Watch It: ‘Wristwatch Revival’ Restores A Rolex Deepsea That Was Heavily Damaged In The Palisades Fires

Once on the bench, the extent of the damage becomes clear. The Sea-Dweller’s case and bracelet have survived structurally, but the movement is effectively melted. Upon closer inspection, the gaskets turn to ash, the screws disintegrate into dust, the bridges crumble under light pressure, and the balance and keyless works are fused together. Even the crown stem is stuck so firmly that he ends up literally digging through the ruined movement just to free it from the case. The sapphire crystal is gone, the dial and hands are roasted, and any notion of “restoring” the original movement is off the table. 

Marshall decides the only realistic path is to salvage what can be saved—the steel case, titanium caseback ring, ring-lock system, and bracelet—and replace the movement, dial, hands, crystal, bezel, and gaskets with correct parts sourced from the secondary market, while preserving as much of the watch’s history as possible, including a special nod to the damage from the fire.