1972 Rolex 1665 MK4 Pumpkin Double Red Sea-Dweller

Description: At 2000 feet below the surface, you’re at a cruising altitude on par with blue whales and giant squids. Any further, and you’d be submerged in currents of black and pressures so advanced, without assistive equipment, you’d be unable to breathe. At 2000 feet below the surface, the 1972 Rolex 1665 ‘Double-Red’ Sea-Dweller is where it’s wanted. 

The Sea-Dweller was developed in part with the United States navy, along with French extreme conditions and deep-dive engineering solutions company ‘COMEX’, and early prototypes borrowed a 5513 Submariner’s skeleton. With a thicker case, domed plexiglass crystal, triplock crown, and helium escapement, Rolex debuted the 1665 in 1967, replacing the Submariner as the go-to dive watch for enthusiasts. 

The Double Red moniker given to the earliest Sea-Dwellers is in reference to the two lines of red text on the dial  these eventually went away in favor of all white texts, which ultimately make these very desirable.

While any Sea-Dweller may be overkill for surface-level atmospheric bodies, it remains a symbol and testament today of Rolex’s commitment to providing tools for pushing the limits, known and unknown, seen and unseen.

This specific DRSD has an amazing pumpkin patina dial. The faded insert is a nice contrast to the very saturated lume plots.

Insert: Faded Ghost insert

Dial: Pumpkin MK4 Double Red

Case: Excellent condition case

Bracelet: Rolex Oyster