real shame Rolex aren't going to make more.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Assuming this is a picture of JC wearing the actual Deepsea Rolex, it actually doesn't wear too bad.
Of course he may not be wearing it, and Rolex strapped it on the outside of the submersible, just to prove it still works!
This pic is of him getting out after returning to the surface and being congratulated by the last man to reach the bottom, USN Lt Don Walsh

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Avenger M1
Airwolf
Omega Planet Ocean 9300
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Chronomat 44 (Yellow Ltd Ed)

In theory, I would agree with this. In practice, I don't get how making a watch with this level of water resistance is of practical benefit to anyone in the "real" world. What technology is there to trickle down? Rolex already makes the standard Deepsea as a production model, which has more WR than most humans can possibly need.

I don't know. Is having a watch that's water resistant past 10 meters really "practical" for 99.9% of us? Do most of us really need a day to day watch that's water resistant past 10 meters?

No.

I'm not as techno savvy when it comes to watches like many are here, but I can only imagine that some of the technologies created or adapted for this piece may have "real world" applications.

Other than that, I think it looks cool and I'd be more than happy to keep it in a safe place for Rolex

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PAM359, Omega PO Big Size, 1951 Omega Seamaster, Rolex Sea Dweller

Actually, yes. A watch's WR rating is a rating of static pressure equivalent to depth; it doesn't take movement into account at those depths, which would increase actual pressure. It wouldn't be that hard to overcome a watch's ten meter WR rating with a splash from a faucet while washing your hands. Personally, I would feel more comfortable with a WR rating of at least 30 meters to deal with even casual exposure to water. Lots of people like to wear their watches swimming, in which case, a WR of 100 or even 300 meters would come in handy. The same goes for casual (i.e., non-world-record setting) SCUBA diving. There are a lot of practical uses for WR ratings up to and over 100 meters. 300m would seem to be around the limit of practical application for most wearers. Much beyond that is gratuitous, except for true deep sea divers.

As for the technology employed in the Deepsea Challenge, given Rolex's dearth of explication as to what they actually did to make that watch special, your guess is as good as mine. We know that it has crazy WR. Based on the video, it would appear Rolex applied the not-so-revolutionary formula of thicker case + thicker crystal = greater WR, which is already employed in a number of watches featuring grossly unnecessary WR ratings. If there's more to the Challenge than that, I would be interested in knowing what it is. At present, though, I don't see it, and Rolex isn't telling us.

Check out this crazy unit at http://www.20000feet.com/

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Veni, vidi, vici

That's the one I mentioned in two of my posts above. Horrible thing. The Rolex looks loads better IMO.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Ok I'm in the minority I think but I actually like it. Sure it would be better if it were a bit bigger but I like it.

Who let this guy in here?