Rolex is the largest luxury watch brand in the world and is admired by its customers and fans for its excellence in watchmaking, from craftsmanship to quality. The Rolex company has set impeccably high standards for its design and style and continues to make top-selling references that dominate the market each year. Additionally, the brand has made considerable advancements in watches for sport, most specifically diving. Two of its most popular models – the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Sea-Dweller – are very similar. Below, we break down the major differences between them.
What is a Rolex Submariner?
Rolex first introduced the Submariner in 1954. It is arguably the best-selling and most widely-recognized Rolex model. While it was the go-to for professional divers, it became a cult favorite in the U.S. when James Bond, played by actor Sean Connery, sported a reference 6358 in the first film while hunting for Dr. No
What is a Rolex Sea-Dweller?
The Rolex Sea-Dweller looks very similar to the Submariner, but was designed specifically for diving at deeper ranges, and thus is larger, with a bigger sapphire crystal and a helium escape valve to withstand the pressure of total submersion for longer periods of time.
The Differences between the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Sea-Dweller
While both Rolex watch models have many commonalities and are both suited for diving and aquatic activity, the Rolex Sea-Dweller was created specifically for deep sea-drivers and treasure hunters. While the Rolex Submariner has a depth rating of 1,000 feet, the Sea-Dweller holds a record-breaking depth rating of 12,800ft!
Other major differences between the Submariner and Sea-Dweller include case size and thickness, materials used and price. You can find more information about each watch in the chart below.
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Model | Rolex Submariner | Rolex Sea-Dweller |
Price (MSRP) | $7,500+ | $11,350+ |
Materials | Stainless Steel, Titanium, Stainless Steel and Gold (two-tone), Gold | Stainless Steel, Titanium, Stainless Steel and Gold (two-tone) |
Watch Movement | Mechanical, Automatic | Automatic |
Features | Date, Water-proof | Date, Water-proof |
Sizes | 40mm | 43 mm, 44mm |

