Deepsea Challenge

The horizon of the deep

As profound as the depths of the ocean may be, they open up new horizons for humanity.

But reaching these yet undiscovered locations requires withstanding extreme pressure. For almost 70 years, Rolex has accompanied explorers, developing ever more powerful tool watches. Models that became both watchmaking icons and benchmarks in the diving world, namely the Submariner, launched in 1953, the Sea-Dweller (1967) and the Rolex Deepsea (2008). A result of this expertise, the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge represents a new milestone in the journey to the deep.

Deepsea Challenge ambiance

A new milestone in the journey to the deep

This model in the Oyster Perpetual collection is inspired by the experimental Rolex Deepsea Challenge watch that James Cameron took on his 10,908-metre (35,787 feet) descent to the Mariana Trench on 26 March 2012. To provide guaranteed performance with optimum comfort on the wrist, the Deepsea Challenge is crafted from RLX titanium, a grade 5 titanium alloy. Equipped with the helium escape valve and the Ringlock system, it is capable of accompanying divers in any environment – during freedives, submersible dives or in hyperbaric chambers – to the extreme depth of 11,000 metres (36,090 feet). In any situation, the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge turns pressure into an ally.

Deepsea Challenge - Peasure

Pressure, an immutable force of nature

The ultimate diver, the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge is an extension of the experimental watch created in 2012 to accompany James Cameron in the Mariana Trench. It is a watch that pushes back the frontiers of innovation, as capable of resisting abyssal pressure as preventing the adverse effects related to helium. This gas, necessary for saturation diving, is composed of atoms that are so tiny they can penetrate the watch case through its waterproof seals when in a hyperbaric chamber. If helium remains trapped in the watch, it can damage it, even separating the crystal from the case during the decompression process. The helium escape valve thus allows the gas to be released without compromising the watch’s waterproofness. A guarantee of trust for underwater explorers, the Deepsea Challenge is also a source of daily inspiration for everyday wearers on their quest to defy the limits.

Deepsea Challenger

Transforming pressure into precious energy

The use of RLX titanium to craft the case and bracelet solved a significant problem: the issue of wearability. A particularly light metal, RLX titanium has reduced the weight of the Deepsea Challenge by 30 per cent compared to that of the experimental watch used in James Cameron’s 2012 expedition. Many years of research were required to overcome all of the watchmaking and manufacturing challenges presented by the Deepsea Challenge. From the design of the case to that of the bracelet, this large diameter watch (50 mm) was developed for everyday use. Capable of withstanding pressure one thousand times greater than that on the surface, it combines the Ringlock system with the helium escape valve, like the Rolex Deepsea before it, making it a complete divers’ watch.

James cameron
Deepsea Challenge - Pushing

Pushing back the limits and opening new horizons

The embodiment of Rolex’s quest for excellence, the Deepsea Challenge views the depths of the ocean as a new frontier of exploration. These territories, deemed hostile and relatively unknown, are actually a source of essential information necessary to the preservation of the planet. Withstanding extraordinary pressures, diving to the depths of human capabilities, expanding the boundaries of our knowledge: the Deepsea Challenge is fully capable of accompanying the pioneers of tomorrow in the face of these challenges.

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