Rolex Vault › All references › Sea-Dweller
Sea-Dweller · 1978 to 1989 · Discontinued · Vintage
“Triple Six”
Graded on the vintage scale: rank #17 of 26 rated vintage references
Market range: the middle half of 14 recorded eBay sales in the last 12 months. Vintage sales include serviced and redialed examples, so the best original pieces can sell above it.
Median recorded eBay sale price for each quarter with 3 or more sales. Dashed line marks the 1980 retail price.
The '666' Sea-Dweller: first sapphire SD, first 1,220m rating, and an eleven-year run. Early matte dials are the chase.
Vintage tool Rolex with a devil's nickname and genuine scarcity: collectors cannot resist the combination.
The 'Triple Six' doubled the Sea-Dweller's rating to 1,220 meters, introduced the sapphire crystal to the line, and got its nickname from its reference number.
Early matte-dial examples (1978 to roughly 1981) are the collector spec and have pulled away from the later gloss dials. It now trades above the equivalent-era 16800 Submariner, reflecting its rarity.
Our verdict: The vintage diver with momentum. Matte dial, unpolished case, or walk away.
| Sizes | 40mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Oyster |
| Factory bezels | Black aluminum |
| Notable dials | Matte (early, premium); Gloss |
| Caliber | 3035 |
| Production | 1978 to 1989 (discontinued) |
| Sold | Example | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $10,500 |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale ↗︎ | $10,992 |
| Jul 16, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale | $8,900 |
| May 21, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale | $7,900 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale | $11,619 |
| Apr 9, 2026 | Pre-owned · eBay sale | $8,200 |
Recorded eBay completed sales, logged at our last data refresh.
Recorded eBay sales from the last 12 months put the typical Rolex Sea-Dweller 16660 at $8,900, with the middle half selling between $8,000 and $11,600 (14 sales). Condition, box and papers move the price within that range.
The Crown Index grades it C (64/100) from real resale data, and today's call is watch. Middle-of-the-pack resale; fine to own, not one to buy expecting it to rise. Past prices are not a forecast.