Yann du Pasquier, Area Sales Manager for Rolex and Saoud Abdullah Al Darwish, Vice Chairman of Darwish Holding, during the launch of Rolex Deepsea Challenge at Fifty One East at Lagoona Mall yesterday. Shaival Dalal
DOHA: Fifty One East, the premium luxury retail chain in Qatar, and Rolex, a leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, jointly unveiled the unique Rolex ‘Deepsea Challenge’ yesterday.
The launch event was marked by the replica display of two pieces of ‘deep sea diving watches’, which made history when three divers took the plunge into the deepest point in the Pacific Ocean in 1960 and 2012.
When the Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard and the then US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh made the first dive to the deepest point in the Pacific Ocean, the experimental Rolex Oyster wristwatch had attached to the exterior of the submersible on January 23, 1960.
Successfully resisting the colossal water pressure at such depths, the world’s first-ever waterproof wristwatch returned to the surface in perfect working order.
In 2012, Rolex Deepsea Challenge was attached to the exterior of film-maker and explorer James Cameron’s submersible and accompanied him on his historic solo dive deep into below the surface of the pacific.
The Rolex Deepsea Challenge descended to a depth of 10,898 metres, defying extreme technical challenges during an expedition that opened a new chapter in deep-sea exploration.
This experimental watch, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 12,000 metres (39,370 feet), was exclusively developed and manufactured for the expedition.
These are the only watches that have successfully been taken so deep in real-life conditions, an achievement that demonstrates Rolex’s mastery of waterproofness even in the most extreme conditions known to humanity.
The event was held at Fifty One East Lagoona Mall, and attended by Saoud Al Darwish, Vice Chairman of Darwish Holding, and Yann du Pasquier, Rolex SA Area Sales Manager of Middle East, in the presence of representatives from the local media and senior representatives from Darwish Holding.
The Rolex Deepsea Challenge exhibition will be on display for the first time in Qatar exclusively at Fifty One East Lagoona Mall from November 5 to 10, marking Rolex’s unrivalled ties with exploration of the world’s deepest frontier.
Saoud Abdullah Al Darwish said: “This watch bears witness in a spectacular way to the privileged ties that link Rolex to the underworld exploration. We are very proud to be the only store in Qatar showcasing this unique watch.” The Peninsula
