8
ROLEX
SERVICE
USING
YOUR WATCH
THE HEART OF THE
SEA-DWELLER MODELS
HELIUM ESCAPE VALVE
Professional saturation divers must
spend long periods of time in a
decompression chamber, where the
gas mixture they breathe is composed
of approximately 95 per cent helium.
The helium molecules are so small that
they penetrate the watch case, with the
result that the pressure inside the watch
equalizes with that inside the chamber.
During the decompression phase that
slowly brings the diver back to normal
atmospheric pressure, the gas cannot
always escape from the case sufficiently
quickly. The resulting excess internal
pressure risks damaging the watch.
To solve the problem, the Oyster
Perpetual Sea-Dweller and the
Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea are
equipped with a helium escape valve
allowing the gas trapped inside the
watch tobereleased without affecting
theintegrity and waterproofness
of the Oyster case.
