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Television presenter Buddy Valastro spotted wearing Rolex

Buddy Valastro, the television personality and master pastry chef best known from TLC's Cake Boss, was recently photographed wearing one of the more technically remarkable pieces in Rolex's modern catalogue — the Sea-Dweller Deepsea D-Blue Dial, reference 116660, the so-called James Cameron Edition.

The Rolex Deepsea ref. 116660 debuted at Baselworld 2008 and immediately rewrote the rules for production dive watches. Its water resistance rating of 3,900 metres — roughly ten times that of a standard Submariner — is achieved through the patented Ringlock System, a three-component internal architecture comprising a nitrogen-alloyed steel ring, a domed sapphire crystal 5.5mm thick, and a titanium caseback. The case itself measures a substantial 44mm in diameter, making it unmistakable on the wrist.

The D-Blue dial variant arrived in 2014 and carries genuine narrative weight. It was conceived in collaboration with filmmaker and deep-sea explorer James Cameron to mark his March 2012 solo descent to Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench aboard the Deepsea Challenger submersible — a dive reaching 10,908 metres. The dial's gradient, shifting from vivid ocean blue at the top to near-black at the six o'clock position, visualises that journey into the abyss. A small globe at the six o'clock position and the word 'DEEPSEA' in green complete the tribute. The calibre 3135 automatic movement inside offers a 48-hour power reserve and Rolex's Parachrom hairspring for shock resistance.

Among collectors, the ref. 116660 D-Blue occupies a firm middle ground: it is not an unobtainium grail like a vintage Paul Newman Daytona, but it commands consistent respect as a purpose-built tool watch with a legitimate story behind it. It was discontinued in 2018 when Rolex introduced the updated Sea-Dweller Deepsea ref. 136660, which gives the 116660 a closed-chapter collectibility that keeps grey-market demand steady.

Valastro, whose Cake Boss brand has turned a family bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey into a multimedia empire, has long shown an appetite for bold, oversized watches befitting his outsized personality. The Deepsea D-Blue suits him well — it is a watch that commands attention without apology, built to survive conditions far more extreme than any kitchen.