The New Deepsea Challenge - Rolex’s First Titanium Watch

We at Wrist Enthusiast have been speculating about if Rolex would release a titanium watch ever since Olympic Sailor Ben Ainslie was spotted wearing a prototype titanium Yacht-Master in September of 2021. Well, that watch has not been mass produced by Rolex as of yet, but the brand did surprise us today with the release of their first titanium watch, the Rolex Deepsea Challenge (Ref. 126067).

And the Deepsea Challenge is not only groundbreaking for being Rolex’s first titanium watch (crafted from what Rolex calls RLC Titanium). The Deepsea Challenge is water resistance to an incredible 11,000 meters (or 36,090 feet).

If you recall hearing the Deepsea Challenge name before, you wouldn’t be mistaken. In 2012, Rolex produced a prototype Deepsea challenge (in steel) for James Cameron’s solo dive into the Mariana Trench (the deepest trench on Earth with a maximum known depth of 36,037 feet). So presumably, the titanium Rolex Deepsea challenge can reach depths even deeper than the Mariana Trench (even if only slightly).

The new Deepsea Challenge is a large and thick watch with a case that measures 50mm in diameter and 23mm in thickness. The crystal also needs to be thick to withstand the ocean pressures and it is. 9.5mm of the case thickness is just the crystal.

The Deepsea Challenge surpasses anything Rolex has produced in terms of water resistance. The standard Rolex Deepsea Sea-Dweller is only rated to 3900m of water resistance, far less than the 11,000m offered by the new Deepsea Challenge.

Perhaps using titanium instead of steel on such a large watch makes sense. Titanium is far lighter than steel, so on a large diving watch (that needs to be large) the lighter titanium makes the Watch more wearable. It makes sense that Rolex would choose pure utility as the reason to make its first ever titanium watch. I mean, Rolex is known as the ultimate tool watch.

how much does the titanium Rolex Deepsea Challenge cost?

The titanium Rolex Deepsea challenge will retail for $26,000 USD and be available for sale this month (November 2022).