Deep Sea Challenge??

[jeffnnj]

https://www.rolex.com/watches/sea-dw...challenge.html

Saw an add for this. What is it? Not on their website.

[HogwldFLTR]

Rolex Deep is a very special very limited technical proof watch. It is not available as a production model. It went to the bottom of the Mariana Trench on the outside of James Cameron's craft. See the below video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=okSkPBaWkas

[donas]

I believe that is the watch Rolex made a few of in five weeks or so that were eventually strapped to the outside of Jame's Cameron submersible. It is pretty much the Deep Sea on steroids.... I could be wrong, if so I will be corrected posthaste, no doubt.

[shaunylw]

It’s a great documentary, you should check it out for sure.


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[SS Oyster]

Do any private collectors own one of these?

[Wiener48]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

Do any private collectors own one of these?

I take one please

[Fencer]

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

[usling15]

Originally Posted by Fencer

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

40,000ft, crystal,crown w/rubber o'rings .That fits on your wrist ! ??

[usling15]

I saw an article on Hodinke where a famous European Rolex AD had one.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Fencer

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

Have to agree especially in today's computer age, all these huge depth ratings are more of a brag factor mine is bigger than yours,as these depths wearing in water will never be achieved by man or even superman.Fact there are more men that have gone to the moon than have dived to over 300m on just scuba gear.On the Cameron Deepsea Challenger dive although he was wearing a DSSD inside the submersible he was still at 1 atmospheric pressure the same as on surface so he could have worn a Timex.Although a fine technical achievement for the DSSD on the outside arm to withstand the pressure.IMHO the first DSSD back in the 1960s on the bathyscaphe Trieste’s dive to the Mariana Trench was more of a achievement,in those 1960 days no computers to design and simulate the pressure.Today with high powered computers so they could design and simulate on the surface the pressure the watch would have to withstand and just basically build a box to withstand it.

And today I would doubt today if 95% of all dive type watches ever see water other than perhaps a dip in the pool or shower.Reading the many posts on TRF some are afraid to even get them wet.So IMHO today all this depth rating although a technical achievement is little more that pure marketing mine is bigger that yours etc, and yes today many belong to mine is bigger than yours brigade.My deepest dive and very very very carefully planned was a little over 100m and can assure that was plenty deep enough for me and SD.If I remember the deepest recorded dive just on scuba gear was in the Red Sea quite a few years back now ,by a guy called Nuno Gomes total depth was just over 318m perhaps now broken.


Now it only took him about 20/50 minutes to reach that depth,but because of breathing different gasses at that depth and pressure,it took him little over 12 hours with all the safety stops to finally return to the surface safe, and without any decompression treatment.Now at these extreme depths,there are several diving related problems to overcome nitrogen decompression sickness, oxygen toxicity,sheer dehydration and the different affects of the gases when changing over tanks containing the different gas mixtures.Now while breathing the high helium mix the gas wants to leave the blood while the nitrogen wants to rush in.

Now this dive would have not been possible without a huge back up and very careful planning. Gomes is in a very small group of guys that have gone over 250m with just scuba gear.Plain fact there have been more guys to go to the moon,that have got past 250m underwater just on scuba. But most recreational divers today stick to around 30m- 40m max depth on just air.Some more technical recreational divers would go to perhaps 120m but for this type of diving you must be very experienced with plenty of planing and backup.So today the dive ratings on watches are a bit of a joke as they will never be used by man or superman, perhaps they make them today because they can and little more.

[abozz]

Originally Posted by Fencer

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

If is so easy why there are no second-year engineers producing better watches than Rolex? If everything is so simple why the Chinese continue to make very bad fakes?


If it is so easy why Chinese watches are damaged by the year and can not stand a day in the pool?

Why I do not have a Rolex industry in my garage??

[herts9]

Well if this discussion isn't leading down the sour path of disenchantment!

Might as well sell my black DSSD now....


Oh wait, I just may keep it.

Depth rating aside, I like knowing the engineering would allow such a depth to be achieved without compromising the functionality. I will never take this more than 20 feet in any body of water, but I will sleep good tonight knowing that if I fell overboard in nearly any ocean in the world, that my watch would be able to be salvaged and passed onto my son for a pretty interesting story.

[Fencer]

Originally Posted by abozz

If is so easy why there are no second-year engineers producing better watches than Rolex? If everything is so simple why the Chinese continue to make very bad fakes?


If it is so easy why Chinese watches are damaged by the year and can not stand a day in the pool?

Why I do not have a Rolex industry in my garage??

Like I said - nothing to it technically... the rest - questions to those "industry leaders".

[R!$]

50mm?

[Etschell]

you really would want to buy that ugly piece? it is horrid.

[JohnnyMack]

And today I would doubt today if 95% of all dive type watches ever see water other than perhaps a dip in the pool or shower.

Whew...sure glad mine is a 5%-er.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Rolex Deep is a very special very limited technical proof watch. It is not available as a production model. It went to the bottom of the Mariana Trench on the outside of James Cameron's craft. See the below video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=okSkPBaWkas

I saw the watch myself a few days ago.
It was on display at the Australian Maritime Museum in Sydney as there's a James Cameron exhibition currently showing about the dive.
Both the Deepsea Chalenge watch(on loan from Rolex) and the original watch from the 1960 Trieste dive(on loan from the Smithsonian) were together in a discrete corner.

It was really great to see them in the flesh
The engineering was amazing, and interestingly they had a part of the display explaining why they needed to use Acrylic for the observation port.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by herts9

Well if this discussion isn't leading down the sour path of disenchantment!

Might as well sell my black DSSD now....


Oh wait, I just may keep it.

Nah, flick it while you still can.
They're way too over rated and have no place in a civilized society.
I'm getting rid of both of mine

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Fencer

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

Be that as it may.

But I have to ask.
Can the said second year bring it to fruition and prove the design in real practical terms.

[jeffnnj]

I would buy it but only in Everose with a diamond bezel and markers. Basel 2019?


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[Fencer]

Originally Posted by Dirt

Be that as it may.

But I have to ask.
Can the said second year bring it to fruition and prove the design in real practical terms.

What is "real practical" about that watch?

[squatchy]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

Do any private collectors own one of these?

I was told by Rolex staff that none of these were sold privately.

[haven_seeker]

Padi, good info as always! So much to learn on this forum. I am not afraid to get my watches wet but certainly will never get to any of those listed depths!!!

[For the Lulz]

Originally Posted by abozz

If everything is so simple why the Chinese continue to make very bad fakes?

Just because you've only seen terrible fakes, doesn't mean good ones don't exist.

It's just the very good fakes, don't necessarily advertise they're fake, nor that they mass sell like you think.

Chances are you've encountered a fake and not even known it. Some fakes I've seen are close to absolute perfection, the only way you could tell otherwise is comparing 1-1 next to each other, and by using magnification.

Don't assume all fakes are bad as you do because you might end up getting stung.

[jps3b]

Originally Posted by usling15

I saw an article on Hodinke where a famous European Rolex AD had one.

According to my trusted AD, the watch makes its rounds around the world, like a museum piece. He told me the time piece spent some time at the Beverly Hills Geary’s boutique back in 2013 where he was able to show it to clients. After researching this watch, I had to have my own little piece of history...

[jps3b]

Originally Posted by Fencer

I am not sure what all this fuzz is about. Any second year mechanical engineer can design a package to withstand the pressure.

Well Sir, I am not a “mechanical engineer”, so this time piece is a marvel of modern watchmaking to me. Good day

[Jonnyj]

Wow what a watch!!

[herts9]

Originally Posted by Dirt

Nah, flick it while you still can.
They're way too over rated and have no place in a civilized society.
I'm getting rid of both of mine

good plan

For the record, to the contrarians on here, I'd wear the DS Challenge, as a daily. Come on, fight me

[abozz]

Originally Posted by For the Lulz

Just because you've only seen terrible fakes, doesn't mean good ones don't exist.

It's just the very good fakes, don't necessarily advertise they're fake, nor that they mass sell like you think.

Chances are you've encountered a fake and not even known it. Some fakes I've seen are close to absolute perfection, the only way you could tell otherwise is comparing 1-1 next to each other, and by using magnification.

Don't assume all fakes are bad as you do because you might end up getting stung.

After more of 100 years of Rolex fundation are some few good copies that with only open the screwback you will know is a piece of garbage. Is not so easy, so cheap, so communist. Is very hard to get a good product.

If you saw Cameron film when he went down with his submarine, most of the functions were damaged (of the submarine, the Rolex worked perfectly) and had to climb immediately. Is not so easy the perfection!

[Starhutch]

Fitting thread. Just wrapped a Rolex Deepsea event, sharing a few snapshots from an event book.