Well that didn't take long.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Like others I got caught up in Tedwood's Future Classic thread about the 116600 even to the extent of boldly proclaiming yesterday in the thread that I was going to get one. Towards that end I went to an AD today, an AD I've had a grudge against for twenty years related to poor treatment, just to look. I connected with a disturbingly young but very knowledgeable SA and found a display case with many Rolex CPO divers including a 16600, 116660, 126660 and SD43, everything except what I was looking for. Needless to say I tried them all on. I'd seen and tried on the 126660 and 136660 before at my preferred AD and loved the chonky vibe but one thing that held me back was the prominence of the Gas Escape and Ring Lock wording on the chapter ring; to my eye it was just too bold and I didn't think I was bold enough for it. I guess perhaps I'd never seen a first gen DSSD and never knew it was noticeably less prominent on the 116660. For awhile now I'd been twitching for a new DSSD but couldn't get off the fence and then the 116600 thread popped up and that seemed like a better choice but in the bright lights of the AD that 116660 was talkin' to me. Yes, I know it has the 20mm bracelet but it's comfortable on my wrist and really only adds to the chonky vibe. Yes I may have spoken disparagingly in the past of the small offset date window but now that it's been replaced with a larger one in a more appropriate position I think the offset window has genuine character. And even though the watch did not come with its original box and papers it came with a CPO box and Rolex warranty card proclaiming it as good as new. So today I connected with a new SA and buried the hatchet with a previously despised AD and got my preferred reference of a watch that has been on my mind for some time with Rolex's assurance of authenticity and their warranty. And all of it was a complete surprise. And I still may indeed pick up that 116600 but at least for the moment the Sea-Dweller itch has been scratched.

Thank you all for your ongoing encouragement to consider new possibilities.