SD43 and 2018 DSSD Comparison

[fishingbear]

This is great comparable visual info. Thanks for posting!

[epc2]

Very nice , How the new Deepsea compares with the V1 comfort wise?Does it feels less top heavy with the wider bracelet?

Thanks.

[jonnyz1245]

great comparison. Thanks!

[rob]

Thanks for posting!

[scombs263]

Thanks for sharing.

[samson66]

Interesting. So it appears they share a common bezel. Unless I'm mistaken the DSSD dial is still 1mm smaller than the SD43? The ring lock makes up the 1mm right? And the bezel is 43mm but the case is 44mm? Odd...

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[siempreko]

Thank you OP! Your post was very helpful in educating me and n the differences between the two!

Cheers!


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[yannis]

Great pair.

[HankSolon]

I didn't find some clasp pics of the SD43 and Deepsea. Are they interchangable?

The 126699 SD43 seems to have a clasp with 19mm width. Is it the same with the 126660?

I'm asking because I own a 16600 SD with a 98210 clasp and I really like the deepsea glide lock.

[gttime]

Originally Posted by HankSolon

I didn't find some clasp pics of the SD43 and Deepsea. Are they interchangable?

The 126699 SD43 seems to have a clasp with 19mm width. Is it the same with the 126660?

I'm asking because I own a 16600 SD with a 98210 clasp and I really like the deepsea glide lock.

I’ll double check later this morning but I believe they must be interchangeable between the 126600 and 126660. I did confirm with the AD that the removable links are interchangeable. I plan on removing the divers extension but will need another link so I have a couple on order and it’s the same part number for the SD43 and the new DSSD.

[FiguredMaple]

Thank you for posting!
Something like this with a sub/gmt and sd43 would be good too.

[HankSolon]

Originally Posted by gttime

I plan on removing the divers extension

I use the divers extension on my Glidelock. To make it more comfortable I have a halflink left and right of the Glidelock.

Like this FL - HL - GL - DE - HL - FL

(FL = Full-Link and rest of the bracelet; HL=Half-Link; GL=Glidelock; DE= Divers Extension)

[gt0279a]

Originally Posted by gttime

I’ll double check later this morning but I believe they must be interchangeable between the 126600 and 126660. I did confirm with the AD that the removable links are interchangeable. I plan on removing the divers extension but will need another link so I have a couple on order and it’s the same part number for the SD43 and the new DSSD.

The old DSSD with 21mm endlinks share the same link and clasp size with all the 20mm oysters, including the 16600 mentioned.

The newest DSSD and SD43 with 22mm endlinks share the same link and clasp size.

[gttime]

Originally Posted by gt0279a

The old DSSD with 21mm endlinks share the same link and clasp size with all the 20mm oysters, including the 16600 mentioned.

The newest DSSD and SD43 with 22mm endlinks share the same link and clasp size.

Yep as I said above the links are the same and the clasps are the same width. Just didn’t want to speak to the clasp attaching links without checking first and those are also the same.

[HankSolon]

Wow great work, thanks! :-)

I‘m not sure if I will buy the SD50 one day. If I do so, I will likely try to swap the glidelock.

[GTC]

Originally Posted by Finfin

The DSSD has a flatter wider contact patch with the skin adding some comfort to this watch. But the weight of the DSSD makes its presence known. As someone else said, the DSSD is a blast to wear as a weekend watch.

At delivery the two surprises for me included that the 126660 is surprisingly easy and comfortable to wear. Can be enjoyed as a daily with no problem. And, as the OP notes, the DSSD is also more legible than the SD43.

Subjectively, while the SD43 has a more appealing dial than the black DSSD, the DSSD Blue stands at the top of all three by a margin.

[Chadridv]

Great post! Thank you.

[crazycarlitos]

Originally Posted by gttime

Thx for sharing.

U can clearly see the bigger footprint of the DSSD vs SD43. Never realized this before. I wonder why Rolex did not use wider caseback for the SD43... since I would think that would add to the comfort.

[gt0279a]

Originally Posted by crazycarlitos

Thx for sharing.

U can clearly see the bigger footprint of the DSSD vs SD43. Never realized this before. I wonder why Rolex did not use wider caseback for the SD43... since I would think that would add to the comfort.

Exact same caseback as the SD4k, just like the SD43 and DSSD have the same bracelet link sizes (everything is identical except the clasp and endlinks)

[GTC]

Originally Posted by gt0279a

Exact same caseback as the SD4k, just like the SD43 and DSSD have the same bracelet link sizes (everything is identical except the clasp and endlinks)

“The caseback of the 43mm Sea-Dweller is steel like the rest of the watch – the Deepsea, however, uses a titanium caseback. Both are hermetically sealed and only opened with a special Rolex tool.”

“What's interesting here is that the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller, which clocks in at just one millimeter larger than the new Sea-Dweller, is rated to an astonishing 12,800 feet using the Rolex Ring Lock system. Granted, the watch is not only 1mm larger than the Sea-Dweller, but also considerably thicker (though it uses a neat titanium caseback to save some weight – not found on the Sea-Dweller, new or old) however one would think if a patron was interested in a 43mm super diver, he'd simply take the next step and have the Deepsea in exchange for a little extra heft.”

HODINKEE

[GL33]

I actually find the thickness of the crystal on the DSSD to make it less legible at many different viewing angles than the SD43. Slightly larger hands on each would be perfect in my opinion.

[GTC]

Originally Posted by GL33

I actually find the thickness of the crystal on the DSSD to make it less legible at many different viewing angles than the SD43. Slightly larger hands on each would be perfect in my opinion.

Actually, the legibility of the DSSD appears undisturbed by the crystal at everything but the most extreme viewing angles; i.e. those angles that would not be used in practice. Here is one of those angles. Notice in the extreme blow-up you can still easily make out all the fine print. The very tiny 'Swiss Made' is readable as well.

While in theory one might expect the 5.5mm crystal to be less legible, or need it to be, looking at an actual DSSD reveals that the crystal does not distort the view or compromise legibility (there is of course some minor reflection from a direct sunlight picture from an iPhone).

Both my son and I agree the DSSD is more legible than my EXP II or his Sub.

[marc2828]

great comparison. Weird that the bezels are the same size...the depth of the ring with the text inside the bezel on the Deep Sea optically makes the face look wider to my eye. I have tried on both and went with the SD43 due to the thinner height and cyclops (I am old and can't see the date). Love the look of both though. As an aside, the Rolex dealer in Willowbrook Mall in NJ has a DSSD 126660 black face if anyone interested as of 2 days ago.

[jay_kay]

Brilliant review, thank you. Now I need to find a new DSSD clasp for my SD43.

[GL33]

Interesting, and great pics. I sold my Deepsea because I found there to often be a glare that I have not seen on any of the other divers I have owned including SD43 and Subs. Glad that has not been an issue for you because it is an awesome watch.

[VicLeChic]

Great comparison, thanks for sharing. I own the SD43 but find the DSSD also very cool. I'd have a hard time chosng between these two. Last year was a different story with the 116660, but this time around with the 126660 the DSSD has become a very attractive proposition.

[fishingbear]

Very nice comp pics, thanks!

[ckwong]

Thanks for the pics. I personally think the DSSD is too thick for me.

[nektar]

Huge and heavy watchesI love them both... but not for all day Long lol


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[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by GTC

“The caseback of the 43mm Sea-Dweller is steel like the rest of the watch – the Deepsea, however, uses a titanium caseback. Both are hermetically sealed and only opened with a special Rolex tool.”

“What's interesting here is that the Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller, which clocks in at just one millimeter larger than the new Sea-Dweller, is rated to an astonishing 12,800 feet using the Rolex Ring Lock system. Granted, the watch is not only 1mm larger than the Sea-Dweller, but also considerably thicker (though it uses a neat titanium caseback to save some weight – not found on the Sea-Dweller, new or old) however one would think if a patron was interested in a 43mm super diver, he'd simply take the next step and have the Deepsea in exchange for a little extra heft.”

HODINKEE

This is how misinformation spreads. Reviewers who pass off data they assume as some handy fact, ablogtowatch does this all the time as well. As just one example I saw yesterday, "and the glidelock on the Submariner adjust the length of the watch several centimeters"....
Several?? wow...

The real reason the caseback is titanium is so at extreme depths it will actually flex. The ring lock system actually works by pressure being exerted on the ring lock system and the small flex of the caseback helps in this way. The slight flex under extreme pressure exerted on the caseback returns to it's original shape.
This would not happen with steel. Yes, there is a weight savings, but that isn't the reason, "to make it lighter".


From Rolex:
*Function of the Rolex Deepsea
the titanium case back
The case architecture that enables the Rolex Deepsea to resist the colossal pressure exerted by water at great depths takes advantage of two surprising features. First of all, the very strong titanium case back is almost imperceptibly flexible thanks to the natural qualities of the alloy, making it extremely resilient to such huge forces. Secondly, the water pressure itself forces the three core components of the Ringlock System, including the case back, tighter and tighter together as the depth increases, naturally reinforcing the hermetic seal of the case.

https://www.rolex.com/content/dam/ro...deepsea_en.pdf


And also a great article here about the Deepsea.
http://watchesbysjx.com/2016/04/up-c...ck-system.html

It doesn't seem like quite an achievement to just make a watch more waterproof. And when you consider how complicated and ingenious the Skydweller is, you would think the Deepsea is just another waterproof watch.
However, it really is a highly advanced technical and engineering achievement.