The interest toward the Rolex Sea-Dweller has skyrocketed in the past few years. In fact, the model features a remarkable origin story, a very distinct evolution, and extremely appealing aesthetics; its high collectability comes as no surprise. What is interesting, however, is that the market has focused on some versions of reference 1655 - such as the Double Red - but there is still the chance for the savvy collector to acquire extremely rare variations which have not yet been caught up in the market frenzy. The elusive Rail Dial White Sea-Dweller (or “RDWSD”) is one such example.

The RDWSD is an extremely rare variation of the iconic Great White dial. In production for two years only between ’77 and ’79, this dial variation was manufactured by the Stern company, instead of the normally employed Singer. While the Stern family is today known as the owner of Patek Philippe, they were originally dial makers, and among the most appreciated ones in Geneva. Nowadays the Stern dial factory has been incorporated into Patek Philippe and produces dials exclusively for that company.

Some subtle differences are found on a Rail Dial compared the the standard Great White. Most notably, the last “E” of “superlative” and the “Y” of “officially” are perfectly aligned, as are the “C” of “chronometer” and “certified”. This creates a very pleasing and unusual vertical “corridor” (or rail) of space between the last two lines of the designation, and it is what gives the dial its nickname. Rail dials are known also on other Rolex timepieces, most notably on the 1990s Explorer II ref. 16570. Another detail unique to the Rail Dial is the Swiss designation reading “T Swiss T < 25”: no other Sea-Dweller dial, including the Comex 1665 (whose dial was made by Stern as well) presents this designation.

The correct serial number for a RDWSD is included between 5.7 million and 6.2 million. The present example featuring case number 5’737’049 is thus one of the earliest examples of RDWSD, and furthermore offered in excellent condition.