One of the least likely watches to receive a full solid gold case and bracelet — considering it’s a chunky professional dive watch — is Rolex’s Deepsea.

The Rolex Deepsea is now available, for the first time, in solid 18K yellow gold.

The case has all the same dimensions as before, including a 44 mm diameter, a 3,900-meter depth rating, an automatic helium escape valve, and is powered by the same caliber 3235 automatic movement that powers existing Deepsea models. What’s new is the blue lacquer dial, the gold rotating dive bezel with matching blue ceramic insert, the name “DEEPSEA” transferred in powdered yellow on the dial at 6, and the 18K yellow gold case and bracelet.

According to Rolex, “This new version also incorporates a technical innovation: the high-performance compression ring within the Ringlock system is crafted from ceramic. A marvel of precision engineering, this Cerachrom ring is the result of a pioneering manufacturing process. Colored blue and embellished with a circular satin finish and inscriptions that are engraved and then gilded, this component also marks a new way of integrating ceramic into a watch case: the compression resistance and anti-deformation properties of this high-tech material contribute to the waterproofness of the watch.”

Thanks to the solid 18K yellow gold case and bracelet, which are naturally heavy, and the prominent case dimensions of 44 mm x 17.7 mm (51.8 mm lug-to-lug), the total watch weight is over 332  grams — making it one of Rolex’s heaviest watches, if not the heaviest, on the market.

The Rolex Deepsea 18K yellow gold (Ref. 136668LB) features a 5.5 mm thick sapphire crystal and an RLX Titanium screw-in caseback and retails for $52,100.

 

Photos by Rolex.