Rolex Deep Sea Special Prototype versus Display Model......

[Philipp]

We all know about the exceptional story of the extraordinair Rolex Deep Sea Special, Jacques Piccard & Lt. Don Walsh, Trieste, Challenger Deep, Deepest Dive in 1960 and the latest James Cameron dive to deepest place on earth with a new Rolex DeepSea Challenger attached to his submariner. Today I want to explain the difference between the early, prototype Rolex DeepSea Special Geneva started to develop from 1953 and the later after 1960 by Rolex made a fully engraved Display Version of the DeepSea Special for marketing use by producing a much larger batch and sending it out to their worldwide offices to impress their clients. With their first mayor test on November 30, 1953 a Rolex DSS was attached to the exterior of the Trieste depth craft submariner, which reached a world-record depth of 3150 meters which is 10.245 feet or 2 miles down. This was achieved of the coast of Ponza Island. After surfacing the watch was carefully inspected and was intact and functioning properly. Find below the official Rolex information from their experiences during testing..



In above text we read that Rolex testet ONLY 2 x Proto DSS of which one of the two got handed over to Jacques Piccard for his 1953 deep 3150 meter dive. But until now we known of 3 x original Prototype Rolex DeepSea Specials that are fully intact and survived the extreme tests by Rolex and made between 1953 and 1960 when Piccard & Walsh hit Challenger Deep. Comparing the movement numbers of the exclusive caliber 1000 of both auctioned DSS by Christie's we see they a gap of 92 numbers between No 1 & No 5 Rumor says Rolex had developed 7 examples of the Proto Rolex DSS. The question is how many remained in working condition & does Rolex Geneva have one of these?? Here're 3 known Proto DSS's.



1 - The white dialed DSS ( from Smithsonian Museum, Washington DC ) given directly by Rolex Geneva.

2 - The black dialed DSS with number 01 engraved, caliber 1000 - mov. no. 419.251 sold by Christie's in 2005 for CHF 322,400,-

3 - The black dialed DSS with number 05 engraved, caliber 1000 -mov. no. 419.343 sold by Christie's in 2000 for $ 113,853



1: The Smithsonian Rolex DeepSeaSpecial with unique white dial... Note the different Crown Design then we see with the DSS No 1 as this White DSS doesn't have the extra bigger ring between crown and case, which could point out that it's made before Rolex found all the leaks during testing and adjusted the crown design to withstand the enormous pressure. Also not the different Rolex crown design printed on it's dial, the fingers of the crown are thinner, the mouth is more open, it's less perfect then we see with DSS No 1.







Strangely we see the crown design being adjusted to the final design in following picture of Smithsonian Museum, apparently Rolex changed it AFTER they found out where the leaks where to get the perfect construction.



For comparison, the unique White Submariner ref 6205 from around 54 of my great friend Eric Ku ..



And a rare version in white of the a early Rolex Explorer..



2: The black dialed DSS with number 01 engraved on its case back. NOTE: the extra bigger size ring between the crown and its case, the final construction. The deployant clasp is dated 4/53. Originally given by Hans Wilsdorf and finally sold by the widow at Christies. Maybe its me but WHY would Mr. Wilsdorf alias Rolex give away such a important watch!?



3: The black dialed DSS with number 05 engraved on the back, same crown design & bigger ring between case and crown but more patina on the dial



After the successful deepest dive in 1960, we see the Rolex DSS Display Models, specially designed by Rolex ( sometimes having no movement, or were later added ) to market this remarkable achievement. Below we see Lt. Don Walsh and james Cameron together. Walsh is holding the all steel Rolex Display version and Cameron the new 51mm for experimental use only DeepSea Challenger. NOTE: SO Rolex does NOT have or show the REAL DSS, the early prototype as we see above but LATER Display model! Strange, at least to me!!



We see in next picture the Rolex DSS Display with UNDERLINE from the Rolex website. We Rolex Collectors know that the Underline was from 1963-1964, so NOT even 1960 as when the deepest dive was.. Different case design, different crown design ( one unscrews the big crown, then a smaller crown becomes visible to set the time )



Apparently, its the Rolex DSS that is in the London Science Museum (in the Time Measurement gallery) Here a picture made in the museum, also underline. So now we can come to the conclusion that Rolex Geneva has NO Deep Sea Special in their own vaults as why would they at first use a much later version, a DSS Display instead of a DSS Proto and secondly by using the London Underline version for they worldwide marketing, it tells me they dont have one their own, IMHO and that is REALLY strange to believe !?!



Same Underline DSS on tour at a german Rolex dealer having a exhibition. Picture courtesy by Percy & Hannes of RLX.de


Rolex Ad's..






Piccard Exhibition at Museum Du Leman, testing the different material and domed glasses..












The Underline Rolex DSS-Display No. 20





Here the Rolex DSS No. 31 sold for $ 438.000,= at Christies HK in 2009.





with later Rolex caliber



Inspiration of the DSS case design compared to the Panerai Rolex ref 6152/1



Number 32 of the Rolex DSS having a caliber 1570 sold at Antiquorum in 2003 for 124,500 CHF



Number 35 of the Rolex DSS-Display with movement No. 641867 did NOT sell at AQ in 2002



But No 35 got again offered at German auction Crott & Schmelzer, NOTE She was given by Rolex to the present owner at the beginning of the seventies !!


Here the Rolex DSS from the Beyer Museum in Zurich, next to the, by Hans Wilsdorf personally given, Rolex of Sir Edmund Hillary he wore during Mt. Everest ascent.







Interesting it is to see this version has a T SWISS T dial, with other words, a Rolex dial made AFTER 1965! That means that Rolex was still producing these DSS-Displays long after the 1960 historical dive.





Sideview of the Display DSS, note the less high domed glass it has compared to the early Prototypes at the beginning of this RPR article.


The Piccard Deep Sea Special, given by Bertrand Piccard at the Museum du Leman in Nyon near Geneva.



We see its NOT having the special ring between case and crown, making it a early Display model







Original Sir Edmund Hillary Rolex Bosescks Calcutta & Piccard DeepSea Special Display model







ong before Rolex gave us back the name DeepSea on a Rolex watch with their 2008 über Seadweller model, they already made another DeepSea model in mid 50-ies we see here:



James Cameron with the Deep Sea Challenger next to him attached to robot arm.
I believe the new DeepSea Story is not yet over, Rolex will come up with something I feel! ;-)





regards Philipp

[Puffy]

Cool!! Thanks.for sharing!!!

[Kingair]

Nice Philipp

Prachtig artikel !

Thanks for sharing ;-)

HAGOne

[Johny]

very interesting and informative. thank you.

[Keeperoftime]

Phillip, you always have the most amazing post!!

Thanks again for sharing!!

[dysondiver]

amazing post , many thanks

[Beaumont Miller II]

Great post Philipp. Thank you. Let's make that a sticky.

[Philipp]

Originally Posted by Beaumont Miller II

Let's make that a sticky.

& Thank YOU ;)

[pdoukas]

What a good morning read!

[imono]

Love this.

[mjclark32]

Awesome!

[azguy]

Wow, talk about technology and history

Thanks for the read

[caso.it]

[Philipp]

Historic important picture of Jacques Piccard and the Rolex DSS Proto early 50-ies in Italia, the city Trieste in the background
and the Submariner Trieste that’s officially published in their Rolex Perpetual Spirit Magazine This is the only visuel proof we’ve
ever seen where a Piccard is pictured with the ‘secret’ Rolex on board.




NOTE the end links are not yet perfectly matching of this early DSS Proto.



;)

[RRGHOST1]

Great info,not very subtle to wear under a suit and a shirt !

[drockadam]

What a great read! My grandfather was from Trieste.

[Philipp]

Update:

I forgot the Rolex DSS No 22 that was on tour in US in 2010-2011 with Lt. Don Walsh

[Philipp]

Also on their worldwide 2010 - 50 Years of Underwater Rolex History we see a later DSS-Display, probably No 20 or 22 and not one of the 'real' early ones that made it...

[gwalker]

Thanks Philipp. Wonderful write up. I just recently found out they had for deepsea challenge watches on the sub. Can't wait to see the IMAX film because the 30 min show on NatGeo was a let down.

[Philipp]

I'm also waiting for it ;-)

Thanks! Rg.Philipp

[dddrees]

Thanks Philipp.

Patek has their own museum, and it's my understanding that they have actually purchased back some of the watches they originally sold just so they can preserve them.

It doesn't appear that Rolex is of the same mindset in regards to trying to preserve their history.

[T-Rip]

This has to be the best thread on TRF....

Amazing information.

[HRV]

thank you for this great post

[Philipp]

Just to inform you here properly, i've found another puzzle in the DeepSea Saga as I just received a email from the Curator of Maritime History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. My logic question for my research to Mr. Paul F. Johnston was, which number had been engraved on the case back of their White dialed Rolex DeepSea Special Prototype version thats on display in Washington and we see below.

"Dear Mr. Stahl,

The engraving on the back of our Rolex:

ROLEX OYSTER / NO. 3 / DEEP SEA SPECIAL

I'd be grateful for any information you could provide as to the significance of this, and how it fits into the bigger picture of deep sea Rolex watches.

Best wishes,

Paul F. Johnston, Ph.D. Curator of Maritime History, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. "


I explained that their Rolex DDS is a Prototype, much more rare & important in general then the later, after 1960, made Display version of the DSS. Besides that, we only know of 3 early prototypes of which the Smithsonian is the only one having the experimental white dial.

Rgrds.Philipp

[Philipp]

Another discovery I made today as I found a picture of the case back from the, imho, earliest Rolex Display Version that already where engraved with 10908 Meter & 35789 Feet dated 23.1.1960 with No. 9. So logically we know now that maximum of 8 Proto DSS have been made as with No 9, the Displays started!



rg.Philipp

[Philipp]

Since we know there are only 2 X Proto DSS prepared by Rolex for the 1953 to 3.150 meter dive by comparing the hight of the glasses of No 1, No 3 and No 5 we can now come to the conclusion that DSS No 1 (+ No 2) was made for the 1953 dive with a much LOWER glass, lets call it the DSS mk1, then from the DSS No 3 and No 5, that logically got updated by Rolex engineers AFTER 1953 with the much HIGHER glass to withstand the new challenge for 1960, to a depth of 10.908 meters. This last Proto DSS or MK2 became the example to replicate for the later DSS Displays, that started with No 9.



Conclusion: The DSS No 1 has been to 3.150 meter in 1953 and not to 10.908 meter in 1960 & From DSS No 3 it's possible to withstand the extreme pressure of Challenger Deep Piccard & Walsh managed in '60.

[gensiulia]

grazie Philipp!

[Kingair]

Wow wow wow

Another great port . . . .

Thanks Philipp

Mooi !

HAGOne

[wireball]

Nice thread. Some very good info. Thanks for posting.