My first Rolex (a review): 16600A, No holes case, Sea Dweller

[toiletfinder.o]

Hi everyone,

I've been browsing this forum for awhile, and have decided that my lurking days have come to an end.

I have known that I wanted a Rolex for awhile. My first watch that I have worn for over 5 years was a Tag Heuer Formula 1, Red Dial Chronograph. It was time for an upgrade, and I knew that I wanted to stick with the genre of 2nd-hand steel sports, because they represented an opportunity to purchase a Rolex more affordably, and they hold their value better than most other watches.

After watching numerous videos and educating myself about the subject, I decided to go with the Rolex Sea Dweller, no holes case, 16600A Z-series for a couple of reasons that make the Sea Dweller one of the most iconic watches of all time.
- First watch to ever implement the Helium Escape Valve on a dive watch.
- First Rolex sports watch WITH date and NO cyclops.
- First Rolex sports watch to have solid end links.
- Thicker 1MM sapphire crystal vs the Submariner.
- Thicker case vs the Submariner. I love the increased heaviness/heft on my wrist.
- The no-holes case was only made for 3 years, which makes the 16600A model significantly more rare. I think this should hold its value more in the upcoming years as the new ceramic models slowly start flooding the market. I think that this characteristic preserves the Sea Dweller's heritage, while providing a modern touch.
- Far too many people wear the classic Rolex Submariner, so if you're looking for something a bit more special/different, the Sea Dweller is for you.
- I didn't like the new ceramic bezel of the 116600, so I passed on it.

Cons:
- Scratches very easily.
- Watch loses roughly 1-2 seconds per day, during nighttime, when I'm not wearing it.
- The bracelet is vastly worse than the newer glidelink version.