This Rolex Sea-Dweller reference 16660, issued to COMEX and formerly the property of Bernard Kabrane, stands among the most evocative and historically charged professional diving watches of its era. Crafted in stainless steel and engineered for extreme depths, it represents a crucial chapter in the collaboration between Rolex and COMEX, one of the most celebrated partnerships in the history of tool-watch development.

The dial, known among collectors as the stardust dial, exhibits the subtle, shimmering patina formed through decades of natural aging, its surface marked by a constellation of delicate speckling. This rare texture, unique to a small number of surviving examples, imparts an almost celestial quality to a watch originally conceived for the most demanding environments beneath the sea. The luminous hour markers and hands, preserved with appealing integrity, complement the dial’s atmospheric presence.

The stainless-steel case retains the robust architecture that earned the Sea-Dweller its formidable reputation, featuring the helium escape valve that distinguished it from all other Rolex diving watches of the period. The watch is accompanied by a complete set, further elevating its rarity and desirability, while its documented provenance adds a human and historical dimension rarely encountered.

This watch belonged to Bernard Kabrane, a Comex diver and technician who was legendary in the years 1980-1990. Kabrane specialized in soldering for undersea constructions such as pipelines and offshore platforms. He was known for being able to remain longer than one and a half hours at depths greater than 50 meters, which was an exceptional feat. He achieved diving records for Comex, while working on the Panama Canal and many undersea pipeline.

Taken together, this COMEX-issued 16660 with stardust dial forms a remarkable convergence of professional heritage, technical significance and personal history. It embodies the narrative of a watch shaped by the sea and by the extraordinary individual who wore it, uniting rarity, authenticity and profound historical resonance.