Requiem for the Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000

Discontinued. The unofficial word is that the Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 ceased production in April 2008 to give way to the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA. The Sea-Dweller 4000 is still on Rolex's website at the time of this writing. Like the Sea-Dweller 2000, it appears that the Sea-Dweller 4000 will pass into history.

Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000. The Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 is divers watch with a rotating bezel which is designed to be used as a 60 minute timer. The Sea-Dweller 4000 was the culmination of the partnership of Rolex and the commercial deep sea diving company, COMEX.


The Sea-Dweller 4000 is a beefed up Rolex Submariner. A thicker glass crystal and case back, gives the Sea-Dweller a water resistance rating of 1220m (4000 feet) as against the 300m (1000 feet) of the Submariner. The thicker crystal, distorts the image produced by cyclops magnifying bubble used on other Rolex watches, hence this watch displays the date without magnification. The watch has a helium gas release valve on the side of the case opposite the crown.

Original Helium Gas Release Valve. In order to carry out their work, COMEX divers spent prolonged periods in diving bells under pressure breathing a gas mix that contains helium. Helium molecules are the second smallest found in nature an thus works its way even water resistant watches. When a diver resurfaces, the helium which built up inside the watch starts to expand quicker than it can escape, leading to an increase in pressure inside the watch. The pressure in the watch would blow the crystal straight out of the case.

In collaboration with COMEX, Rolex developed a helium gas release valve. This would allow the built up helium gases to escape. The first watch Rolex developed for COMEX was a Submariner Ref. 5513 outfitted with a helium gas release valve. In 1972, Rolex built the Ref. 5514 exclusively for COMEX.

In 1977, a new Submariner was developed for COMEX with a 600 m. water resistance rating. This became known as the Rolex Sea Dweller 2000.

Specificiations. The Sea-Dweller 4000 is powered by the same COSC certified Rolex 3135 automatic winding movement that is used on the Submariner. This movement produces the expected 28,800 vibrations per hour. The watch casing has a diameter of 40mm. The Sea-Dweller is available only in one configuration: stainless steel and black, with a brushed steel Oyster bracelet.

Some might ask, what it the big deal. A new Sea-Dweller, the DEEPSEA, is about to hit the market, and other many Rolex watches have been upgraded in the past few years. The Rolex GMT Master II was recently upgraded with a new bezel, dial, bracelet and movement. But it was still a GMT Master II, just upgraded.

In the case of the Sea-Dweller 4000, it is not the same thing. The passing of the older Sea-Dweller 2000 for the newer Sea-Dweller 4000 was simply an upgrade. However, the release of the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA, feels more like the end of the line. The Sea-Dweller was a modified Submariner. Whereas the Sea-Dweller 4000 was marginally larger than a Submariner, the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA is a completely different beast. With a 43mm case diameter and being 17mm thick, it is substantially larger than the Sea-Dweller 4000. While the case is reminiscent of the Submariner and Sea-Dweller 4000, it is decidedly different. The new case, which displays the words "Original Helium Gas Release Valve" and "Ring Lock System" on the ring surrounding the dial, makes the watch look less like a functional tool than the unassuming Sea-Dweller 4000. The DEEPSEA is also more heavily branded.

For better or worse, the Sea-Dweller 4000 appears to be going into history.

About Rolex. Rolex SA is a Swiss manufacturer of wristwatches and accessories founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis. Rolex is the largest single luxury watch brand by far, producing over 2000 watches per day. Rolex is the best known and most sought after watch brand in the world.