The first Rolex ever officially named after a living person, this 116660 James Cameron commemorates the filmmaker’s record-breaking solo dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench confirming the deepest piloted descent in human history. A genuine gradient D-Blue dial fades from cobalt at 12 to abyss-black at 6, with bright green “DEEPSEA” text matching the actual hull color of Cameron’s submersible. Discontinued in 2018 after a four-year run, this generation marks the original chapter of the James Cameron story.

Presents itself in mint condition with little to no signs of wear. The dial is the showstopper with the ombre fade from electric blue into pitch black is mesmerizing, like watching the descent itself play out across the face every time you check the time. Encompassing around it, the black Cerachrom ceramic bezel is virtually indestructible with platinum-coated graduations that catch light like polished silver against matte black, designed to outlast everything. And the case is a feat of Oystersteel engineering featuring a 44mm beast with the internal compression ring, helium escape valve, and a 5.5mm-thick domed sapphire crystal that could survive a depth no person could.

Functions include hours, minutes, seconds, date, and 60-minute unidirectional dive timing. The Triplock screw-down crown at 3 o’clock controls everything, unscrew it and pull to the first click to quick-set the date by rotating clockwise, then pull to the second click to hack the seconds hand and set the time. The bezel turns counter-clockwise only by lining up the pearl with the minute hand and reading off the elapsed minutes as you go. The helium escape valve at 9 o’clock works similar to how Iron Man’s suit decompresses itself, and so does this watch.

Comes as a full set, double-boxed with warranty card, service card, and a set of rubber straps.

Built like a Navy SEAL and styled like a Christopher Nolan opening shot, this is the watch for the collector who wants more than just another Submariner. Whether you’re a deep-sea documentary obsessive, a Cameron film fanatic, or simply someone who appreciates owning the first generation of the only Rolex officially dedicated to a real human being, the 116660 D-Blue earns its spot in the collection. It’s discontinued, it’s the original, and it tells a story no other Rolex can.