Rolex

This Rolex Sea Dweller Double Red Mark 3 from 1974 is not just any other highly collectible Rolex.

It belongs to another category thanks to its quality, provenance and the reason of its presence in this auction.

This watch has been the faithful companion of its original and only owner, a person who is internationally recognized for his taste and talent. Since 1974 this Rolex has been carefully taken care of and preserved. Indeed, unlike so many other owners, this one immediately understood the beauty and essence of the piece and the absolute necessity of keeping it in its original condition. Thanks to his clear-sightedness, the watch has been preserved with strong lugs as the owner has always refused for it to be polished. It also has an absolutely beautiful patina the is perfectly matching on both the dial and the hands which demonstrates all the charm and character of the 1665 Double Red.

Not only has this watch been exceptionally well preserved, its original accessories have been meticulously kept by the owner. Therefore, the watch is presented today with its Rolex Guarantee, presentation case, anchor and tag. Such a complete set is remarkable in itself. 

In 1967, Rolex introduced the first version of the Sea Dweller reference 1665. This diving watch has been specifically engineered to sustain extreme depth for extended periods of time. The patented helium escape valve, first used on this reference, allows for accumulated helium to escape the watch without reducing its water resistance. But for this escape valve, the accumulation of gas could dislocate the plexi or damage the movement when expanding inside the watch during decompression. The watch has been nicknamed by collectors the 'Double Red' due to its distinctive red two-line text spread: 'Sea-Dweller' and 'Submariner 2000'. By 1977, Rolex changed the dial to the 'Great White' one with an all-white text.

The Reference 1665 was fitted with Double Red dials made in four versions over its lifetime, defined as such:

MK1: Exclusively ‘Patent Pending’ examples with Sea-Dweller and Submariner print of equal size and with the red print printed over the white. The red print has faded to pink on many examples. The Rolex coronet with thicker style.

MK2: Submariner 2000 text is smaller, coronet remains the same (short fingers), found on both the ‘Patent Pending’ and early ‘Patented’ versions. The "D" in Sea-Dweller lines up with "I" in Submariner 2000.

MK3: Such as the present lot, the coronet is more pronounced and elongated with flatter bottom. The "D" in Sea-Dweller lines up with the "R" in Submariner 2000.

MK4: The final version of the original dials is again a slightly heavier print for both the red and white text, the coronet has broader fingers and a more pronounced opening.

The owner of this piece is Mr. Marc Berthier.

Mr. Berthier is a celebrated architect and designer as well as a former combat diver, freediver and paratrooper.

His work has been influencing the Design world as well as our everyday lives for over 50 years. Some of his most famous creations include the Carré H and H 2 watches by Hermès, the entirely rubber coated Radio Tykho now in its third edition by Lexon and the 1960’s OZOO collection distributed by Roche Bobois, still very much popular and sought-after today.

Marc Berthier was born on the night of August 4^th in 1935 in Compiègne, France.

Some of his creations are part of museum collections both in France and internationally, from the Centre Pompidou to the MoMA of New York, to name but a few. Many exhibitions and official events have been dedicated to him.

Marc Berthier is Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and in 1986 received the Grand Prix Natoinale de la Création Industrielle from the Minister of Culture.

Between 1985 - 2000, he was the Director of a Teaching Unit at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de la Création Industrielle. At the same time, Marc Berthier simultaneously practiced architecture under the leadership of Dominitri Avgoustinos constructing projects for several schools including CES, CET and LEP, such as LEP “Le Corbusier” at Soissons, France. Marc Berthier founded and directed Archi Plan Studio and Design Plan Studio, from 1980 to 1990, followed by Elium Studio from 2000 to 2020. Today, Marc Berthier continues to work from his Paris studio accompanied by his design associate, Mikaela Kvan. Together they will launch his final design studio KVAN / BERTHIER transcribing the role of design into a Post-Covid paradigm.

At the top of his project list for 2022 is Belvédère—a fully autonomous pre-fabricated house. Marc Berthier has dedicated over 30 years of his professional life to this house which can be constructed in any location, for situation and has been conceived for a large variety of topographical and climatic situations. Since the 1980’s, when Marc Berthier adventure with Belvédère first started, the project has consistently adapted to take into account evolutions in environmental change and technological innovation. Today, Belvédère is ready to go to production.

The bio-climatic roof is shaped as the wing of a plane. Its Intrados creates the Venturi effect, which forces the air to cool down by passing above the dwelling block during warm periods while the Extrados will capture the solar energy (through solar panels) and will capture rain water that will be collected in a 2m3 aboveground tank that will filter the water before supplying it to the dwelling unit.

Today Mr. Marc Berthier has decided to present his Rolex, his faithful companion around the world for 47 years. The proceeds of the sale will allow him to achieve the other dream of his life: Belvédère, an entirely autonomous house.

Mr. Marc Berthier about his scuba diving career:

The Scuba divers at Elba Island

Elba Island, in the archipelago of Tuscany, was one of the most important locations in the 1950’s and 60’s for freediving, so much so that several world records were established there.

In 1955, I was hired as a Programme Organizer for three seasons at Club Med to organize spearfishing—which was very popular at the time. In addition to my work, the Club Mediterannée of Marina Di Campo on Elba Island was also my training camp for freediving. Back then, you had to dive with fins and come back to the surface with a calibrated rope, without any assistance. My training took place at Punta Nera, close to Pareti beach at Gapoliveri on Elba island, which was the logistical base for the organization of the No Limit Freediving World Records.

For Club Med, I organized teams to explore in and around islands of the archipelago such as Pianosa, Capraia, Gorgona, Giglio and Gionotri. Adding a layer of complexity to the job, these islands were also penal colonies and it was forbidden to approach or berth on them. I had to negotiate the authorization from the governors of the penal colonies for spearfishing around them and to guarantee that we would not have any contact with prisoners on probation, who were wearing brown and white stripped outfits. A part of the Pinosa island was dedicated to high security prison inmates. Their wives would come every week on a galley, holding baskets on their knees sitting behind the galley rowers.

Two sailors and myself would leave at night from the Elba Island, at the San Martina Club Med (on a boat with a Latin sail and a noisy diesel engine) with a dozen of clients to reach Montecristo the next morning. Montecristo was one of the most beautiful islands of the archipelago. Made of pink granite, in a pyramidal shape, culminating at an altitude of 600 meters, its top was going through the clouds while its slopes were diving into the Tyrrhenian sea.

At the time, Montecristo was covered by oleander trees and wild goats roamed as they had for have for over two centuries. Thanks to the pink granite rocks and their many enclaves, its caves and galleries, the underwater life was prolific, with imposing fish such as groupers, brown meagre and moray eels. The underwater flora was also maginifcently abundant so much so that since 1971, the site has been a Nature Reserve and since 1977 a Biogenetic Reserve.

Marc Berthier was also a combat diver who served in the 11e DBPC (Demi-Brigade de Parachutiste de Choc).

As both a very experienced diver and a world-renowned designer, his personal watch had to be a tool piece, carrying the best technology and robustness while presenting some perfection and character in its aesthetic. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Mr. Marc Berthier chose the Rolex 1665 Sea-Dweller, a timepiece among the best thought out and most celebrated watches ever created.

It is a great honor for Sotheby’s to have been entrusted by Mr. Marc Berthier to present such a personal and exceptional piece on his behalf, with the purpose of serving a truly wonderful and exciting project.

Additional images: all credits to Mr. Marc Berthier.

• Mr. Marc Berthier wearing his Rolex Sea-Dweller Double Red
• Mr. Marc Berthier on the cover of the Watch Journal, USD Print Edition, May 12, 2018
• Mr. Berthier (far left) at the Club Med
• Two design icons of the last 20 years: Montre Carré H2 and Radio TYKHO 2 & 3
• The Belvédère project