Two years ago, Rolex updated its venerable and record-setting divers’ watch, the Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller, with a new movement and redesigned case. This year, the Swiss watchmaking titan adds a touch of luxury to its most purpose-driven timepiece with the launch of the Sea-Dweller in Rolesor, aka a combination of Rolex “Oystersteel” and 18k yellow gold. Unveiled this week at Baselworld 2019, the model represents the first use of yellow gold in the Sea-Dweller range.

Other than the use of yellow gold on the rotating dive-scale bezel, the screw-down crown and the Oyster bracelet’s center links, the other notable departure from the 2017 Sea-Dweller model is the use of yellow-gold-colored text for the words “Sea-Dweller” ? replacing the red text that referenced the original model from 1967. Designed as a tough and useful tool watch for that era’s professional deep-sea divers, that watch included among its noteworthy attributes a helium escape valve, patented by Rolex, which helped regulate the built-up air pressure accumulated inside its case during the decompression phases of deep-water saturation dives. This feature (seen below) remains on modern versions of the Sea-Dweller.
Like its predecessor, the Rolesor version of the Sea-Dweller has a case measuring 43 mm in diameter ? 3 mm larger than the 40-mm of the earlier version. The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal over the deep black dial is equipped with a Cyclops lens over the ...