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An Interesting History of Rolex’s Aquatic Watches

Writer's picture: Bert LeviBert Levi


One of the things I love about Rolex watches is the history of this remarkable company. Today, time is easy to measure, so easy that it’s hard for us to think about how things weren’t so simple just seventy-five years ago. Even fifty years ago, digital timekeeping was an entirely new concept. I thought today I would talk about Rolex’s waterproof watches and how they were developed.


Watches that can withstand water are common, but there was a time when there weren’t any on the market. Rolex created its first water resistant watch in the late 1920s. However, the company wanted to create a diver’s watch, a timepiece that could be deeply submerged. In 1953, a prototype called the Deep Sea Special went more than ten-thousand feet below the surface of the ocean successfully. This led to Rolex offering diving watches for sale. The earlier model was the Rolex Submariner, and the variations of that watch were very popular and well-received.


However, Rolex wasn’t satisfied. They created a special model tested by the same man, Professor Auguste Piccard, who tested their first model. This time, the watch went all the way to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. That’s more than thirty-five thousand feet below the surface of the ocean. That’s more than six miles! The Rolex Picard sold very well.


Today’s waterproof models are the classic Submariner and the beautiful Sea Dweller. Diver’s watches manufactured by Rolex are the most accurate and reliable available on the market, except for watches designed for specific mission purposes.


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©2025 by Bert Levi Family Jewelers.

Levi Family Jewelers Is a Third-Generation Jeweler Committed to Developing Relationships That Last a Lifetime. Part Of That Is Making Something Clear to You. We are not an official dealer for any of the watch brands we sell and have no affiliation with any of the manufacturers. All brand names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. We are not affiliated with Rolex S.A., Rolex USA, or any of its subsidiaries, Rolex, www.rolex.com, is under no obligation to warranty-service watches sold by Levi Family Jewelers. Rolex Datejust, Rolex Day Date President, Submariner, Presidential, Explorer, Sea Dweller, Super President, GMT Master, GMT, YachtMaster, Prince, Milgaus, MasterPiece, Air King, Cosmograph Daytona, and PearlMaster are all registered trademarks of the Rolex Corporation ( Rolex USA, Rolex S.A.) To buy a new Rolex watch, please visit the Rolex website for a list of authorized Rolex dealers near you.

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