Sea-Dweller · Nickname guide
The Deepsea with the blue-to-black dial — honouring the Mariana Trench dive.
Reference
126660
Years
2014–present
Also called
D-Blue Deepsea
Bezel / dial
Blue-to-black gradient dial
Below: what makes the James Cameron (126660) distinctive, what to verify before buying, and how it fits the Naples collector scene.
To mark Cameron's record Deepsea Challenge dive, Rolex created the D-Blue dial: a gradient evoking the descent from sunlit blue water into the black of the deep, with green “Deepsea” text recalling his submersible. It sits on the ultra-deep Deepsea case with its Ringlock case-construction system.
The dial first appeared on the 116660 (2014) and continues on the 126660 (2018), which grew to 44 mm.
What to verify
In Naples
The Deepsea is the most serious diver Rolex makes, and the D-Blue is its most distinctive face — a fitting watch for a Gulf-coast town built around the water. As a current model, it can be pursued at retail, with the usual waitlist caveats.
We are an independent reference, not a dealer: we cannot sell you a James Cameron or appraise one. What we can do is help you read the reference and know what separates a correct example from a cobbled-together one.
James Cameron FAQ
The D-Blue gradient dial honours James Cameron's 2012 solo submarine dive to the deepest point of the Mariana Trench. Rolex strapped an experimental Deepsea to the submersible's manipulator arm.
The Sea-Dweller Deepsea is rated to 3,900 metres (12,800 feet), far beyond the standard Sea-Dweller, thanks to its Ringlock case-construction system.
It is a dial variant of the Sea-Dweller Deepsea (references 116660 and 126660), not a separate model. The D-Blue dial is what earns the nickname.
Naples has an active Rolex market through retail, boutiques, and private sales — but Naples Rolex is an independent reference, not a dealer. We don't sell or broker watches. Use this guide to verify a James Cameron before you buy, wherever you find it.