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Lot Essay
In 1989, Rolex's Submariner line saw a major evolution with the introduction of reference 16610, which replaced reference 16800. With its sapphire crystal, 300-meter (1,000-foot) depth rating, and robust 3135 caliber with quick-set date functionality, it became a mainstay of contemporary submariner manufacturing.
The present timepiece is especially noteworthy as its issue number, 6650, is outside the commonly recognized production range for COMEX-signed reference 16610 models. Preserved with its original factory stickers, it may have been one of the final Submariner timepieces shipped to COMEX, as late as 2007.
COMEX
Rolex’s historic partnership with COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise), the Marseille-based specialist in deep-sea engineering for the oil industry, stands among the most significant collaborations in modern watchmaking. When Henri-Germain Delauze founded COMEX in 1961, it was at the forefront of saturation diving, pushing the boundaries of both human endurance and underwater technology.
Rolex created specially designed timepieces with the patented helium escape valve (HEV), which permits trapped gases to safely exit the case during decompression and ensures reliability under harsh circumstances, in response to the demanding needs of professional divers. Over time, Rolex provided COMEX with a variety of specialized references, such as the Submariner and Sea-Dweller models, each tailored to changing technical specifications.
Produced in limited quantities and issued exclusively to professional divers, Rolex COMEX watches were never commercially available. Combining exceptional technical capability with direct professional provenance, they are today regarded among the most desirable and historically significant tool watches in the field of vintage horology.
The present timepiece is especially noteworthy as its issue number, 6650, is outside the commonly recognized production range for COMEX-signed reference 16610 models. Preserved with its original factory stickers, it may have been one of the final Submariner timepieces shipped to COMEX, as late as 2007.
COMEX
Rolex’s historic partnership with COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d’Expertise), the Marseille-based specialist in deep-sea engineering for the oil industry, stands among the most significant collaborations in modern watchmaking. When Henri-Germain Delauze founded COMEX in 1961, it was at the forefront of saturation diving, pushing the boundaries of both human endurance and underwater technology.
Rolex created specially designed timepieces with the patented helium escape valve (HEV), which permits trapped gases to safely exit the case during decompression and ensures reliability under harsh circumstances, in response to the demanding needs of professional divers. Over time, Rolex provided COMEX with a variety of specialized references, such as the Submariner and Sea-Dweller models, each tailored to changing technical specifications.
Produced in limited quantities and issued exclusively to professional divers, Rolex COMEX watches were never commercially available. Combining exceptional technical capability with direct professional provenance, they are today regarded among the most desirable and historically significant tool watches in the field of vintage horology.