This attractive Rolex Sea-Dweller 16660 from 1983 has a faded bluish bezel and is accompanied by a very valuable full set.
Launched in 1967, the Sea-Dweller was a wristwatch for professional divers and a technical sensation on the watch market. Not only was the water resistance of the Sea-Dweller higher than that of any other wristwatch produced before it. The Sea-Dweller was also the first diver's watch to have a helium valve. This allowed the excess pressure created in the watch during diving to escape. Without the helium valve, as in the Submariner, for example, there was a great risk that the crystal would shatter due to the enormous overpressure.
Here you can see the triple six reference 16660 from 1983. The watch is accompanied by complete and rare original accessories:
- chronometer certificate, punched with serial number 8119xxx and country code 200 (Italy), seller's stamp "Soc. Acc. Sempl. ABATE & C." from Sanremo, Italy
- Rolex booklet in Italian
- green Rolex leather guarantee holder
- Rolex calendar 1983/1984
- Buehlmann Dive Table, decompression table
- Rolex screwdriver ref. 2100 for adjusting the bracelet
- Rolex warranty translation
- Rolex hangtag
- green Rolex presentation box
- Rolex outer box.
Apart from the full set, this specimen is preserved in fantastic condition and has a very attractive look thanks to the slightly faded bluish bezel.
Condition report
Dial: perfect black matte dial - original and clean tritium lume matching in markers and hands - signed "SWISS - T < 25".
Case: TOP condition - sharp lugs, full profile - slight signs of wear - intact numbers between the lugs.
Bezel: slightly faded into a beautiful bluish color - unidirectional diver's bezel - no scratches - intact pearl - sharp teeth.
Movement: automatic caliber Rolex 3035 - date quickset - hacking seconds - timegrapher: +3s/day, amplitude: 294, beat error: 0.5.
Bracelet: Rolex Oyster stainless steel bracelet with slight signs of wear - reference 93160 - end links 592 - diver's extension - clasp code G (1982) - full length (14 links).
Summing-Up
This Triple Six Sea-Dweller essentially scores with three things: TOP condition, original complete accessories and beautiful and unusual look thanks to the faded bezel. All in all, a high-quality addition for any vintage collection.
Serial number: 8119xxx (1983)
Int.Exe.: 2639083