Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 1665 "Great White" Mk.IV, 1979

This stunning Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 1665 “Great White” Mk.IV, 1979 is an exceptional collector’s piece. Its dial is exquisitely aged, the case is sharp and the tritium lume has an even, creamy tone.

The history behind the Sea-Dweller

The Sea-Dweller was developed due to the need for a durable watch that could withstand saturation diving and go deeper than the Submariner watch. The Submariner, launched in 1954, was the quintessential dive watch – reaching depths of 200 metres (660 feet) – but it had an unusual flaw.  

SeaLab expeditions were conducted by the US Navy to test the long-term effects of living underwater in isolation. This naturally meant saturation diving had to be used, which includes helium in the mixture of breathing gas.

The SeaLab divers, wearing Submariners at the time, noticed that the plexiglass would be expelled from the watch during decompression. This was caused by the build-up of helium particles in the case, which had no way to escape during decompression and were forced out through the watch’s weakest point — the plexiglass.

Named after the divers’ long stays underwater, the Sea-Dweller was developed as a solution to this issue. An escape valve for the helium was incorporated into the side of the case so the plexiglass no longer popped out during decompression. The Sea-Dweller was also developed to tolerate more extreme depths than the Submariner.

The reference 1665 was the first reference for the Sea-Dweller – reference 1665 “Double Red” – and the “Great White” retained this reference from its predecessor.

Why the “Great White” moniker?

Having been popular for over 50 years, the Sea-Dweller has been known by various monikers. From 1977 to 1983, the “Great White” followed its predecessor — the “Double Red”. The ‘double red’ in its title referred to the two lines of red text on the watch face. When you look at this Rolex Sea-Dweller reference 1665 “Great White”, you’ll notice that the text is white, hence its nickname.  

What’s special about this “Great White” Sea-Dweller?

This “Great White” Sea-Dweller, circa 1979, offers water resistance up to 610 metres (2,000 feet) and you can see the helium escape valve on the side of the clean and sharp 40 mm case.

A notable feature of the “Great White” is that it was the last Sea-Dweller to include a plexiglass crystal. Many collectors consider the plexiglass crystal to be an essential element of a vintage watch.

The dial on this mark IV watch is in excellent condition — as is the 1570 calibre, which has just had a full service. This magnificent Rolex Sea-Dweller “Great White” also features a period-correct Oyster bracelet, reference 93150 which will fit wrists upto 18cm.

Shipping:

For orders placed before 2pm orders will be shipped the same day.

Your watch will be carefully packaged and shipped fully insured with leading global courier companies.

Delivery Prices:

Delivery within the UK is Free. Delivery within Europe is £30. Delivery for the Rest of the World is £50.

Returns:

Don't like it or change your mind? Return it for a full refund with our 14 day, no hassle returns on all sales. See the full conditions here.

The Watches

Are all watches authenticated?

All our watches pass through a double authentication process to insure their authenticity. We also provide detailed photos of the watch from all angles to allow you to undertake your own anlysis. Finally as with everything, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to our friendly team

What if something goes wrong with the watch

Whilst all our watches are fully serviced before sale, if something does go wrong, we'll repair it for free as part of our 1 year warranty

Do watches come with original box and papers?

It depends on the individual watch. You can see details under "The Basics" heading on this page. For the majority of vintage watches their original box and papers have been lost to time. Whilst they are nice to have, it’s important to note that “box and papers” DO NOT authenticate a watch despite what many in our trade say. It’s also important to realise alot of sellers (including some of the most well known in the UK) put together full sets of box, papers, hang tags etc by buying blank paperwork and boxes in the secondary market. This is a very regrettable, but unfortunately common occurrence in the trade but something we will never do!

How do I know it will fit?

For metal bracelets we provide the size it will currently fit in the description section of this page. If this measurement is too large or too small we are able to assist in either adding or removing links. We also offer this service, post service on a at-cost basis (i.e. we don't add a margin).

Can you change the strap?

Absolutely! If you don't like the current strap, let us know and we'll change it for free! We maintain a broad selection of styles and can also source straps to your specification free of charge.

Can you source something similar?

Absolutely! If its not quite what you’re looking for just get in touch and we can source one with our Free, No Obligation sourcing service. You can contact us on phone, live chat or simply submit the details of what you’re looking for on our “Find a Watch” page.

Payment

What payment options do you offer?

We accept payment by all leading credit and debit cards, ApplePay as well as bank transfer.

Do you offer financing?

Currently we don't offer financing but it’s something we're exploring.

Shipping & Returns

Can you ship an order to arrive on a certain day?

We can certainly try! We can request with our shipment partners for delivery on a certain day but ultimately the exact delivery date is subject to a number of factors outside our control.

How do I return a watch?

Simply let us know you want to send the watch back within the 14 return period and return it to us via Royal Mail Special Delivery. We’ll process your refund the same day we receive the watch back.

Terms & Conditions

Terms & Conditions

You can find our full terms and conditions here.