
Jonathan Darracott
Global Head
Sold for £31,312.50 inc. premium
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Head of sale, Knightsbridge
The 'Double-Red' Sea-Dweller reference 1665 appeared in the Rolex catalogue from 1973 until 1975. The nickname refers to the two red printed lines on the dial. The 'Sea-Dweller 2000' was one of the first production watches to employ a gas-escape valve on the band of the case, which allows the interior of a watch to decompress and avoids damage. 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 dial variations for the Double-Red Sea-Dweller are named Mark I to Mark IV among collectors and are distinguished by small variations in the style of the red writing. The present watch has a Mark II dial.