At the beginning of November, Rolex suddenly released the new Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge without warning, which is water-resistant to an astonishing depth of 11,000 meters - this depth performance directly breaks the 6,000-meter record set by the mass-produced diver's Seamaster series Ultra Deep released in March 2022, regaining the throne of the peak depth of the mass-produced diver's watch, and opening a new chapter in the deep diving competition of the watch.
Since it is a "mass-produced" watch, Rolex also works on various details such as weight and size, so that it can really have the quality of daily wear. With a diameter of 50 mm, this watch is made of grade 5 titanium, RLX titanium, which also makes the new watch 30% lighter than the experimental watch of 2012. Some components have been improved, such as the crystal mirror, which has been made slimmer to ensure that the overall proportions of the watch are more harmonious and ergonomic. The strap is equipped with the Rolex Glidelock extension system and an oyster-folding folding extension link, allowing the watch to be worn over wetsuits up to 7 mm thick.
The reason why this watch can ride the dust in diving performance is also inseparable from Rolex's patented design. Rolex's patented Ringlock system case structure enables the watch to withstand the enormous water pressure of the deep sea; Helium discharge valve, protection watch; Three-lock crown with three sealing zones. To test the water-resistance of each Deep Sea Challenge watch, Rolex also worked closely with Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises) to build a special hyperbaric chamber that simulates pressure at depths of 13,750 metres.
Working closely with Comex (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises), Rolex built a special hyperbaric chamber that simulates pressure at depths of 13,750 metres.
The waterproof performance of 11,000 meters has long exceeded the limit depth that human diving can withstand, and in terms of practicality, Rolex's breakthrough does not seem to make much sense - after all, no diver will cheer when they see this watch: "Great, swimming in the deep sea of 11,000 meters can easily see the time!" "But in the field of technology, while maintaining a reasonable size for daily wear, the evolution of a diver's watch from 6,000 meters water resistance to 11,000 meters of water resistance is undoubtedly a major breakthrough in the limits of human technology."
In fact, this scientific and technological race for deep diving has been quietly starting since a century ago.
From waterproofing to diving, witness the deep evolution of watchmaking technology
The history of the development of diver's watches is also the history of human adventures in exploring the deep sea. Scuba diving emerged in the late forties and a new need for diving: a watch that could operate under the sea and be accurate and reliable. Accurate diving time is key.
The first waterproof watch, the Rolex Oyster, was introduced in 1926 and crossed the English Channel with female adventurers the following year.
The Rolex Oyster was introduced in 1926, the first waterproof watch on the market. To prove that a watch is water-resistant, it must be able to provide real evidence. In 1927, Mercedes Gleitze, a young British lady, successfully crossed the English Channel wearing a Rolex Oyster. After swimming for more than ten hours to reach the end, the watch she wore was still undamaged and running as usual.
In 1932, Omega launched the first commercially available diver's watch, the Omega Marine watch.
In 1932, Omega launched the first commercially available diver's watch, the Omega Marine watch. In the 30s of the 20th century, American explorer Charles William Beebe successfully dived 14 meters below the Pacific Ocean wearing a diving helmet.
In 1953, the Rolex Submariner was born. This is the first diver's watch to be water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters.
In 1957, Omega designed and released the Seamaster 300 for professional divers and diving enthusiasts, which is waterproof to more than 200 meters.
Since then, diver's watches have continued to develop, and in 1953 the Rolex Submariner was born. This is the first diver's watch to be water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters. Its rotating outer ring allows the diver to read the dive time. In 1957, Omega designed and released the Seamaster 300 for professional divers and diving enthusiasts, which is waterproof to more than 200 meters and seals far beyond the limits of the test equipment at the time.
You chase me to catch up with the diving competition
The sixties marked the second phase of the development of diving, which focused on new challenges: breaking through the depths that humans could reach and the length of time spent living and working on the seabed. With the development and advancement of saturation diving technology, humans can dive deeper and stay on the bottom of the sea for longer.
Introduced in 1967, the Rolex Sea-Striker is waterproof to a depth of 610 meters
In 1970, the Omega Seamaster series 600m Ploprof diving surface was born.
The Rolex Sea-Strikerre, introduced in 1967, met the requirements of saturated divers for a diver's watch and was water-resistant to 610 meters – the year the helium drainage valve unit for professional diving was introduced. In 1970, the Omega Seamaster series 600m Ploprof diving surface was launched, a watch that became famous by the French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his team on the research ship Calypso.
In 1971, the Omega Seamaster series 1000m diver's watch was launched.
In 1978, Rolex increased its diving performance to 1220 meters.
In 1971, the Omega Seamaster series 1000m diver's watch was launched. In 1978, the Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 increased diving performance to 1220 meters. At this point, the performance of the diver's watches produced by each company has been very reliable, enough to cope with all the scenarios of human deep diving. The deep race for diver's watches has temporarily come to an end, and watch brands with diver's watch manufacturing technology have begun to return to professional performance diver's watches such as 100 meters to 300 meters.
A new chapter in deep diving performance
When diver's watches enter the 21st century, consumers have long ceased to look at high-performance diver's watches with a curious eye - classic design, high-tech new materials, stable and accurate performance have become the key for major brands to compete for the diver's watch market. However, just when everyone thought that diver's watches would usher in a quiet development from now on, Rolex opened a new chapter in diving watches in 2008.
In 2008, Rolex introduced the Rolex Deep Diving Model, a diver's watch that is water-resistant to 3,900 meters.
In 2008, Rolex introduced the Rolex Deep Submersible, a diver's watch that is waterproof to a depth of 3,900 meters, at which pressure can crush the submarine like a soda can. In terms of water resistance, there is nothing particularly surprising, and the reason why this watch opens a new chapter in deep diving watches is because the size of this watch is made to be a suitable size for wearing. The Rolex Deep Dive Case with a diameter of 44 mm and the patented Ringlock system greatly increases pressure resistance while retaining the appropriate wearing size, making the watch more robust and reliable.
The Rolex Deepsea Challenge accompanies Cameron's deep submersible to a depth dive of 10,908 metres in the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
In 2012, the innovative case structure and Ringlock system of the Rolex Deep became the blueprint for the Rolex Deepsea Challenge, an experimental diver's watch that is water-resistant to 12,000 meters (39,370 feet). Developed and manufactured exclusively by Rolex, this watch is designed for deep-sea diving and is able to withstand the intense pressure of the depths of the ocean.
On March 26, 2012, the famous director and explorer James Cameron (masterpieces "Titanic", "Avatar") wore this watch to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, setting a new record for solo diving. He dived into the Challenger Deep at 10,908 meters (35,787 feet) to reach the deepest part of the ocean. The Rolex Deep Sea Challenge returns to the surface unscathed.
The professional diver's watch created by Omega accompanied the explorer's deep-sea submersible to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, setting a world record for deep diving with a watch of 10,928 meters.
In April 2019, explorer Victor Veskovo successfully descended to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in a deep-sea submersible called the "Limiting Factor", setting a world record for human diving of 10,928 meters. The OMEGA Seamaster Ocean Universe Ultra Deep professional diver's watch participated in the "Five Oceans Deep Expedition" project and witnessed the birth of a new world record, two of which were mounted on the robotic arm of the submersible and the other on the lander used to collect data. The three watches accompanied the submersible into the deep sea and eventually returned to shore intact.
In 2022, after a fierce competition, the halo of the leader of this century diving competition was worn by Rolex on his head. No one knows when Omega will take this aura back into his hands. But as a watch lover, how about enjoying this protracted and spectacular dive race and applauding every push to the limit?