Rolex Sea Dweller 16600 Review

[RogerF]

I bought my SD February of this year as a birthday present to myself while visiting my buddy in Boston (so I may not be qualified to give a long term review, but nonetheless I figure I would give my 4 month review) I was lucky that I bought it just before the US had their annual price increase. List price at the time was $4400US, but I was able to get it for a discount $4000 out the door. The main reason for the big discount on the SD is that the Seadweller is no where near as popular as the 16610 Submariner Date and many don't consider the SD as a choice for a Rolex divers watch in their collection because they think its too thick or too heavy. (but more about the weight and what not in a moment)


My first impression of this watch was it has an amazing feel and a very simple look that I could see myself wearing for many years to come. I love watches that have some substance to them and this one clearly does!! The first thing people will surely notice about this watch is that there is no cyclops magnifier over the date. In fact the SD is the ONLY Rolex date model that doesnt have a cyclops and I personally love how clean this watch looks without it. Another feature that the SD has that no other Contemporary Men's Rolex has is engravings on the back (ROLEX OYSTER Original Gas Escape Valve).

The heart of the watch is the company's workhorse the 3135 movement found in the many other watches in the Rolex lineup. This movement was introduced in 1988 and beats a 28,800 bph and of course is a hacking movement. This robust movement can be found in some of my other Rolex watches and I can honestly say it is pretty much near bulletproof even with the abuse I have given them over the years.

The case and bracelet are made of stainless steel, you can have your SD in any metal you wish as long as its SS LOL! in fact the SD only comes one way, which is perfectly ok with me. The SD is actually a derivative of the Submariner, it was designed for professionals that needed a watch that could go deeper and be able to withstand the rigors of saturation diving.


Now we come to the most controversial part of the watch. Its size and weight. I will admit that when I take off my Datejust or GMT Master 2 the SD does feel considerably heavier and its something that you will feel right away, however its not something that will bother most people after you have worn it for a feel minutes. Its really not that bad, but it is definately something to consider since you will have to live with it. I no longer notice the weight after a few minutes of putting it on in the morning.

Its hard to find something wrong with this watch in my opinion (obviously I am a bit biased since I love this watch) but I do have to say that I wish the clasp wouldnt scratch so easily and that the superluminova would glow longers. (Yes I have to be this picky to find something wrong with the watch)


All in all I would give this watch a score of 9/10.