Hands-on the Rolex Sea-Dweller 43 & Submariner 41 - side by side comparison 

The sub is iconic, but the black sub is just a bit cold machine feel and a bit lack of fun. The SD43 is more interesting and is currently a better value if you look at the grey market price. Great video

SD any day over the sub

I tried on the 43 mm Sea Dweller at the boutique the other day. I was surprised to find the Sea Dweller to be a better fit than smaller watches like the Oyster Perpetual and Datejust, as I have a smaller wrist at 6.75 inches, and I think I have debugged why. With the lugs right on the edge of the wrist, or with some overhang, the first link drops straight down. With a smaller watch, the wrist pushes the first link out at an angle, and then drops down further from the second link, which is further out than the first link of the Sea Dweller. Another bonus of the Sea Dweller vs the Submariner, is just that it’s less popular, and not something you see a lot of.

Lucky enough to own the SD 43 since new. I love it Really enjoying your vids guys!

SD43 Advance Pro Tip : Remove the extension clasp and adjust the links on the inner side of the watch. The top heaviness goes off and it sits firm on the top of the wrist. Again adjust more links to your size on the inner size for a smooth balance.

Just snagged myself my first Rolex ever a brand new Sea Dweller 126600 and it’s absolutely beautiful in person. 😁🙌🏽

Fortunate to own a Sub 114060 and a SD43. I liken it to a Carrera 911 and 911 turbo respectively. Love both and have a 6.69 inch (17cm) wrist and both feel good on wrist. The SD43 wears really compact for its size thanks to sloping & slim lugs. I feel the SD43 is better engineered and more capable with a tool watch feel thanks to matte dial. Feels more epic like a 911 turbo compared to a standard 911. I think anyone with a wrist of 6.5 inches up would feel comfortable with SD43. The Sub is classic beauty with its gloss dial. Love alternating between the two. Can’t lose with either though the ‘flex’ of the SD43 is seductive and you avoid the cliche ‘sub wearer’ club in favour of the ‘true Rolex enthusiast’ club with the SD43.

SD43 is my personal pick. Because I've owned both and the SD43 is still in the collection but the sub isn't :)

Keep up the great content guys! A pleasure to watch these reviews as always! Cheers.

I love the 126600 And the representation of the great Rolex innovation. The proportions on the wrist despite the 43 millimeters are well balanced and the cyclops lens that has been added represents the ability of rolex to overcome obstacles.. The lens is absent in previous editions because the pressure of the lens would have broken the crystal, its presence on the 126600 is as if the rolex told the world: you can do it ✌️ This beautiful watch

I used to have a Pelagos LHD which was similar to the SD. I sold it to make way for the Sub 124060 when l got the call from my AD. The new Sub wears so well with the thinner lugs and case thickness, something that I got tired quickly with the Pelagos thickness of 14.3mm despite the lightness of titanium. My ultimate Sub would be a red line Sub41 with oyster bracelet and Oysterflex...

SD43 anytime for me. It commands more wrist presence & the marginal difference in size is really not bothering me much. There are not many rep SD43 going ard unlike the sub.

Very nice review guys; you work well together... You answered all the Q's I had about comparing the two watches... I have a Bluesy Sub, and have a chance to pick up a 43SD... was on the fence with it, vs another brand... now leaning toward the SD... obviously I have to decide in the next day or two... thanks again..

The SD43 felt a lot more special on my wrist so that's the one I picked. It will also depend on wrist size of course. At 7in flat wrist, I think the SD looks better. For small wrists, I'd go with the Sub.

I picked up a 2 tone SD a few weeks ago and absolutely love it. From all the reviews I saw before on tried it on, everyone said it was too big and bulky. I may be in the minority but I think its a great size, and often feel smalls on my wrist (19.5cm) It may be due to the fact I've been wearing a 44mm watch for the last 8 years may have scued my judgment! 😅

Excellent video. I’m leaning towards the SD because my likelihood of actually getting at SD from the AD is MUCH better than ever getting a SM from the AD. Thank you

I hv the starbuck and the sd43, and i love them both!!! My wrist size is about 7.5-8inches, the sd43 is a bit heavier than the sub but they re both absolutely beautiful watches, i mean if you want a drivers watch then these two are it!

Very interesting video guys, I am collecting my SD43 next week from my AD here in the UK. Very much looking forward to getting my hands on it. I already own an Omega Seamaster 300m, though its an 2003 (Goldeneye) watch, so looking forward to comparing the both side by side. I do love the look of the SD43, especially the red line.

Just picked up sd43 mk1 dial unworn, no regrets I’m loving it and I have 7in wrist. Thanks for the video😃

in addition .. if you have a Mark 1 dial on the SD43 then you can add another 1k to the price as many consider that dial which was produced for only 1 yr as "the true" 50th anniversary Sea Dweller..

the S-D 43 is a more special Ticker IMO. love the case diameter AND the Cyclops (for my aging eyes). the watch over all has a lot of presence on the wrist.... some who may find it top heavy (i don't) ,. stop complaining. you may wanna consider wearing it on Rubber-B Strap/ Leather/Fabric/Canvas.....etc. problem solved. personally i love the Bracelet. but once in a while i switch to Rubber..... on a side note.speaking of 43mm case diameter. i WISH Rolex would make some Models like the GMT Pepsi in 43mm as well.... thank you . great episode.

It was not commissioned for Comex divers. It was conceived between Navy Diver Bob Barth and T. Walker Lloyd of Rolex after reports of crystal damage during decompression after inert gases were introduced in the watch.

Bout to pick up my SD43 at my AD this week....cant wait...really stewed over this one...the Sub was my grail watch..but the SD43 is a classic

These guys great to listen to ✌️

Apologize if I missed it, but is the dial and bezel a deeper black on the sub 41 vs the sea dweller 43? Thank you!

Could you compare the deep sea with the sub no date🙏

Good to have both, bold and bolder!

For me l like better the Sea Dweller with Red and cyclop.

Another fantastic review!

I like the bigger size of SD but would like it without the date for a more clean look soni will try a Sub to se how it fits. Using a Pam382 as a Daily so it might feel abit small.

my wrist is 7 inches, but sub feels too small for me. SD would be my choise

Sea Dweller offers better bang for buck on the secondary market.

I have the Sd43, but I am seriously thinking about trading it for a Submariner 41. The sd43 is beautiful, but really top-heavy, and just doesn’t feel right on my wrist (18cm). case back is the big difference compared to the sub, so the watch doesn’t sit flat on my wrist.

Great review. Personally I prefer the Sub but the SD is a great watch to. Cheers

Crazy I bought one this week and was looking forward to it so much. Now every time I look at it, it just doesn’t do anything to me. And I think a 12’000 steel watch should should evoke emotions. So I keep it unscratched and will sell it one day.

Everyone has a submariner… SD is the way to go … it’s more special and better looking

I’m a GMT rolex fan, but I think the SD43 Red is probably a decent investment at 13-14k if you can get it. It’s a sub on steroids and the red makes it better than your garden variety sub

my wife agrees that the is top heavy, that's why she wears a women's size submariner! Sea-dweller is for men!

The difference is one is bigger than. The other .

Sea Dweller 100%

Sea Dweller…..redline……👍👍👍….it’s a Sub Killer!

Seadweller 🔝

It would have been cool if the new submariners were red letters and eliminate the last two lines of text.

The only Point, in my Opinion, the matte black is not as nice as by the submariner, isn t it ?

sea dweller retail isnt 14000. i just bought one for 13,700 canadian, so about 10,000 USD

You boys know what we like to see…

Sea dweller all day for me.

I cringe when when I hear that a 43 is too big. No one complains about Gshocks worn by billions of people. No one complains about those hideous Richard Mille. But 43 Rolex. God forbid. I wear this watch and a Subby, I enjoy my Oris Aquis 43.5 and my 46 oris Titan, Gshocks even more. Funny thing is the only compliments I ever get is when I where my fake Hublot gold skeleton from Thailand. Go figure. 🤔

SD43 all day over a Sub!

I personally wouldn't say that SD 126600 is a classic. Older model designs would be 'classic'

to me if you wear a sea dweller it makes you a Rolex connoisseur where a submariner and you just want a Rolex and knows nothing about watches.

16600 top heavy ? 🤣

Sea dweller 43mm all day long

4000ft, 2000ft, 1000ft.. who really cares? Even a prof diver never reaches the depth of 4000ft by scuba diving. Even 400ft is not usual also dangerous. Not in common use. Modern diving computers are more usual. If ya going >2000ft you sure be in a submarine. There you can wear any (cheap) watch either which is even not waterresistant ;) Both models, Subamriner n sea dweller very beautyful chronos. I just dont get the sense of Rolex why they invent more n more depth ability.

I like heavy and 43 because it is manly💪 Sea Dweller all the way

The sea dweller is too bulky… if you want to go extreme … go for the D-Blue otherwise, stay classic … stay Submariner

one guy needs to lose weight and the other guy needs to hit the gym

Just Coming from the SD 43mm: Bought it and sold after 1 month of owning, and just got the New 41mm ceramic Submariner. I Have a 7.5” wrist, so size was never a problem with me. I realized that as much as I loved the look of the red letters and the tone of black on the SD, it’s main problem for me was that the “43mm” size, is far from a good implementation: The dial size is practially the same as the Sub, only with a bigger bezel. This was a big mistake from Rolex, since the SD has to show the same information inside and then some more, making it look congested and cluttered, and at the same time also disproportionately on. Why not make the dial and bezel bigger in a symmetrical way from the beginning? They could have respected the 43mm size all in all proportions, and still keep room for the next 1mm needed to differentiate it from the upper brother, the Deep Sea. Yes, In terms of design an proportions, definitely the Sub 41mm has the edge. Hope Rolex can redesign and fix this issues and help the SD43 to look better.