Rolex 1601 rose gold bezel from III Quater 1967

The Rolex Datejust 1601 is a classic watch that comes with yellow gold, white gold and the rarest red gold fluted bezel. It also comes in solid yellow or rose gold.  This is a Rolex 1601 with the rare rose gold bezel. 

There are several reasons rose-gold Rolexes, let alone, Datejusts are rare. For one, rose gold just wasn’t a common material for men to wear until quite recently as The Asian and Eastern consumers will generally prefer the Yellow gold bezel while the Western Consumers will like the yellow or white gold bezel. As a result, Rolex stopped the production of rose gold watches somewhere in the 1970s and only resumed around the late 1990s. In addition, this watch as the bold applied door stop markers. 

As mentioned earlier, most 1601 vintage 1960’s Datejusts were produced in all stainless steel with white gold bezels, or in steel and 14K yellow gold. A relatively small number were produced in steel and rose (or pink) gold, particularly for the South American market which favored rose gold over yellow gold. We sometimes see this model with yellow markers and hands which is obviously not as desirable as with the correct matching rose gold indexes and hands.

Comparison between yellow gold pen clip and rose gold bezel

Aquastar deepstar watch

I have found a new old stock unusual vintage Aquastar deepstar watch as below. For every Rolex Submariner or Sea Dweller, Blancpain Fifty Fathoms, Omega Seamaster, there were scores of other lesser-known watch brands that nevertheless merit consideration from the vintage watch enthusiast. One of such watch is the Aquastar. 

Aquastar is one of the many watch companies that proliferated just before the Japanese Quartz Watch Crisis. Founded in 1962 by veteran SCUBA diver Frédéric Robert, Aquastar—as the name suggests—took the needs of aquatic sportsmen as its guiding principles. Drawing on a patent filed in 1958 by Aquastar’s parent company, JeanRichard, Aquastar introduced the brand’s first dive watch: the JeanRichard Aquastar 60.

Watches produced by JeanRichard under the Aquastar line were retailed under many brand names, from JeanRichard to Duward, which was primarily used in Spain 7 Europe; which the line became so successful that it became the brand name by which the watches are best-known. 

The company would go on to produce a varied line of purpose-built aquatic timepieces such as the the first regatta timer, but there’s another watch that attracts the attention of vintage chronograph collectors, not least of all for its connection to Jacques Cousteau. 

That would be this watch, the Aquastar Deepstar chronograph which has both the diving function plus that of a chronograph. With its rotating bezel and stainless steel case rated to 100 meters, the Deepstar combined these dive watch features with a chronograph, making it the first of its kind. That added functionality soon attracted the attention of professional divers—including Cousteau. 

Although Cousteau was a proponent of the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner—and later became a vendor of the DOXA Sub300t through his company, U.S. Divers—Cousteau and his crew were by no means married to any particular watch. However, Cousteau’s relationship with the Aquastar Deepstar was certainly quite long-lived. It started in 1965 and lasted for nearly ten years. Cousteau and many of his crew on the Calypso could be seen sporting Aquastars in his landmark television series, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. While these watches surface occasionally on the vintage watch market, they’re rarely in such good condition as the one we offer here, due to the hard use that they were invariably subjected to throughout their lives.

Even though this is not my core watch. It is almost a new old stock and watch looks like a gilt dial plus having a Maxi dial. The markers are also without the usual steel surrounding the markers.

The dial lume  of the watch looks similar to the Aquastar 60 watch from watch sold in Antiquorum : 

The Aquastar dial's lume looks similar to that of the Aquastar 60

https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/aquastar-ref-1903-60-lot-321-453

Another example from 

https://thewatchspotblog.com/aquastar-60-a-schild-cal-1701/

Borrowed photos from https://mentawatches.com/product/aquastar-geneve-deepstar-chronograph/

Comparison with other examples found from the internet web pages

Q2 Apr - June 2025 Review

The second quarter of 2025 has been a super fantastic quarter. I have managed to find some very rare watches and at the same time witnessed a strong finetuning of my watch collection with a focus on Rolex Prince and the Rolex bubbleback series and a happy "upgrade" of my old watch with new old stock dial. 

In addition, I have also found another Chinese watches with unique functions such as the Seagull moonphase watch and focused on vintage complications watches. However, I have gave in to the temptation in forming a new series of vintage Coca Cola advertising watches made by various brands. 

For the coming quarter, I have decided to bring down the number of watches in phases and I have started phase 1 to streamline away my non core watch collection such as the Non Rolex watches, and 34mm size Rolex etc. I have managed to get in 18 new watches but at the same time traded away 28 watches, a reduction of 10 units in quantities.

My core collection consists of the Rolex Prince series, Rolex big Bubbleback, semi bubbleback and normal bubbleback, Day Date, Datejust and Rolex Sports, PP & VC, Military watches and some chronographs plus some miscellaneous (which is still quite wide). I have tried to reduce duplication of watches as part of my streamlining exercise. As such, for the coming months ahead, I shall continue to let go my non core watches and try to stay very focus on the next purchase.

Many has questioned why Vintage watches and not brand new watches?  My answer s simple. Anyone with money can buy a new watch, but there is really no sense of accomplishment or satisfaction after buying it. But for a particular vintage Rolex watch for example, you may not be able to buy it just because you have money. In addition to money, you also need a lot of effort and time to find it. Only when fate arrives will you have the opportunity to buy the Rolex you like. Examples the Rolex Prince Zebra, the 5030 straight lugs Big Bubblebback etc.

What I mean by the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction of collecting old watches is that even if someone has plenty of cash, he may not be able to buy the watches that I have. Some things are not so easy to find. Many auctions have rare old models. It is not a matter of how much money you spend to buy them, but that even if you have money, you cannot find them! !  Every rare watch worth collecting must be hard-earned and have a specific fate and story....I think this will especially resonate with friends who play with vintage watches.

New Old stock Rolex 6298 dial for replacement of the Rolex 6298 bought in 2017.

Seagull special Moonphase edition The watch was inspired by the classic scene of written, directed and acted by French director George Merrill in 1902, 

Rolex Bubbleback with subsidiary seconds

Universal Geneve Tri Compax in 18k rose gold fully serviced (a classic, must have at least one)

Rolex 5031 from the year 1947

Cola cola watch by Universal Geneve from the 1950s

Coca Cola Watch by Helbros from the 1950s

This is one of my grail watch : The Rolex Prince Bi colour Zebra aka Tiger Stripes which is extremely hard to find.

Rolex GMT ref 1675 mk 2 dial from 1972

Rolex DRSD mk4 was a surprise catch as it was a difficult to find watch. In my efforts to reduce duplications in my watch collections, I have managed to trade it with a Rolex 1016, 1803 and 5075.

A usual vintage Aquastar Deep star.

Rolex 1601 rose gold bezel

Watches Found in 2025: 18 Watches

1. Jan 10 : Rolex Day Date 18078 18k Yellow gold bark bezel and bracelet

2. Jan 15 : Rolex Big Bubbleback 5030 18k Rose gold 

3. Feb  7 : Rolex Big Bubbleback 6105 18k Yellow gold

4. Feb 25 : Omega Constellation Kim Il Sung

5. March 3 : Rolex 16613 submariner

6. March 4 : Rolex 1807 Day Date blue dial

7. March 16 : Lowenthal Mono Rattrapante chronograph

8. April : Rolex 6298 new old stock dial

9. April 7 : Seagull Special edition moonphase 

10. May 5 : Rolex Bubbleback 2490 subsidiary seconds

11. May 23 : Universal Genève Tri Compax in 18k rose gold

12. May 28 : Rolex 5031 Big Bubbleback from 1947

13. June 1 : Coca Cola Watch by Universal Geneve from the 1950s

14. June 1 : Coca Cola watch by Helbros from the 1950s

15. June 9 : Rolex Prince Zebra

16. June 14 : Rolex GMT ref 1675 mk2

17. June 20 : Rolex DRSD mk4 serial 4

18. June 23 : Aquastar Deepstar

19. June 27 : Rolex 1601 rose gold bezel

Wish Lists 2025:

1. Rolex 18078 

2. Rolex 5030 

3. Rolex 1807 

4. Rolex Prince Zebra

5. Rolex DRSD 

6. Lemania Nuclear sub chronograph

7. Rolex Lapis dial/ Tiger Eye

8. Rolex Sporting Prince Chronometer ref 1883/1599 Prince with full hunter cover 

Watches Sold/Trade: 28 watches

1. Jan 6 : Rolex steel 鋼 Bubbleback  ref 6050 traded with Longines Tonneau plus cash 

2. Jan 6 : Sold Mido Melik set 

3. Jan 8 : Sold Spare 海鷗八一軍表

4. Feb 5 : Sold Juvenia hand wind watch

5. Feb 7 : Traded Rolex bi colour 6085, steel 6050 and a steel gold 6105 for a 18k 6105.

6. Feb 17 : Sold a Movado triple calendars

7. Feb 28 : Sold Enemal dial chronograph, 

8. Feb 28 : Sold Omega Constellation, 

9. Feb 28 : Sold Enicar auto

10. March 3 : Traded Rolex 6424 for Rolex 16613

11. March 9 : Rolex 5050

12. April 11 : Chinese Worldtime spare

13. May 2 : 上海軍表

14. May 2 : Chinese Woldtime spare

15. May 20 : Rolex 5506 Airking

16. May 25 : Bovet Chronograph 

17. June 1 : Tudor big Rose 

18. June 14 : Rolex 1803 rose (duplications)

19. June 20 : Rolex 1016 (duplications)

20. June 20 : Rolex Big Bubbleback 6075 (duplications)

21. June 20 : Rolex Daytona 116523

22. June 21 : Pagol watch sold to China

23. June 27 : Traded Kingston Moonphase, Longines Pointer and Lejour Chrono for a Rolex 1601 rose gold

Rolex Double Red Sea Dweller ref 1665 mk4

The ref. 1665 was in production in various iterations until the early 1980s. These watches feature dials with two lines of text (“Sea-Dweller” and “Submariner 2000”) printed in red, earning them the nickname ‘Double Red Sea-Dweller’. 

The Rolex Double Red Sea Dweller has been on my radar for a very long time. However, I have been focusing on building my Big Bubbleback series as well as the Prince series. Along the way, I have got distracted with other series. By the time I got interested, prices have shot up especially during 2007-8. These high prices have deterred me from chasing the DRSD.

With the current economic climate, the prices of DRSD have dropped to a reasonable level and it has reignite my desire to find one and it may be a great opportunity to get one now.

What Makes the Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665 so special versus a submariner is that the Sea-Dweller features increased water resistance and a helium escape valve, which enables it to let trapped helium molecules safely exit the case without damaging the watch. 

In addition, its uniqueness comes with the fact that this technology was developed by Rolex during its early partnerships with the U.S. Navy and the French deep-sea diving company COMEX, and it has been the defining feature of the Rolex Sea-Dweller collection ever since. Not only is the reference 1665 the very first Sea-Dweller that Rolex ever produced, but it also represents the first time that a helium gas escape valve ever appeared on a Rolex watch.

In addition to being the very first Rolex Sea-Dweller, the ref. 1665 is also the only version of the Sea-Dweller to ever feature an acrylic crystal. All subsequent models feature flat crystals made from scratch-resistant synthetic sapphire, but the Sea-Dweller 1665 is fitted with a domed crystal made from thick plexiglass, which offers an unmistakably vintage overall look and feel. Beyond that, the reference 1665 is the only version of the Sea-Dweller to ever feature a 610 meter depth rating, and it also happens to be the only Sea-Dweller model that has a movement without a quickset date.

I have finally managed to find a nice condition DRSD mk4 watch serial 4070xxx originally from Japan. As it is costly, I will need to trade away my Daytona, Explorer 1 and Big Bubbleback plus cash top up for this. This DRSD will fit nicely with the rest of my Rolex Submariner collections. Moreover, it also helped in my reduction on the units of watches I own.

Despite being a single reference number, a surprising amount of variation can exist among Rolex Sea-Dweller 1665 watches, which makes them popular targets for many of today’s collectors. 

The very first examples of the ref. 1665 are known as “Double Red Sea Dweller” (DRSD) watches because their dial features two lines of red text that read “SEA-DWELLER” and “SUBMARINER 2000.” The “Double Red” version of the Rolex Sea-Dweller ref. 1665 was produced from approximately 1967 until 1977; however, many of these Double Red Sea-Dweller dials were replaced with later-era versions that featured all white text during repairs and routine servicing. Consequently, only a fraction of the number of original Double Red examples still remain in existence today, and the DRSD is an extremely popular vintage Rolex watch among serious collectors.

The Different Generations of Sea-Dweller: 

For details please see: 

https://www.41watch.com/en/journal/historical-reviews-of-iconic-watches/technical-and-historical-review-of-the-rolex-sea-dweller-1665

The First Generation - Sea-Dweller 1665 MK00

Known as Mark 00 among collectors, this watch is the first true Sea-Dweller. Manufactured in very small quantities, this initial reference was not offered to the general public, as it was intended only for professionals and was still in the development phase. We are talking about a prototype here. The dial displays "Sea-Dweller" in red, retains the "Submariner" marking, and shows a depth rating of 500 meters (1650ft).

The Second Generation of Sea-Dweller, the First "Double Red" - MK0

The second version of the Sea-Dweller features two superimposed red lines, "SEA-DWELLER / SUBMARINER." Very rare as well, it was also intended for professionals and not available to the general public.

The Second 1665 "Double Red" - MK1 (1967 -1969)

This is the first version of the reference offered to the general public (produced from 1967 – serial number 1.6XX.XXX). It's the first version displaying "double red" on its dial with two superimposed lines "SEA-DWELLER / SUBMARINER 2000" (2000 for 2000 ft).

Production observed: 1.6XX.XXX to 2.2XX.XXX (1967 to approximately late 1969).

Important detail: the ink used on this version tended to fade and turn pink or even white after the complete disappearance of the red due to UV exposure.

The Sea-Dweller 1665 "Double Red" - MK2 (1968 - 1973)

This version of the dial was mainly observed from 1968 onwards. The printing of the dial is mainly characterized by direct red ink printing on the dial (the red of MK1 was superimposed on white markings). The font size of the second red line is smaller, and the ink black/varnish mix on this dial has a specific characteristic highly appreciated by collectors in that many specimens turned brown. Among the distinctive features, the crown guard is almost nonexistent on this version.

Production observed: 1.6XX.XXX to 3.5XX.XXX (1967 to approximately late 1973). It is more likely that these dials were produced from 1968, and the 1967 models equipped with these dials went through Rolex service.

The Sea-Dweller 1665 "Double Red" - MK3 (1973 - 1975)

Version relatively similar to MK 2. Here, it is more difficult for the layman to differentiate between the two dials, and this differentiation mainly depends on the alignment of letters relative to each other and an open crown guard.

Otherwise, the red printing is directly on the dial, the "6" is still open, and some dials of this version turned brown, giving this dial an extra characteristic.

Production observed: 2.6XX.XXX to 3.5XX.XXX and versions up to 4.1XX.XXX (1973 – 1975).

The Last Sea-Dweller 1665 "Double Red" - MK4 (1972 - 1978)

This last version of the double red dial is the most common version. The reason for this is that it was produced for the majority of the 1665 production (1972 – 1978). You will notice that the different versions of dials are not really chronological and overlap during different productions. As a distinctive feature, you will first notice a very different type of ink compared to previous versions. Indeed, the white ink gives a "pointillism" impression, probably due to a more diluted ink than the others. It is also the only version with a closed and straight "6."

On the crown guard side, the size of the crown guard is larger with sharper points and a more pronounced circular opening. Note, finally, the return of white-red superimposition on the first two lines. Production observed: 3.0XX.XXX to 5.2XX.XXX (Late 1972 – 1978). I have managed to get one with 4 Mio from 1975.

Inside the caseback, the FULL serial number are engraved along with the model number (1665) and it matched the case serial. 

After 1977, Rolex switched to a dial with all white text for the Sea-Dweller ref. 1665, and the “SUBMARINER 2000” line was eliminated entirely. Nicknamed the “Great White,” this style of Sea-Dweller dial remained in production until the reference 1665 was finally discontinued in 1983. With that in mind, not all of these Sea-Dweller 1665 dials are the same, and there exist numerous different variations, which have been categorized as Mark I through Mark 4.

Furthermore, Rolex also produced special versions of the Sea-Dweller ref. 1665 that were issued to COMEX divers, and some of these special edition examples feature dials with the COMEX logo printed upon them. Beyond that, there are also special order Sea-Dweller 1665 watches that were produced for royal families in the Middle East, and they often feature dials with unique crests or text, such as the “Khanjar” and “Qaboos” dials. As you might imagine, these special order Sea-Dweller dials are incredibly rare and exponentially increase the value of the watches that are fitted with them.

For details please see: 

https://www.41watch.com/en/journal/historical-reviews-of-iconic-watches/technical-and-historical-review-of-the-rolex-sea-dweller-1665

Be careful of fake 1665 DRSD as below

The following are the prices of the various auctions:

THE DRSD despite being a watch from the 1970s can still lined up nicely with the more modern versions.