Managing decompression
Discovering the world underwater. Accompanying professional exploration. And mastering the return to the surface.
Rolex created the Oyster Perpetual Sea‑Dweller in 1967 to meet the challenges of prolonged underwater missions. Specifically designed to withstand the decompression process associated with saturation diving, its helium escape valve helps preserve the integrity of the case by releasing excess internal pressure during the ascent to the surface.
A professional diving tool
The Sea-Dweller combines a number of technical innovations to guarantee enhanced waterproofness, exceptional robustness, optimal legibility and comfort in all circumstances.
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Tektite and Tektite II
Rolex partnered with the underwater habitat project Tektite in 1969, for which four aquanauts spent 58 days below the surface of the Caribbean Sea. They were equipped with Rolex watches.
There and back again
This is our helium escape valve. Patented in 1967, it protects our watches designed for extreme diving. Rolex invented this valve so that the helium used for dives in hyperbaric tanks could be released during decompression.
The power of three
This is our Triplock winding crown. It is equipped with an innovative system we introduced in 1970 on the Sea-Dweller: a “triple lock” that creates three sealed zones. As early as 1926, our Oyster case came with a screw-down crown to prevent what “can” happen: water, sweat or dust entering the watch.
Perpetual Planet Initiative
They are explorers, scientists, entrepreneurs or citizens committed to the common good. They explore our world to study and protect ecosystems.
Take it up a notch
This is our Rolex Glidelock extension system. Introduced in 2008 and patented, it enables some of our bracelets to be adjusted up to approximately 15 or 20 mm, notch by notch, without tools. The rack is discreetly housed under the cover of our dive watches’ clasps and as of those equipped with our Oysterflex bracelet.