Rolex. A fine and rare stainless steel automatic calendar bracelet watch retailed by Tiffany & Co. with Tiffany warranty

Sea-Dweller, Ref: 16660, Circa 1987

Footnotes

This Sea Dweller is one of the rare examples of the reference 16660, a transitional reference which the collector's scene has aptly nicknamed "Triple Six". Improving the case design from its predecessor, the new water resistance of this specialised deep sea diver's watch was increased to a staggering 4.000 feet or 1,220 meters. This was made possible by an upgraded helium escape valve which can be seen in the watch band. The one way valve automatically releases built up gas from inside the case when the diver rises from the deep sea environment without which the watch would be in danger of popping the seals. Interestingly, the plexi glass covering the dial did not feature the usual cyclops magnifying the date window as it adds a pressure point which would cause a weakness. The Sea-Dweller Ref.16660 was also the first model to house the new shock resistant Calibre 3035.

The present example is rare not only because of its transitional reference, but also because it was purchased from the world famous jeweller Tiffany & Co. It proudly sports the retailer's signature on its Mark III dial. Coupled with this the provenance of the watch adds extra intrigue through its connection with the actor and director William 'Bill' Westley. Known largely for his work on movies such as The Mission , The Killing Fields and Fat Man and Little Boy , the watch was given to Bill by one of his lead directors and friends as a Christmas gift in 1988. He kept the watch in grateful appreciation until the present day.

The watch is in spectacular unworn condition and is accompanied by its original Tiffany box and outer card as well as the American printed Tiffany Guarantee papers. Rolex connoisseurs the world over know the rarity of a full set Tiffany watch.