Rolex Replica has done it – the luxury watch brand is using titanium for the first time. There have already been speculations and rumors about this. Now it’s official. In the form of the new Sea-Dweller model Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge, whose case, base, strap, bezel and crown are made of titanium RLX (RLX Titanium). This is a titanium grade 5 or, according to Rolex, a titanium alloy selected by Rolex. In addition, the Deepsea Challenge is water resistant up to 11,000 meters (!).

A ROLEX SEA-DWELLER DEEPSEA MADE OF TITANIUM

This is a small sensation. Until now, Rolex has used steel, various gold variants and platinum for its sports models. Now titanium is also part of the repertoire. And since this year at the latest, it has been a watch trend, as I have already written elsewhere. In my opinion, rightly so, as titanium is a very interesting metal with interesting properties (see also Titanium: Advantages/Disadvantages). And anyone who reads this watch blog regularly will also know that titanium has been a popular topic here for some time. The same applies to the Sea-Dweller model series, of which I have one in my collection.

He was following in the footsteps of Jacques Piccard, who was the first to reach these depths in 1960 with the legendary submarine “Trieste” (read more). Both Piccard and Cameron had a Rolex specially made for the occasion with them, which survived the dive to a depth of almost 11,000 meters unscathed.

A rather bulky diving watch that is certainly not for everyone. Not least because of its size and weight. And so it seems only logical that Rolex uses the much lighter, very robust and above all seaworthy material titanium for this model.

From left to right: Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea (2008), Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge (2022), Deep Sea Special (1960), Rolex Deepsea Challenge (2012) and Oyster Perpetual Submariner (1986). In the background, from left to right: models of the submersible DEEPSEA CHALLENGER and the Bathyscaphe Trieste. ©Rolex/Duncan Cole