The COMEX 16660
Sea-Dweller

A Transitional Reference

COMEX 16660 — Photo by Delgado

The 16660 was a transitional watch for Rolex. The new case, sapphire crystal, and larger helium escape valve meant the new watch could be taken to depths of up to an incredible 4,000 feet — or 1,220 meters. Inside the case was also a new movement: the calibre 3035, replacing the 1575 that had powered the previous 1665 Sea-Dweller models.

Interestingly, the new watch was designed with a new dial — a glossy dial with metal rims around the markers. In the meantime, there were still matt dials that needed to be used, so the first batch carried a matt dial while the later models received the new shiny gloss dials.

COMEX Delivery & Production

The 16660 was delivered to COMEX between 1980 and 1984. The first 100 watches had the older-style matt dials and two lines of writing on the dial, while the remaining 50 watches carried the new glossy dials.

It had long been believed that only the first 50 watches were matt dial examples and the rest glossy. Due to further detailed research by collectors, there is now evidence that the original batch of 100 watches — serials 3001 through 3099 — had matt dials, and some of those were subsequently replaced by service glossy dials by Rolex.

Reference Images

Below: the COMEX 16660 alongside its legendary predecessor, the 1665 Sea-Dweller model it replaced. The generational shift in case architecture, crystal, and dial finishing is clearly visible side by side.

COMEX 16660 — Photo by Delgado

16660 compared to the 1665 it replaced — Photo by Delgado

Dial Variants: Matt vs. Gloss

The COMEX 16660 is defined by its two distinct dial types — a direct consequence of Rolex’s production transition during the early 1980s. Collectors and authenticators should be aware of both variants and the possibility of service replacements within the first serial range.

Collector Notes & Rarity

With only 150 total examples produced for COMEX — 100 matt dial and 50 gloss — the COMEX 16660 is among the rarest references in the entire COMEX catalogue. The matt dial examples are particularly prized, both for their historical significance as the bridge between the 1665 era and the modern Sea-Dweller, and for their relative scarcity versus service-replaced glossy examples.