Rolex Newbie - Sea Dweller

[marvin]

I had always wanted a Submariner or Sea Dweller and a couple of weeks back while passing through Heathrow airport saw a Seadweller in the Duty Free…. approx 400 pounds cheaper than the retail price. After making an initial enquiry I was told that the watch had just come in that morning and it was the first time in three years that they had a Sea Dweller to sell. As I hadn’t really planned on buying a Rolex that morning I told the saleswomen that I would have a quick think about it, to which she replied that I had better be quick as it would undoubtedly sell that morning. I retreated to the bar to ponder on the purchase and about 45 minutes (and four large gin & tonics) later decided that it was too much of a bargain to miss. By this time my flight was getting close to boarding and along with having no sleep for the previous 24 hrs and with the effect of the G&Ts kicking in, I didn’t really get to ask too many questions about the watch….. Probably not the best way to go about buying a Rolex, but I have to say I love the watch and have no regrets. Still, I have some questions…. Some of which are probably a little silly and over cautious, but bear with me…..

There will be long periods when I will not be wearing the watch….. is a watch winder really recommended and do they really serve a useful purpose? Is there any difference between a cheap and expensive watchwinder regarding their performance in keeping the watch fully wound?

If the watch has not be worn for a period of time and powers down from reading the Rolex FAQ it is recommended that the watch is manually wound…. Why? Will not giving the watch a few gentle shakes and then just wearing it as normal have the same effect??

Is it recommended to wear a Rolex while playing sports and tennis in particular? I am left handed and while not having a particular powerful serve, it must subject the watch to certain amount of shock?

Possibly a stupid question, but is it okay to wear a Sea Dweller in a swimming pool… any chance that the chlorine (or other chemicals?) could damage O-ring?

Another probably over cautious question, but how about wearing a Rolex while lounging on the beach for example in the baking heat… is this going to dry out the lubricants a reduce the period between servicing??

Lastly, how long has the current Sea Dweller been in production in its current form? How often do Rolex change the specs of a particular model and are the changes just cosmetic or to the movement itself?

TIA for any feedback.

Marvin