Watching with interest as I'm down for a Cameron which is likely to be a daily wearer.
I know the DSSD has a cult following here and I'm wondering from those of you currently or previously owned one what your overall views are, especially on a day to day basis. Particularly if you bought and got rid of.
I'm picking up SD43 when the shops reopen and as someone with thighs for wrists I have no concerns about the size. I was initially offered a D-Blue but went with the SD43 due to fear of thickness. I don't have an issue with the diameter, it was just the thickness which put me off, but I'm now thinking of adding the D-Blue alongside.
I'm not keen on owning watches I don't wear and would make room by selling/trading something but don't want to regret it if I feel like a clown while wearing and it turns out 90% of owners ditch it or keep as a safe queen/investment and it was an outcome I should have seen coming.
While residual values help ease concerns when buying I don't really care about watch related investments, don't buy to flip for profit, or see the point in buying something just to keep in a safe so it would be something I'd want to wear regularly in a rotation.
Watching with interest as I'm down for a Cameron which is likely to be a daily wearer.
Having had both I preferred the SD43, the proportions are much better. The DS has a nicer glide lock and the gradient dial is lovely but they are the only plus points for me.
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Last edited by Arcam; 3rd June 2020 at 17:39.
I owned one of the early DSSDs, from 2009 or so, and it was my daily for a long time. Sold it and bought an EXP2 42mm polar, but missed the heft of the DSSD so got a Cameron in 2015. Wore it pretty much daily until I joined TZ and my collection expanded.
Since then I have added the sd43 and the 126660 Cameron. I would be very hard pressed to pick a favourite from the 3, the 43mm has a thinner case and is a little lighter, but I love the heft of the DSSDs. And the Cameron dial is just amazing, especially in the sunshine. Little to choose between the two DSSD iterations, I never found the bracelet too narrow ( although I have worn the 116660 on rubber b or recently canvas for a while ) and it is a bit nuts to own both, but the 116660 is my son's birth year watch so will be his in many years time. That's the plan anyway.
Anyway to sum up I feel that the 126600 and 126660 are different enough to justify owning both, esp in JC dial, so long as you have the wrist for it and like big watches.
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People know I like watches but we've also got a camera collector, a guitar collector & a golfist to deflect attention. Also, it seems that people who are not interested in watches don't seem to think that someone else would be likely to buy an expensive piece & then wear it every day instead of only for best.
If it wasn’t a Rolex, it would not sell at all. Like the Plopruf.
I had a Deepsea JC which I wore daily for about three months. I loved the heft of it although you definitely knew you had it on (I would often take it off as soon as I got in to give my wrist a rest) & the over engineered quality of the watch but couldn’t bond with it. It was, dare I say, just a little bit vulgar for my current tastes, a little too look at me. Also it’s impossible to wear under a cuff like a five digit sports. I also had a ceramic date sub which again was a great watch & very comfortable to wear but just didn’t feel “special” to me.
The idea of buying a modern ceramic Rolex was to wear it without worrying about knocks & scrapes as being a new watch it would all buff out with a service with no issues of devaluing the watch with replacement parts. However I found that they just, for me, lacked the classic charm of the five digit models.
I was all set to buy a Panerai sub when Tony’s 16600 seadweller came up for sale & suddenly seemed the perfect compromise, a modern (ish) over engineered sports Rolex with classic looks that I could wear every day.
Do I regret getting rid of the Deepsea JC, no, (despite that amazing dial), I’m glad I owned it for a while but it just wasn’t for me.
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To be more precise I normally wear an iwatch to work as I work in a business where it’s not conducive to wear an expansive watch.
But when I can wear a decent watch I do !
Got the surprise of life the other day when my watch was ringing for a phone call, forgot I had that option.
Just out of interest is the total weight an issue to anyone given the size of the watches and the fact that they are on bracelets and the word heft has been used. I have owned a few 'chunky' watches and find that anything approaching 200 grams or over is just too heavy for me. It feels like I am lugging around a house brick strapped to my wrist.
I suppose it makes little difference to some of you man mountains, but I am 6ft with 7.25" wrists, so it would be interesting if anyone moved one on or didn't buy a SD43 or DSSD due to the weight alone.
Last edited by Wallasey Runner; 3rd June 2020 at 18:50.
I had one and it only lasted about 3 months. A feat of engineering, no doubt, but way too bulky (for me). It also drew a lot of attention, which to honest I wasn’t overly comfortable with.
I will caveat this by saying I have a <7 inch wrist, so I should have known better.
I find my SD4k a perfect fit and is the one I should have gone for in the first place.
Yes, its thick. Ive been wearing mine last 2 days soon got used to it.
For me its all about the dial and that 5mm crystal, no other Rolex like it.
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I’ve had both - to me - no contest
DSSD all day
A very top heavy watch but for me comfortable and proportionate to my size.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2h4hhcA]
I am very,very lucky to have the dssd and the jc, along with a sd43.Had the black dssd since 2010 bought new ,to me it was just the ideal rolex sports watch.Fast forward and the sd43 is the better daily,covers so many bases.But putting the dssd or JC on feels like something special....
Love mine James Cameron although don’t wear it as often as I used to. I have owned from new for about 3 years and the dial is something special. The adjustability is the clasp is on another level, and love the domed crystal - in the other hand, it is quite large, but that clasp makes it easy to get comfortable.
In contrast, I have owned two SD43s and sold both quite quickly. Proportions are just right, but ultimately to me it is just a big sub, and I find the standard black sub a bit boring.
Give me a SD43 with the JC dial and clasp, and it would be perfect
Well it sort of is what it is and never struck me as small until you mentioned it. Now i’ve been looking at it a lot in the last 10 minutes and it still seems fine. When i put it on yesterday the dial did feel small but the watches i had been wearing most recently were Panerai 372 and 305 so after those and in comparison it is small.
I loved the DSSD from the first moment i tried one, the slightly domed thick sapphire mesmerises me and i don’t think it can be captured in a pic, well certainly not by me. Its over engineered, but why not. I am lucky enough to have an SD43 as well and if i had to only have one watch that would be top of the list, BUT, i would take the DSSD over it every day and twice on a Sunday if i could have two.
It is a marmite watch, and thats what makes it so good.
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I love my JC - it’s definitely hard to miss; and to be honest I’ve never thought about the weight on my wrist when I have a watch on; I just don’t notice it.
I pretty much wear mine most days I’m not at work and the only downside is that the size makes it just that little bit easier to catch something with it.
Bracelet is very comfortable and there isn’t anything I don’t like about it - and I can’t see myself ever selling it. I am wondering about adding a SD43 but unsure if it will be too similar when I have others on my wishlist.
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I am always slightly surprised that the DSSD attracts quite so much angst about its size, unless it’s because people subconsciously compare it to the Sub, which is so much smaller. Yes it is a big watch, but there are loads of 44/45mm diameter watches out there (think Panerais and Avengers) and it’s rare to hear this kind of question about them.
I own a 116660 which shares space in the box with 17 other watches that measure between 44mm and 47mm in diameter, and it is far from being the heftiest. Actually the domed crystal combines with the sloping bezel to minimise the depth of the watch in profile, and I have no problems wearing it with a suit, either.
I find it very comfortable to wear (although in a spirit of full disclosure it should be said that I don’t own the bracelet - mine lives on a RubberB), and if it was my only watch I’d be perfectly happy with it as a daily wearer.
Clearly if you don’t like big watches then it won’t be for you, but singling out the DSSD specifically for its size doesn’t make sense to me when considering it in the light of many other large watches.
Simon
I don't mind the diameter it's the thickness which worries me combined slightly with it being a Rolex. If it was a Breitling Emergency or Panerai Submersible I would have similar reservations (is it stupidly big, will I feel silly, does it scream "look at me and my big posh expensive watch" etc). I guess it's a little like wanting an 'feat of engineering'/overkill 4x4 but worrying that a G Wagon would attract too much attention and if you'd feel a Wally having it on the drive or popping to Tesco so end up rarely driving it which defeats the point of owning.
I keep getting bugged by the idea that my 41mm 2254 has a 30mm dial(which I really like) so therefore a DSSD at 44mm needs to be 30mm to look in proportion to the case /bezel. I know this is not really logical but I can't get past it. It stems from trying a 40mm Sub & thinking the dial looked cramped in the 40mm case & therefore thinking that the same size dial in a 44mm case is going to look like a coin in a lift.
The way to solve this is to go to the AD & try one but that's tricky right now.
Plenty of owners have said that it's not an issue so I just need to see one in the metal.
The size /thickness bothers me less. Part of me is wondering if people will be thinking "look at Mr Trying Too Hard & his Carlos Fandango watch". Most of me is thinking that the size is because of the intended use of the watch & that people will soon stop noticing it.
I have the Mk 1 DSSD and it is my default 'go to' watch of choice.
I agree that it is a big lump, but I absolutely love that and when you get used to it you no longer notice it at all. I find my G-Shock more awkward, as the DSSD fits so comfortably on my wrist by comparison. The only time I remember noticing the heft negatively was when I was riding a Boris Bike over the cobbles near Covent Garden and the back of my hand took a pounding from the crown!
I know it is a cliche, but the only way you will know if it is right for you or not is to try one - for a few days or more. I would not be without mine.
I've tried both on multiple times in WF but it's hard to get a good idea in the store and under such harsh lighting. If you focus on it the DSSD is a bit small and potentially out of proportion due to the original gas escape value ring, but I think after five minutes you'd forget that and not notice it. Similar to how I hate the Prospex X on Seiko dials (and think it ruins the watches in pictures at least) but apart from unboxing them have never noticed it on either of my Prospex watches.
I know what you mean about the Original Gas Escape Valve ring, it also seems to look more dominant in photos, much more than it does in real life. The thick glass also plays with the apparent proportions of the dial too - which I really like.
A bit of a geek comment, but have you noticed that when one is for sale there is often a sink near the gas release value?
It’s may be the same watch in lots of photos but always wondered how it got dinked. Second only to wondering if anyone, ever has witnessed the valve being used.
I was amazing by the Deepsea when I first saw it back in 2008. I traded my PAM177 and PAM183 for one back in 2009 and wore it almost exclusively. I then traded that for a PAM127 as it was my grail and a friend who had one fancied a change. I bought another Deepsea shortly afterwards as I did miss it but then got bored so sold it again to get a 114060, that didn't last long and I got a 116660 James Cameron, really didn't like that on the wrist and at the time had a BLNR so ended up selling that.
I was then lucky enough to get the new red Sea-Dweller SD43, but after the initial honeymoon period I sold it as I got the opportunity to get a PP 5167. I am now on my 3rd 116660 Black. Love the heft, the over engineering, the crystal, the narrower glide lock, the step from the end links to the case, the case back inscription . Pretty much everything. You'd be hard pushed to beat it for an all-round sports Rolex IMO.
I don't have massive wrists, 6.75" and find the taper of the bracelet and narrower clasp on the older 116660 fits me much better, especially with the divers extension being removed. The bracelet on the newer 126660 feels so big and clunky in comparison.
Nice watches but they are very very big.
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I'll see if the AD has one to try on when I go to collect the SD43 but I think from reading the thread you'll only know by committing.
I was expecting to hear from more people who bought, regretted, and sold. Reassuring that wasn't the case. Let's see and thank you for the comments.
I have had a Mk1 116660 DSSD since 2010, I am on my second one as some scrote stole my first. I have largish wrists 7.75" but have never had a problem with its size, the largest aspect, for me is ts height but I have always been able to wear it under a cuff with a suit whether on the Rubber B or bracelet (unlike some others I have). As others have said before if you size the bracelet properly it doesn't feel top heavy, and I wear it for several weeks at a time when in rotation with some of my other watches.
Found the pics I took in WF last year but can't remember if it's the MK1 or MK2 bracelet. Seems fine from directly above but diameter was never a concern. The side however is so unapologetically "out there". Could be worse, it could have polished centre links.
Overall as part of a rotation I think it's probably different enough to justify whereas the BLNR (which would go fund it) is just the same as my Sub ND but with polished centre links and a splash of blue.
That’s the MK2 Wileeeeeey.
I have had a black dial 116660 for 9 years now. It’s not a watch that can be judged by just trying on in an AD. My wrists are @ 8” and it’s been my daily wearer for a long time now, replacing an sd4k. Yes, it’s hefty but I genuinely don’t notice I’m wearing it. I would suggest buying one with the intent of wearing it for at least a month to give it a fair chance. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it.
I have a ‘few’ Rolex’s with two of them being both the black and JC DSSD’s.
I was one of the too big what’s the point brigade and then I got my hands on TT’s at a Norwich GTG a few years back. I put it on and could not take it off, I totally ‘got it’. Whatever that is.
I know people struggle when they first try one on and popping on an unadjusted one for two mins in a dealer is not the thing to do. Strap it down correctly and it’s a gem.
My collection is 14 pieces and my black DSSD has become virtually my full time daily over the past two years. It’s a big but it is for a reason and that strangely matters to me, it probably is the most over engineered watch out there.
Pitch
Edit: for ref I also have a 5513, 16570, 14060, 16710, Hulk and BLNR, so the DSSD’s sit with some decent company.
Last edited by Pitch3110; 6th June 2020 at 09:32.
Lovely collection and indeed good company indeed. My likely trio will end up being 114060, 126600 and 126660 D-Blue. I would be ditching the BLNR to make way for the D-Blue although it's the most comfortable Rolex I own. I don't like the PCLs, never use the GMT (it just makes setting the date harder) and overall I think it's a bit flash for me. Or maybe I'm just convincing myself of anything to get a new watch. Wouldn't be the first time.
I'm planning to team the Cameron with a DJ41, a Speedmaster on a black leather strap & a 2254 on a NATO as a set for all eventualities. Waiting for the 15th is taking a long time (not that I'm necessarily expecting a call on the 15th but obviously nothing can happen prior to then)...
I was all set for the Sea Dweller until I watched a film by James Cameron about the Titanic (not that film, a documentary one). The 126660 was so deliciously bonkers I had to have it.
The 40mm Submariner I've tried on but it didn't work for me. The dial seemed small and cramped by comparison to the 30mm dial on my Seamaster 2254 or my DJ41. Mind you, the Submariner of 2008 is a different watch to the one of today, though I doubt the proportions will be that different.
For me the proportions of dial, bezel and bracelet are key, rather than the size of the watch as a whole.
This is exactly me. I first tried a Sub on about 12 years ago and I really wanted it to work for me but it didn't. Dealer then proceeded to show me the SD and it got better. Unfortunately, the dealer was in Kurdistan and I did not have the courage to buy it as I would not have been returning. At the time the local card merchant services were not the best either. I can't even remember how much it was. Approx 5K Stg springs to mind although I could be wrong. Hindsight and all that!
Now looking again, definetly want a SD and most likely it will be the Deep Sea. Gotta a wee but of flipping to do first!
This thread is a great read, thanks to all for some very informative posts.