Rolex Submariner VS Rolex Sea-Dweller

Which is more classic, Rolex Submariner or Rolex Sea-Dweller? Rolex watch fans argue indefatigably about the topic and there isn’t still the only answer. Today, I’ll introduce them from the history, development, features and differences. 　　

Historical Background
As for Rolex Sea-Dweller, I have to refer to Comex, a French company in undersea engineering established in the 1960s. It was at that time that Andre Heiniger, CEO in Rolex, was interested in deep-sea dive, and Rolex started a cooperation with COMEX. Rolex volunteered to offer Rolex diving watches, and COMEX would send suggestion feedback of performance data in the real undersea environment back to Rolex. To distinguish those watches for COMEX and models for sale, those watches for COMEX were printed with comex, so every of Rolex comex diving watches had been to the undersea. The watch for COMEX is Rolex Submariner or Rolex Sea-Dweller. When are there differences between them?

Rolex Submariner built its senior status in the diving watch field after it was established in 1953. It’s in 1967 Rolex Submariner diving watches printed with comex were regarded as experimental products for COMEX company. Rolex had planned to develop another model since then. Rolex improved those diving watches and called the model the Sea-Dweller according to feedback data from COMEX, so Rolex Sea-Dweller was inclined to be a diving tool with strong resistance to water.To this day, maximal waterproof depth of the Submariner is 300 meters, while the Sea-Dweller Ref.116600/Ref.116600-0003/Ref.126600 and the watch is water resistant to 1,220 meters, and the Sea-Dweller Ref.116660-98210/Ref.126660/Ref.126660 D-Blue Dial extends to 3,900 meters.

Rolex Sea-Dweller

Sea-Dweller’s Features
Due to market positioning, Rolex applied many of new technologies to the Sea-Dweller. The Submariner Ref.5513 was the first model with Helium gas valve which was offered to COMEX. Rolex had had mature technologies to produce gas escape valves hen it planned to built the Sea-Dweller. The Sea-Dweller is water resistant to either 1,220 or 3,900 meters. Professional diving performance causes oversized watch case. Quite a few watch lovers reflect the oversized and thicker watch case lowers good wearing feelings. The Sea-Dweller is available for 40mm and 43mm. The thinnest model is the 15mm-thick Sea-Dweller, the same thickness as the thickest Submariner model. All of The Sea-Dweller models are equipped with black dials except for Deepsea D-Blue Dial which was launched in August of 2014 to pay homage to James Cameron. The Submariner is available in materials and dial colors. All in all, the Sea-Dweller is an extraordinary collection for professional divers.

Which Is More Popular, Rolex Submariner or Rolex Sea-Dweller?
In fact, more choose the Submariner. First, the Submariner is available in materials and dial colors. Second, the Submariner with a cyclops lens looks more stylish than the Sea-Dweller, but the 2018’s Sea-Dweller watch Ref. 126600 has sapphire crystal with a cyclops lens. Third,the Submariner for 40mm is more suitable for most men’s wrists. Fourth, celebrity effect and marketing methods make the Submariner more popular and sell well.