Cyclops or not?

[SeaDweller50]

Im glad they added the cyclops as it just makes my SD4K look even more desirable than it did before.

[Devildog]

Saturation divers spend more time out of the water than in.

The cyclops isn't for magnifying the date window under water. It's for magnifying the date out of water. When being able to read it easily is likely to be useful. The same as any other watch.

The only argument against the cyclops is history/tradition and looks.

History/tradition is what it is. Looks are purely a personal thing.

[Nav01L]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Saturation divers spend a lot of time in compression chambers (weeks sometimes), which are pressurized to operating depths. The date would come in handy.

So funny how many people don't quite get why the Helium valve is even needed. A Rolex rep explained to me yesterday that James Cameron needed that to sit in his Submarine... funny, I don't recall seeing him doing any saturation diving in the Mariana Trench. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm really not sure why you'd need to get saturated just to sit in the comfy cockpit of a pressurized submarine.

As for the watch, I'm actually quite fond of the added cyclops, even if its positioning is a bit awkward at first (larger dial, not larger movement) in person. I mean if it's technically feasible, why not do it.

[regnant]

Cyclop is one of the most prominent features of Rolex and new Sea Dweller is equipped with that trait therefore Rolex shows some skill to put something that was unimaginable into reality when they fit cyclops in their deep diver

[bjw]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Agree. I think they turned it into a fashion SD. They wanted a midsize between the sub and the massive DSSD and came up with the new SubXL SD. The cyclops makes it a super-maxi case sub date. Totally cosmetic adulteration of the classic design, and no more useful as a tool watch than it was before.







Underwater, your mask magnifies everything anyway. Before I needed reading glasses, I never needed a magnifier underwater.

But how often is one really needing to know the date under water?

I personally like/need the cyclops.


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[kilyung]

I'm just going to pop the cyclops off and polish the AR off. Simple process. Think I'll like the resulting watch.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by bjw

But how often is one really needing to know the date under water?

I personally like/need the cyclops.


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See post #10.

Further explanation here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturation_diving

[kauffee]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Rolex makes nothing on older versions. More likely they were looking for a SubXL. The new SD is virtually indistinguishable from a sub date now, other than size.

So aside from the larger case size, helium escape valve, matte dial, red lettering, and fully graduated bezel it is indistinguishable from the Sub. Got it.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by kauffee

So aside from the larger case size, helium escape valve, matte dial, red lettering, and fully graduated bezel it is indistinguishable from the Sub. Got it.

It's an XL version of the sub. A fashion improvement, not a tool watch improvement. Go buy one. Be happy.

[kauffee]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

It's an XL version of the sub. A fashion improvement, not a tool watch improvement. Go buy one. Be happy.

I'm not trying to be rude, but I completely disagree. As a tool watch, it has 4 times the depth rating of the Sub and the HEV makes it suitable for saturation diving. While those features haven't changed from the previous version, they are a significant step up from the Sub. The step up in "tool watch" features from the SD would just be the Deepsea.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by kilyung

I'm just going to pop the cyclops off and polish the AR off. Simple process. Think I'll like the resulting watch.

That's a good option for those who don't want the cyclops

[diverdoug]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

no more useful as a tool watch than it was before.



Underwater, your mask magnifies everything anyway. Before I needed reading glasses, I never needed a magnifier underwater.

I am much more likely to want to see the date during a surface interval, so the suggestion that a cyclops is not useful because your mask magnifies does not "hold water". Haha ...hold water... get it?

[JoelUlrich]

I've been wearing Sea-Dwellers (16600 and 116600) for 20 years, and one of the reasons was the lack of a cyclops. So this new version is a huge disappointment for me. I would've jumped on it otherwise.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by diverdoug

I am much more likely to want to see the date during a surface interval, so the suggestion that a cyclops is not useful because your mask magnifies does not "hold water". Haha ...hold water... get it?

Agree. The date is useful in the chamber, not so much in the water.

I do a lot of recreational deco dives. I can see the hands and bezel just fine.

Originally Posted by kauffee

I'm not trying to be rude, but I completely disagree. As a tool watch, it has 4 times the depth rating of the Sub and the HEV makes it suitable for saturation diving. While those features haven't changed from the previous version, they are a significant step up from the Sub. The step up in "tool watch" features from the SD would just be the Deepsea.

The SD4K already did all of those things. So why increase case size and add a Cyclops? Cosmetics and marketing. Bigger than a sub, smaller than a DSSD. Rolex looking for a big watch sweet spot and adding the Cyclops to reel in the sub date crowd.

[red1108nyc]

Just from optical standpoint, non-cyclop fits my eyes better. I have zero interest in the new model.

[douglasf13]

I prefer form to follow function, and I find both the date and cyclops to be useful, regardless of how it looks. Besides, the proportions of the SD4K's dial were thrown off with the inset date wheel sans cyclops.

It's too big for me, but the new SD is best looking professional model in the 6 digit era. They nailed the proportions.

[Iloreyix]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

1982 called, ..........................and wants the cyclops and fluted bezels back !

[toolr]

Maybe they will add the cyclops to the SubC ND next... so that people recognize it as a Rolex

[kauffee]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

The SD4K already did all of those things. So why increase case size and add a Cyclops? Cosmetics and marketing. Bigger than a sub, smaller than a DSSD. Rolex looking for a big watch sweet spot and adding the Cyclops to reel in the sub date crowd.

Yes, exactly! A size in between Sub and DSSD.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by kauffee

Yes, exactly! A size in between Sub and DSSD.

Which is what I said in post 19.

[rolexnub]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Cyclops = Rolex! Great move.

I agree.

[SubmarinerSA]

I like it.

[tanatboon]

Never been a fan of the cyclop. I prefer the cleaner glass look.


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[lecorsaire]

Originally Posted by kauffee

I'm not trying to be rude, but I completely disagree. As a tool watch, it has 4 times the depth rating of the Sub and the HEV makes it suitable for saturation diving. While those features haven't changed from the previous version, they are a significant step up from the Sub. The step up in "tool watch" features from the SD would just be the Deepsea.

It is a tool watch but how many people buying a Sea Dweller are actually using it for its intended purpose? 1%? Most Sub owners won't even get anywhere close to being 200-300m underwater either. Recreational divers don't go below 130 ft.! Only professional divers will ever make full use of all of these watches. For the majority of us, they're just something nice to swim at the beach with.