The Vault › All references › Sea-Dweller
Sea-Dweller · 1988 to 2008
“Neo-Vintage SD”
Grade B · 74/100Today's call: Value buy
B: solid, selective. Ranked #70 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (2000) | $4,850 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $9,500 – $11,500 |
| Vs original retail | +116% |
| 1-year trend | +4% |
A 1,220m saturation diver in the classic 40mm case, with no cyclops to interrupt the crystal. Tool-watch collectors love it for exactly that.
Cheaper than the equivalent 16610 Sub for years; the gap has mostly closed.
Twenty years of production made this the Sea-Dweller most divers actually dove: 1,220 meters, no cyclops, drilled lugs for most of the run, and Rolex's bulletproof 3135 inside.
It lived in the Submariner's shadow the whole time, which is why it still trades near five-digit-Sub money despite being rarer and more capable. The neo-vintage crowd has noticed; the gap is closing year by year.
Our verdict: The insider's alternative to a five-digit Sub. Same movement, rarer, flatter crystal.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Black aluminum |
| Notable dials | Black, no cyclops |
| Caliber | 3135 |
| Production | 1988 to 2008 (discontinued) |
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