Deepsea 136660 (2022+)

The 136660 is a later generation of Rolex's large Deepsea diving watch. It succeeds the 126660 while retaining the main specifications: a 44-millimeter steel case, automatic calibre 3235 and a depth rating of 3,900 meters. The newer reference does not mean it goes deeper.

The unusual part is the case around that movement. A domed sapphire crystal, 5.5 millimeters thick, sits above an internal support ring. Together with the case back, the Ringlock structure carries the pressure that would otherwise require an even bulkier enclosure.

A separate helium escape valve deals with gas trapped inside during saturation diving. Water pressure pushes inward; trapped gas during decompression can push outward. The Deepsea needs to accommodate both conditions, which is why the valve and the pressure-resistant case are different parts of the design.

From the front, its dial remains recognizably Rolex: large luminous markers, three hands and a date. There is no magnifying lens over the date, despite the amount of glass above it. A black ceramic bezel supplies the elapsed-minute scale, and the Glidelock clasp allows the bracelet to be lengthened in small steps.

The black-dial version makes the construction particularly apparent. The face occupies the center of several substantial rings: the surrounding pressure-system lettering, the minute bezel and the case. With so much space given to the enclosure, the dial itself can look surprisingly small for a 44-millimeter watch.

That is the visual trade-off of the Deepsea. The ordinary display is easy to recognize, but much of the watch exists to protect it under conditions far beyond ordinary swimming or diving.