Description
- A desirable pre-worn Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 wristwatch - reference 16600
- Sold new in 2008
- Two owners: acquired by the consignor in 2010
Comes in very good, pre-worn condition, showing light signs of use.
Includes original Rolex box, Rolex international warranty card, Buehlmann table card for safe diving, folder, swing tag, and diver and Oyster booklets.
Complete with its 2010 bill of purchase from Goldmarket jewellers in Weston-Super-Mare, UK. Warranty card features details of original purchase at UK jeweller Ernest Jones in 2008.
This reference is no longer manufactured so is of ever-increasing scarcity.
Key details
Reference number: 16600
Year: 2008
Pre-worn: Yes
Box: Yes
Papers: Yes
Warranty: Expired
Case: 40mm in steel
Bracelet: Steel (Oyster fliplock)
Water resistance: 4000 feet / 1220m
Movement: Automatic self-winding 3135
Number of jewels: 31
Your Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 wristwatch - ref 16600
The stainless steel, oyster-bracelet watch is hugely desirable among Rolex collectors. Far scarcer and more coveted than its cousin, the Submariner, the Sea-Dweller is the choice for the Rolex collector with a touch of flair.
This example features:
- Calibre 3135 automatic movement: Regarded by many as the gold-standard of Rolex movements. Offering high resistance to temperature changes and shocks, the 3135 provides a superb -4/+6 seconds a day precision, supplying you with incredibly accurate timekeeping. Plus a 48-hour power reserve
- Helium escape valve: Ensures the watch doesn't explode due to decompression sickness ("the bends" after a long time under water
- Steel case: Ensures the watch remains waterproof to an extraordinary 4000 feet - twice the depth of the deepest human dive to date
- 904L Stainless steel: For strong corrosion resistance, and a handsome polish
- All matte 93150 Oyster fliplock bracelet: Tough yet handsome: suitable for wearing all-day and for any occasion
- Black anodised graduated dive bezel: Enables you to instantly view the time you've spent under water
- Sapphire crystal glass: Giving you scratch-resistant performance and superb legibility
- Luminova dial: Superb, instant, readability
Highly collectible
Rolex sport models fashioned in steel such as the Sea-Dweller continue to offer superb value for money.
The Sea-Dweller in particular is hugely desirable, due to its strong looks, terrific performance and history of price-growth.
The Sea-Dweller has been produced in far smaller quantities than the Submariner, so is the much rarer of the two. It is also hugely popular with collectors who value its greater technical qualities than the Submariner.
The inclusion of its original warranty card boosts the watch's attraction for buyers, adding a strong layer of authenticity.
The presence of the original box, inserts and bill of purchase only enhances its desirability still further.
History of the Rolex Sea-Dweller
Rolex launched the original Sea-Dweller in 1967 as a commercial diver's watch capable of reaching even lower depths than the existing Rolex Submariner (water resistant to 200m).
Rolex's solution was a helium escape valve, which enabled the Sea-Dweller to initially achieve 2,000 feet, or 610m.
Rolex continued to improve the design and in 1978 released a new version (ref. 16660) with a larger helium release valve and an increased resistance rating of 4,000 feet or 1,220m.
In 1988 Rolex released the Sea-Dweller ref. 16600 (the watch offered in this listing), complete with calibre 3135 movement, solid end-links on the bracelet and a glossy dial. For many this is the pinnacle of the Sea-Dweller line.
Rolex discontinued the Sea-Dweller in 2008, the year your watch was crafted - making it among the last of a legendary reference.
Roles re-introduced the Sea-Dweller in 2014 as ref 116600, complete with slight changes, including a thinner case.
If you’re investing in watches - Rolex is the only place to start
No other luxury watch can match its brand recognition. It is the penny black of the watch world.
The demand for high-end watches, and Rolexes in particular, has soared in recent years.
Yet Rolex continues to produce its models in limited numbers.
Waiting lists for new examples can now stretch out for years, and collectors are increasingly turning to the secondary market - pushing prices ever higher.
It's predicted that by 2025 the global market for pre-owned watches will be worth $30 billion.
Why own a Rolex?
Established in London in 1905, Rolex has a reputation and pedigree like no other watchmaker. It’s a reputation that has been well earned.
The company has the same drive for perfection today as it did when it was established over 100 years ago:
- Every Rolex is made from the finest precious metals and materials
- It tells time incredibly accurately for a mechanical watch
- The movements are all made by hand by skilled artisans - it takes a year to create a Rolex
Rolex is synonymous with quality. Craftsmanship. The best. There’s a reason Edmund Hillary wore a Rolex when he conquered Everest in 1953.
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- BUY NOW: Order online, by phone +44 (0)1534 639 998, or via email info@paulfrasercollectibles.com